In today’s rapidly changing media landscape, local businesses of every kind are tackling the same challenge: how do we determine which advertising platforms to incorporate into our marketing mixes? The race is on, it seems, to see who can reach the greatest audience by creating the largest presence across print, online and mobile. But while […]
Since the beginning of the year, many of us have predicted that mobile will be the top driving force behind local search growth in 2010. A rapidly-increasing number of smartphone users — combined with faster mobile technology, better search offerings, and higher advertiser engagement — suggests that consumers will be more likely than ever to […]
In today’s changing media environment, local businesses are looking for new ways to reach the consumer. In addition to placing ads in traditional outlets like the print Yellow Pages—which still have significant consumer reach—local businesses are increasingly adding websites and social networking pages, online videos, iPhone and iPad apps and other popular advertising tools to […]
A lot of fuss has been made over the Yellow Pages. Is print still viable or not? Many online-focused search engine marketing experts will say no, but there’s significant research to show that the print directory is still a healthy marketing tool, especially in certain geographies, with certain age groups, and among consumers who are […]
A new year offers new opportunities for local search providers and small business customers to reevaluate their advertising strategies to reflect the latest consumer usage trends and economic realities. On December 31st, Yellow Pages directory publisher Idearc emerged from bankruptcy with a new name, SuperMedia, and a fresh understanding that new initiatives in the online […]
Congress’ debate on healthcare has sparked many different opinions about the right path for the future of healthcare insurance. Regardless of where that debate is headed, all Americans share the same challenge at one point or another: finding good healthcare. And that’s where local search comes in—to help connect medical professionals with patients. Recently, Dennis […]
When you call a business, would you rather dial a local number to talk to an actual human being or take your chances with the call-center mazes and lengthy waits frequently presented by 800 numbers? What, did I give away my answer? It’s basically an issue of human nature, and really there’s not much of […]
A new comScore study released by the Yellow Pages Association provides interesting insights about local search and how consumers are using it to seek products and services online. According to the comScore study, local search grew 58 percent in 2008, significantly outpacing the 21 percent growth in overall U.S. core web searches during the same […]
Traditional news outlets are looking closer to home for ways to remain competitive, and in some cases, to survive. Many of these newspapers and television and radio stations are latching on to a trend of going “hyperlocal” with their content—serving the information needs of local neighborhoods or communities—as a way to counter the problems of […]
If you want to get a snapshot of a specific era in American society, I’d suggest the Yellow Pages industry is a good place to take that picture. The companies and headings listed can provide a footprint in time for people’s needs and interests of the day. In the 130-year history of the Yellow Pages, […]
An advertisement is only as effective as its content. If the content doesn’t reach out to potential customers and make a compelling case, the ad doesn’t make the sale, which means the people at your business never get the chance to do the same. But even good ads can get lost in the shuffle of […]
Local search is a term that describes more than just Internet Yellow Pages (IYP) and local search engine searches. It also includes offline searches for local businesses. The type of local search consumers use depends on their degree of need. When comparing the top 10 IYP and print Yellow Pages headings as we did […]
Having just wrapped up one of our most successful Yellow Pages Association annual conferences, one thing is clear: Our industry has been able to navigate all types of business climates and has evolved to meet current and future market needs. Recent data from the 2008 Yellow Pages Association Industry Usage Study, conducted by Knowledge Networks/Statistical […]