Friendster and Yahoo SEA ink multi-year parternship

The companies aim to use integrated products and promotional initiatives to drive usage between the properties.

Specifically, Friendster has introduced an application that allows users to check their Friendster activity and conduct activities from their Yahoo homepage or toolbar. According to the site, the application available now on Yahoo homepages in Indonesia, Singapore and the Philippines, and will enter Malaysia early this year.

Friendster has additionally launched a series promotional placements on its website to promote Yahoo Web Mail, and Yahoo will provide customised Friendster search results and activities stream on its page in exchange.

Also coming in early 2010 is a tool that allows Friendster users to update their profiles from their Yahoo accounts.

“Working together with Friendster ensures Yahoo remains relevant to people by offering the best online content and experiences,” said Ken Mandel, vice president and managing director of Yahoo Southeast Asia, in a release. “This is a major milestone in the Yahoo! Open Strategy, our combined services will enrich the online environment allowing people to get more done faster and in a single place.”

The news comes one month after the Malaysian digital payment-development company MOL Global announced that it would wholly acquire Friendster.

Though the networking site is headquarted in the United States, Friendster made significant gains in 2010 become an Asian-focused site.

More than 90 per cent of Friendster’s users are based in Asia, and claims that 90 per cent of its daily traffic comes form Southeast Asia.