Yellow Pages or Internet Advertising?
Wes Hazlitt discusses that increasing research in the US and Australia has found that the use of and response rates to the traditional yellow pages is declining. Even the best-pulling ads in specific sections are not getting the number of callers or sales it used to and advertising costs keep climbing.
People are increasingly turning to the Internet to find local or online information. Some statistics suggest that the use of on-line search can be as high as 80% of all information searches.
Even The Wall Street Journal acknowledges that the days of printed directories like Yellow pages are numbered. The Wall Street Journal reported that advertising in US print directories is expected to fall 39% over the next four years. In other words, online marketing is considered to be a marketing trend that is the new way to do business if you want to remain in business.
Tagged with: blogging platforms • business communication • gary vaynerchuk • internet marketing for local businesses • local marketing • social media • video marketing • wes hazlitt
Filed under: Marketing Trends
Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!
@Kristen,
What’s a phone book? I was just about to say that as well.
@Wes,
Although I know that the popularity of YP is declining for the past few years, it is really interesting to hear what people have to say about it.
That is why we had a little old school survey in Melbourne months ago and this is what we got from them:
The Survey Results
Q1. How often do you use the print version of the Yellow Pages?
7.69% use it regularly
23.08% once a month
15.38% once a year
53.85% never use it
Q2. How do you search for products and services you’re looking for?
92.86% use Google.com
7.14% use Yellow Pages
Respondent Quote: “I reckon the yellow pages is obsolete, why would you spend money on the yellow pages when they’ll just as easily find you on Google.”
Q3. How often do you use Google?
100% use Google.com everyday
Respondent Quote: “If I need information I go straight to Google.”
Pretty interesting although they only said what is the obvious choice of a lot of people today when it comes to search option. That makes it better for people today for type straight in Google if they need something instead of getting that heavy book and flip through the pages.
David Jenyns recently posted..Are Online Press Releases Really Worth The Money
What’s a phone book?
LOL…
when we lost power last time and needed emergency service-
I googled it on my droid!
Kristen Darkenwald recently posted..A Simple & Easy Way How to Earn MORE Money With Your Home Business!
The Yellow Pages was listed as an item that is passing
into history (along with answering machines) on a program
I was watching just last week.
You make excellent points for business owners to consider,
Wes.
Personally, I NEVER pull that heavy book with its
teeny-tiny print out anymore at all! If I want information
on ANYTHING, including a local business, I go to my
“best friend online”. (I am thinking of putting a couple in
storage, though, so when my grandchildren look at me and say,
“the WHAT???” I can show them!)
Cathie Heath recently posted..Leave the Raid in the Cupboard…You WANT Bugs in Your Business!
Hey Wes!
We’ve come a long way in society, haven’t we?!! PROGRESS PROGRESS PROGRESS…
thanks for keeping us up to date on the stats and research!!
Joelle
@Michael Never heard of that, sounds pretty cool!
Hi Wes,
Great post. Times are a changin’. Business owners should now also get themselves listed on Google Places – http://www.Google.com/places. Google Places will show up when people search on Google Maps. One out of five searches on Google are related to location and you can have your business show up when this happens. A cool thing that I do is have a coupon right on Google Places to try out my product.
Michael Martel recently posted..Reverse Marketing
Hi Michael
you are so right – With the increasing use of mobile devices – Getting in the “top 7″ of Google places is very important and not that hard when you know what to do to optimize your listing- Here’s an important tip – Add some video
Thanks for the info Wes! I don’t use the phone book at all anymore. I do use online searches though.
Thanks for the reminder that the Times are a Changing
Hey Wes,
It is amazing how the shift is happening and the opportunity to interact with our customers in business is becoming easier with all of the social “tools” out there. Long gone are the days of static web pages. Here today are dynamic blogs.
Thanks for sharing this wisdom with us.
Make it a great day!
God Bless,
-ed
Edward recently posted..Share Your DREAM Friday – with Special Guest Dreamer Val Wilcox!
I still use the yellow pages on occasion for finding service providers such as plumbers, electricians, etc. There is a place for both in the world, but the internet is becoming the new standard for finding that type of information locally.
Aaron recently posted..Free Blogs
hey Aaron
I still pull it out on a rare occasion for calls like that but as Yellow pages become less relevant to younger consumers, the yellow pages printers are distrubuting them bi-annually in lots of locales making the information inside less accurate. Still a place for a listing – It helps get you listed in local directories ( tip here). And the more listings you have the more likely it is that Google Places will like you. You just don’t need to blow your ad budget on full page multi-colour ads – They just do not pull like in the past.