As part of it's strategy in the struggle with Google, Yahoo has been testing and refining it's new search marketing system, code-named Panama.  Panama promises to be easier to use, more streamlined, and offers campaign testing features that Yahoo hopes will help boost advertising sales.  Previously available only to select existing customers by invitation only, and then to all existing customers, Yahoo announced today in a press release that Panama is now available to everyone, including new customers.

According to the press release, Yahoo is still in the process of moving existing customers from the old system to the new one, but new accounts will automatically created in the Panama system.  Existing customers who would like to request an ASAP upgrade can do so by filling out a simple form.  The form alerts Yahoo to your desire to get an upgrade invite as soon as possible.  No time frames were given in the press release other than to say that the transition of existing accounts would continue into Q1 of 2007.

Let's hope this new search marketing platform turns out to be as good as Yahoo is promising.  "An RKG Engineer" has nothing but good things to say about their Panama experience.  In fact, when he/she sent Yahoo a suggestion for a change in the reporting system, the search company responded with a telephone conference call full of engineers and managers eager to talk about their suggestion.  The RKG Engineer also says that the API used to interface your website with the Panama system is "unsurpassed".

We'll keep an eye on this and see what type of feedback starts pouring in now that the system is live and public.  Look for future updates.