Zoho took a pretty big leap today, and it will likely pay off in big ways for them. What they decided to do is leverage Google and Yahoo’s rapidly growing user base to help attract new users. How so? Instead of having to create a Zoho account new (and existing) users can simply login using their Google or Yahoo credentials.
This is a smart move because now users don’t have to worry about going through the sign-up process, and then having yet another login/password that they have to remember. I’m sure a fair amount of Google Docs users haven’t jumped on the Zoho bandwagon for exactly that reason.
Already have a Zoho account? No problem… here’s what the Zoho blog has to say about the new system:
- If you already have a Zoho account with your Google or Yahoo! email address, you will be logged in to the Zoho account automatically.
- If you do not have a Zoho account with your Google or Yahoo email address, then you have the option to either associate the Google or Yahoo email address with your existing Zoho account (under Accounts) or you can create a new one.
- If you add your Gmail and Yahoo email addresses (under ‘My Email IDs’ section) and confirm them, you’ll be able to login to your Zoho Account with either your Zoho Account, Google Account or your Yahoo! Account.
If the unified login process isn’t enough of a benefit then maybe you’ll like the fact that you can import contacts from both Google and Yahoo to your Zoho account. I tried this out and it was literally a 10-second process: go to your Zoho Accounts page, select Contacts, click Import, and select the service you want to import from. Done!
The next logical step for Zoho would probably be support for OpenID, but in my eyes they were smart for starting with Google and Yahoo accounts. Right now OpenID is still only known and used by the slightly more tech-savvy crowd, whereas most people already have a Google or Yahoo account.
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Tags: Google, Web Sites, Online Office Suite, Yahoo, Zoho
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OpenID is definitely in our to-do list. One reason we did Google/Yahoo first is that between them, they cover practically every internet user today. OpenID still suffers from being not well understood by the vast majority of internet users today.
Couldn’t agree with you more on the OpenID support. Personally I prefer the Google account support anyway so that was a good move.
cool, I shall try it out
What, no Windows Live ID?
I had read good things about Zoho in the past but the “one extra account” had put me off trying it. I signed up yesterday with my Yahoo ID. I highly recommend it now. Its got so many features.
I’m sure that they will be including that in the future, but I’m sure most people who have a Windows Live account also have a Google/Yahoo account that they can use in the mean time. After all, with the way they have it setup you can login with any of the Google/Yahoo accounts you specify. So adding your Windows Live login info later on wouldn’t mean you would have to create a new account.