Yahoo has purchased Tumblr for a cool US $1.1 billion (€860 million). 

In the ruthless and ever-growing world of social networking, the once 'rival of google' search engine has shown that it still has staying power. 

In a move to combat Facebook as well Google's more recent attempt at the social-networking market (Google+), Tumblr offers a variation on the phenomenon. 

The site has a bigger emphasis on the blogging side of internet activity. 

Tumblr offers seven posting formats including text, photo, quotation, the ability to share links and the capacity to chat and share audio and video.

Despite the likes of facebook being able to do the same, the manner in which Tumbr conducts these aspects are what many call the missing link between Twitter and Wordpress. 

So why has Yahoo forked out so much cash this time? Yahoo must rival its internet peers if it wants to survive and according to some reports it must evolve a social networking base if it wants to attract a younger audience.  

Yahoo has been looking into a range of acquisitions since Marissa Mayer took over as chief executive last year and vowed to revive the company.  

The acquisition of Tumblr opens up increased revenue opportunities i.e. a vital factor in Yahoo's survival given that social media is used to spread our activity in an ever permeating manner.  

Mayer is clearly on the prowl to revamp the business. The CEO also tried to acquire internet site Daily Motion last year. Given the French government's share in the company the acquisition failed.

With Yahoo's relative decline in recent years amid Google's internet explosion can such acquisitions attract a newer audience and restore Yahoo to its former internet glory? Only time will tell.