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In "Zen and the Delicate Art of Video on Search Pages," Bits blogger Saul Hansell breaks down the differences between how Google and Yahoo are putting video ads on their pages. But doesn't Hansell know we'd all reach enlightenement faster if his post were 600 words shorter? Sit tight, 学生, and we'll show you the way.

Google and Yahoo have started video advertising on search results pages. Yahoo is incorporating video into "partner results," part of campaigns Yahoo sells to a handful of advertisers. This includes an image, links to the sponsor's site and a video player. Google video search ads show up as a line under a Google text ad. The link is next to a plus-sign icon. Click the link: a tiny video window appears on that page with a timer counting down. The end of the ad has a URL to the advertiser's site. Yahoo's ad wasn't clickable. Its timer counted how long the video had been playing. For Google, this ad format provides a second way to get paid — when users watch the video. Yahoo hasn't announced a pricing scheme. The Google format is useful. Click if you want to see the latest commercial. Seems ideal.