But while the tools available to deliver business messages to consumers are increasing, the key considerations have stayed the same. When it comes to measuring the effectiveness of advertising, return on investment (ROI) is the most important factor. Building brand awareness and market share are positive long-term goals, but growing a business requires a measured, tactical approach to advertising that is based mainly on turning a dollar of marketing money into a pile of sales revenue. Otherwise, the business won’t be around long enough to achieve its long-term objectives.

Before a conversation about advertising options can even begin, a local business must have a firm handle on three aspects of their operation: 1) demographics of their target customers, 2) geographics of their marketing area and 3) psychographics of their customers. These data play key roles in determining which marketing tools will make the most sense from an ROI perspective, so that businesses don’t waste valuable resources on offerings that won’t generate leads.

To help explain the importance of background research, let’s use the example of a new ice cream shop opening on the main street of a busy suburb. Here are the types of questions its owners should consider:

Demographics: What is the demographic profile of the local area? Let’s say there’s a large share of families with kids and college students living in dormitories. Based on that information, what customers will the shop try to attract – all of the above? Or just one of these target groups?

Geographics: What are the geographics of the area like? Are walk-ins mainly college students, while most of those driving to the store are families? How close are nearby competitors, and what demographics do they target? Depending on established competition, the initial target geography may be very small – requiring an even closer look at the demographic profile in the store’s vicinity.

Psychographics: What will motivate target customers to purchase ice cream from this shop? What are their spending patterns? What influences their buying behavior, and what specific promotional efforts will they respond to? While an ice cream shop’s business typically peaks in the summer months and drops off in the winter, do these rules apply in this particular area?

It’s only when the ice cream shop owners have firm answers to these questions that they can begin to map out an advertising strategy designed to deliver high ROI.

For purposes of this discussion, let’s assume the owners determined the following:

• They want to target both families and college students, and because of several already-established competitors, they’ll pursue potential customers within a half mile radius.
• Research shows that while the local student population includes frequent social med and mobile users, many of the local families spend less time with online and mobile technology.
• Indeed, many college students in the area walk to where they need to go, while families are more prone to drive.
• Summer months are busy with families, but college students go home for the summer.
• Disposable income is limited and price oriented stores do better than high-end establishments across both demographics.

Based on these determinations, the shop owner can work to develop a marketing strategy that will work to deliver quality leads for the business. Here’s a sample of how that might look:

• Due to differences in purchasing patterns, the shop will establish two distinct advertising strategies: one directed to college students and another to families.
• Since the shop is new, focused on a narrow area, and includes target customers with limited disposable income, coupons are determined to be an effective first step to get customers in the door.
• Because local college students are high social media and mobile users, a local coupon distribution channel on Twitter and a popular online mobile app are seen as effective, targeted delivery methods for coupons. Since these students are less likely to be in town over the summer—and summers are easier times to draw customers than the colder months—the majority of this marketing budget will be spent during the winter.
• Parents of families are also attracted to discounts, but those in this community are less likely to spend time finding them online or via mobile. Also, since most families in this area are drivers—they may need more incentive to travel to the store than the average college student who walks by it every day.  In this case, direct mail with coupons is seen as a good option in reaching local families.
• In addition to offering coupons, the shop owner can ensure additional referral business by listing the shop in print and Internet business directories.

While this scenario is hypothetical, it provides real lessons about the types of considerations local businesses must make when drafting their marketing strategies. There are an unlimited number of local advertising options out there—everything from Internet Yellow Pages to website creation and SEO/SEM visibility—but each individual tool may not be effective in delivering ROI in certain situations. In some regions or specific business categories, circumstances may apply that make it imperative for a local business to advertise in print directories—while in others, online directories plus a variety of additional digital tools may be considered critical to reach target demographics.

In the ice cream shop scenario, it may take years before the store establishes a reliable customer base and reputation. Once the store’s reach stretches beyond its initial half mile radius to compete with other shops and attract new types of customers, it will need new advertising strategies in order to maintain growth. At that point, its owners will need to go back through the steps of determining who their customers are at the time, where they’re coming from, and what motivates them to buy their products before changing or adding advertising resources. They must ensure that their local advertising efforts consistently deliver high ROI, or their efforts will be in vain and the business will suffer.

New research released today provides some support to that argument, showing that the number of mobile subscribers turning to their devices to find local businesses is growing by double digit percentage points.

The study was conducted by comScore and released today by the Yellow Pages Association (YPA).

The report shows that the number of mobile subscribers accessing business directories on a mobile phone increased 14 percent year-over-year to 17.3 million users in March 2010. This increase outpaces 10 percent growth in the number of mobile media users who browsed the mobile web, used applications or downloaded content during the same time period.

Additionally, the number of people accessing business directories on a mobile device at least once per week increased more than 16 percent year-over-year to nearly five million in March 2010.

This is good news for Internet Yellow Pages (IYPs) and other local sites because it suggests the opportunity to reach more consumers is growing quickly. This high growth illustrates that as more consumers use mobile devices to search and access content, they are continuing to rely on Yellow Pages’ convenient and reliable business listings to help them find local businesses on-the-go.

So what do these results mean for advertisers?

The data shows that in addition to the benefits of advertising with IYPs to attract those searching for business information on their personal computers, local businesses are receiving added value in online listings being accessible to a growing number of mobile users.

The report provided additional contexts about the ways consumers reach business directories on their mobile device. According to comScore, the mobile browser was the most common access method for users, with 10.8 million subscribers in March 2010 and 21 percent year-over-year growth. But even as the browser remained the most used mobile feature for access, apps grew at a more rapid pace with 42 percent year-over-year growth, totaling 4.1 million subscribers in March 2010. These results indicate that IYP reach is not limited to a specific platform within the mobile category, but accessible to a broad range of mobile users.

The research also found that consumers accessing business directories via mobile represent a younger, wealthier, and content-hungry base to advertisers:

• 58% are 34 or younger.
• Over half of those have a household income in excess of $75,000. These are attractive figures for local businesses seeking to better position themselves to attract local leads.
• Mobile users are three and half times more likely as the average mobile media user to access women’s magazine content, health information, real estate listings, and job listings via their mobile devices.

And while local mobile grew double digits, local searches on personal computers saw single digit growth year-over-year. Searches on IYPs and portal sites increased 4 percent to 444 million in March 2010, or 5.3 billion annually — indicating that more consumers are coming to rely on Yellow Pages when searching from their computer.

As local businesses look for new ways to maximize advertising opportunities in today’s changing media landscape, Yellow Pages continue to provide attractive platforms to reach important consumer bases as they increasingly adopt digital and mobile. And as this new study shows, an integrated approach pays offs when listings on one platform are easily accessible on others—giving advertisers added exposure and more bang for their buck.

While implementing an integrated, multi-platform advertising approach is an important aspect of the local business search experience, so is making sure that the advertisements businesses employ contain the types of information that consumers need. Local businesses risk missing out on potential leads they’ve worked so hard to attain if their ads don’t include basic background information on the operation and its offerings.

Released in March, the first annual “Local Media Tracking Study,” conducted by Burke and commissioned by the Yellow Pages Association, includes some interesting findings about consumer ad satisfaction. The survey found that 21% of print Yellow Pages users and 18% of Internet Yellow Pages users said that the amount of information in the ads they found was too little.

Of those who said there was too little info, the following percentage of respondents pointed to these information points as missing:

• Hours of operation: 19% in print Yellow Pages; 17% in Internet Yellow Pages.
• Details about projects: 16% in print Yellow Pages; 19% in Internet Yellow Pages
• Details about services: 16% in print Yellow Pages; 9% in Internet Yellow Pages
• Prices: 15% in print Yellow Pages; 20% in Internet Yellow Pages
• Not enough info/too vague: 9% in print Yellow Pages; 11% in Internet Yellow Pages
• Locations/area of the city: 6% in print Yellow Pages; 9% in Internet Yellow Pages
• Website: 4% in print Yellow Pages; 12% in Internet Yellow Pages

So what does this mean for the local business advertiser? The key takeaway is that a “less is more” approach when it comes to the types of information included in local ads does not satisfy consumers’ needs. A “more is more” approach—in essence, creating an info-rich ad—ensures that the consumer is fully informed about the local business, its services, and the nature of the products and services they offer.

A great-looking ad in a heavily used directory can fail to maximize the level of leads one expects if it doesn’t include all of the information that consumers want when making decisions. To satisfy the consumer decision process, local businesses should recognize the value of info-rich ads and work to implement them into their marketing strategies. And they need not worry that too much information in an ad will overwhelm consumers. According to the study, just 2% of print Yellow Pages users and 5% of Internet Yellow pages users said the amount of information in ads was too much.

That’s why the answer to the question “is the print Yellow Pages dead” isn’t exactly what the online-only players will have you believe.

It’s critical to dig into Yellow Pages usage—whether it’s the print directory, Internet Yellow Pages sites, mobile apps, or other local search tools driven by Yellow Pages—because local businesses are looking for the best ways to attract new customers in a very tough economy. Increasingly, these business owners are asking questions about how today’s rapidly changing media environment is affecting their traditional advertising with Yellow Pages.

In order to make an informed decision, however, local businesses need to be up-to-speed with current usage patterns as they relate to both traditional and new digital advertising options. They also should be aware of how Yellow Pages companies are integrating new platforms into their portfolios in order to deliver a hybrid model that maximizes consumer reach and drives business results. In some cases, one’s perception about how people are searching for business information and the services that Yellow Pages partners provide is different than the reality.

In March, The Yellow Pages Association released the first annual Local Media Tracking Study from independent research firm Burke which examines how consumers searched for local business information in 2009. The study provides a wide-ranging look at media usage, trust levels and consumer actions regarding local business search based on more than 8,000 interviews—80% of which were conducted through online panels and 20% though offline phone interviews.

Here are results from the study based on the following categories:

Consumer reach

Consumers were asked what sources they used in the last month to look up information to find a local business, or to look for a product or service in their local area.

In answer to that question, 65% said they used print and/or Internet Yellow Pages—more than any of the other sources. When analyzed individually, print Yellow Pages was 54% and Internet Yellow Pages was 33%.

Search engines scored 58%, followed by flyers/coupons, newspapers and magazines. Because Yellow Pages companies have formed partnerships with search engines, it’s fair to say the Yellow Pages reach is quite high across a number of platforms.

Trust

Trust has always been a major advantage of Yellow Pages advertising, and the data show why.

More than two-thirds of consumers (67%) said that print or Internet Yellow Pages are the source they trust most for finding local business information, compared to 33% for search engines.

When polled on accuracy of local business information, print and Internet Yellow Pages scored highest with 68%, compared to search engines with 32%.

Total references

In total, consumers referenced print and Internet Yellow Pages 16.9 billion times in 2009.

Separate research from comScore found that Internet Yellow Pages continued to chart growth, increasing from 4.6 billion searches in 2008 to 4.9 billion in 2009. Burke found that print Yellow Pages received 12 billion references in 2009.

With strong reach and total annual references, I’d say that the print Yellow Pages is far from dead, but we do know that online and mobile search is growing, where print directory usage is not.

Another key consideration for advertisers is that while many media deliver a large number of eyeballs, it’s most important to attract consumers ready to make a purchase. Yellow Pages perform well on that front, too. Even among 18-24-year-old consumers, where print directory reach is less significant than those in their 30s, 40s and 50s, we still see strong usage and know that it’s hitting a segment that wants to purchase a product.

As the local online search space continues to evolve, you’ll continue to see Yellow Pages companies come to advertisers with integrated media campaigns. Yellow Pages companies including SuperMedia, Dex One, AT&T, Yellow Pages Group and The Berry Company have launched a variety of new local search services, acquired popular online directories and vertical sites, partnered with emerging local search sites and added new social search sites to compete directly with other digital media. Additionally, Yellow Pages companies have entered into agreements with major search engines such Google and Bing to provide sponsored business listings for their local customers.

So don’t count the print Yellow Pages out anytime soon. Instead view it as an essential component of a robust marketing toolkit that is designed to deliver qualified sales leads to businesses.

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 and mobile local search front—in addition to its existing print offerings—will help drive its future. And with optimism, the company’s chief executive, Scott Klein, told Reuters that his operations in rural, Midwestern and some key major metro markets are starting to show signs of improvement as the economy begins to recover.

Along with many others, I have predicted that 2010 will be shaped by new advances in local online, mobile and social search—and SuperMedia’s new commitment to those platforms is evidence that changes are already underway. But as Klein’s comments suggest, I think that geography will also play an important role in determining how providers and advertisers plan their advertising campaigns this year.

To be successful, directories and advertisers will need to adapt their strategies not only to fit new widespread trends in how customers are searching for local business information, but also to reflect the speed with which specific communities are changing their search patterns and seeing signs of economic improvement.

When evaluating advertising campaigns, everything is local. Here are some things to consider:

Urban vs. rural technology: Broadband, WiFi and high-speed mobile penetration, the availability of local-based mobile applications, and a variety of other technological advancements afforded to more populated communities are creating differences between how urban and rural communities search for local information. While a recent study by Forrester Research showing rapid growth in the proportion of U.S. mobile subscribers owning smartphones—up to 17% in 2009 from 11% in 2008—may help shape advertising decisions in major urban markets, it won’t have the same impact in smaller markets. An innovative mobile campaign in New York City, for example, will likely not be effective in a small Midwestern town where high-speed mobile internet is not yet available, and the cost-ratio too high to make sense.

Age and gender: As local-social search gains ground this year, providers and their advertisers will need to take into account that younger communities are more likely to adopt those tools than areas with, for example, a high number of retirees. But they’ll also need to keep a close eye on how social media adoption rates are changing. A Sept. 2009 study by Inside Facebook found that while U.S. females aged 18-24 remain the highest share of users on the popular social media site, almost half of U.S. Facebook users are now older than 35. In fact, the fastest growing demographic percentage-wise is users over 45. Keeping a close eye on age and gender usage rates nationally, as well the demographic makeup of those communities being specifically targeted by advertising, will be essential in developing a successful campaign.

Ethnicity: The ethnic makeup of individual communities plays an important role in how different areas are conducting their searches. Recent comScore data show that the Hispanic online population, for example, is expanding 50% faster than the overall U.S. population. Additionally, a July 2009 Pew internet research poll found that Hispanics were more likely than other ethnicities to have used the mobile internet or accessed mobile content. Therefore, developing online and mobile local search capabilities that cater to Hispanic communities—whether through language, culture, etc.—is as important as creating those tools for the general population.

Print directory usage: Different communities have different usage patterns for print directories, which has a direct effect on how to best implement the hybrid model. With so much attention focused on online and mobile local search, a small business owner with stores in major Florida urban areas, for example, might consider changing his strategy to advertise more on those platforms. However, the owner must be mindful of how each of his individual urban markets conduct local searches. In Miami, weekly usage of print Yellow Pages directories is limited to approximately 21% of consumers because of its high level of Spanish-only speakers, according to a 2008 industry usage study conducted by KN/SRI. However, in Orlando, more than double that number—46% of consumers—use print directories on a weekly basis. With that in mind, the small business owner might adopt a varied approach to reflect usage in each of those individual markets.

The state of the economy: As Klein mentioned, certain U.S. markets—both urban and rural—are starting to show signs of economic improvement. Tying new advertising campaigns to growing markets will be essential in delivering the highest return on investment.

What’s the take home message? Our industry should never stop being innovating—growth in 2010 will undoubtedly be driven by our ability to develop new and exciting online and mobile capabilities. But at the same time, we should always remember our commitment to a hybrid approach as a means of reaching as many of our unique consumers as possible wherever they call home.

And that’s where local search comes in—to help connect medical professionals with patients.

Recently, Dennis Fromholzer at CRM Associates analyzed some data points from Knowledge Networks that show healthcare accounts for 14 percent of all Yellow Pages usage—or roughly one out of every seven uses. In 2008, there were 2.4 billion references to healthcare headings in the Yellow Pages, both print and online. Five headings—Physicians, Dentists, Chiropractors, Hospitals, and Pharmacies—account for over 75 percent of healthcare references.

Over the last few years, we’ve also seen a proliferation of vertical web sites that offer local search tools and user reviews to help consumers find local medical professionals. They range from the all encompassing Angie’s List and CitySearch to the more specific like webMD Physician Finder, Find A Doctor and New York City-based Zoc Doc.

Online local search options are even spreading beyond simply finding a doctor to finding health insurance as well—an inherently very local task given the nature of the insurance industry and a wide array of state laws. Healthcare.com made a presentation at the recent Kelsey Group Directional Media Strategies conference about the growing opportunities for insurance providers to use online local search tools to market themselves.

So what does all this mean for the local healthcare professional or practice wanting to build a clientele of patients? For starters, it means taking stock of all the tools available to you, from print yellow pages, internet yellow pages, city listings sites and local search verticals to determine which will reach your intended audience. Depending on the community and demographic desired, this may be a mix of tools, or possibly all of them.

I think in this evaluation, it’s very important to consider which mediums people trust most. A yellow pages ad can offer legitimacy, while a featured listing on an internet yellow pages site can attract high viewership via a Google search.

Once the medium has been selected, it’s critical to spend some time on the message. Look at what other healthcare professional are sayings in their listings and ads, and determine what message and ad format will differentiate against others in the profession.

Finally, word of mouth is critical. And by word of mouth, it’s not only the referrals you hear from family or friends in every day discussion, but also what others are saying online. A simple tweet about a great doc can drum up new clients for a practice. Likewise, a user-generated review on local sites that allow them can be critical in attracting, or scaring away, potential patients.

I think it’s safe to say that whatever happens in Congress, patients will continue to turn to local search tools to find accessible healthcare. Our role as local search agents will not change, and in fact, may only get greater as changes to the system will only prompt additional questions. Our job will be to continue to provide the most relevant information for the millions and millions of Americans who rely upon local search to make some of the most important decisions for themselves and their families.

What, did I give away my answer?

It’s basically an issue of human nature, and really there’s not much of a question. We want someone who will listen to us and handle our call personally, in a manner that shows our call matters, and by extension, that we matter. The majority of consumers believe they’ll receive that service, or at least get a better shot of receiving it, by calling a local number.

A recently released study from CRM Associates reveals this significant preference. Yellow Pages ads with local numbers receive more than twice as many calls as ads with only an 800 or toll-free number (It’s worth noting that ads with a local number used in conjunction with an 800 number fared the best).

Let’s put it in dollars and cents: For the businesses running those YP ads, the cost per call they receive is 2.4 times higher in ads that supply only an 800 number—in other words, because the 800 numbers generate fewer calls, the cost/call is higher when averaged over all of the calls received.

CRM Associates’ report notes that these results show up not only in this U.S. study, but the same outcome has been observed in several other countries around the world. “The results are reflective of very clear, deep and culture-independent patterns of consumer shopping behavior,” the report says.

This information is obviously useful for print Yellow Pages advertisers, but its application isn’t restricted to print media. These subconscious (or conscious) decisions that consumers make apply to the online world as well. The medium isn’t the key here; human nature is. As the report notes, “People are people, regardless of technology.”

In fact, the report also looks at Internet Yellow Page ads, and those results are especially interesting for those of us in online local search.

Listing an 800 number in an IYP ad has somewhat better results than in print. Remember, the print rate was two to one. For IYP, the rate is four calls from local number ads for every three from 800 number ads.

The problem, however, is the average cost of an IYP ad listing an 800 number is roughly double that of one listing a local number.  The cost is higher because those ads are typically designed to cover a larger geographic area. For example, a local number ad could be used solely in the Chicago market, but a business might use an 800 number ad to cover the entire Midwest. The broader, more expensive coverage helps drive the increased calls, but at an increased price.

So the IYP advertisers that take the 800 number approach are getting more calls—but still not more than the ads listing local numbers and not in the most cost-effective way. The report finds IYP local number ads have an ROI three times higher than the 800 number ads.

At the end of the day, it should be an easy call for businesses to make. They need to think local and act local by including a local number.

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 period. As local search grew, Internet Yellow Pages and local online business directories saw double-digit growth of 23 percent over 2008.

In addition, the study showed that 75 percent of the top 100 keywords searched on Internet Yellow Pages sites (IYPs) are non-branded. Nevertheless, nearly half (45 percent) of Internet Yellow Pages and local online directory searchers went on to make an online purchase in the fourth quarter of 2008.

So what does this tell us?

Lesson 1: Shoppers want convenience. It used to be that consumers would rather visit the store to “look and see” a prospective purchase in person. The growth in local search indicates that times have changed. With the limited time available to most people in today’s world, shoppers are turning to the 24-hour, anywhere, anytime convenience of the Internet for everything—even to reach out to the company next door.

Lesson 2: Local search means business. It appears that in many cases, local search is less about browsing your options, and more about closing the deal. The juxtaposition of the non-branded IYP searches and the high rate of e-commerce amongst IYP searchers tells us that even though online shoppers don’t know specifically what or where they will buy from, they are ready to buy and their local search is just a means to an end.

Lesson 3: As local search grows, so too will the demand for local business information. There continues to be a lot of discussion about which local search outlets will grow and which will wane in the evolving online environment. Clearly, all old models are going to have to adapt to stay competitive, but the increase in search and the ripple effect to IYPs indicates that as local search grows, the demand for accurate local business data will too.

Overall, these are all strong arguments for local businesses to create or enhance their online profiles if they haven’t done so already. If the hyperlocal trend continues at this rate, ignoring the internet will catch up with a business, no matter how small or what niche it occupies.

The catch is that, so far, a hyperlocal focus of content isn’t being backed by a hyperlocal breakthrough in ad sales.

Forrester Research‘s recent report entitled “Is Hyperlocal Hype or Happening?” found a “disconnect between the source consumers rely on for local news and information versus those they rely on for business listings.” The majority of these consumers are still using traditional means of locating the goods and services they desire.

The report discovered that 74 percent of offline consumers and 66 percent of online consumers still turn to the Yellow Pages directory for local business listings. Meanwhile, the report found Internet Yellow Pages (IYP) results were almost identical to Internet search engines with 31 percent of online consumers using IYP to find listings for local businesses versus 34 percent using search engines.

These results reinforce the Yellow Pages’ historic positioning as the primary source for local business listing information.

To be sure, concerns about lagging local advertising isn’t slowing mainstream news outlets from moving forward with a hyperlocal strategy. Early innovators such as the Journal-World (www2.ljworld.com) in Lawrence, Kansas, and the Rocky Mountain News in Denver (YourHub.com) have led the way for established media companies to see hyperlocalism as a way to win back readers and to target mom-and-pop advertisers who can’t afford to, or simply don’t want to, reach every household in a region.

Gannett, the nation’s largest newspaper chain, and the Chicago Tribune (Triblocal.com) have also entered the field. And just last month, the Dallas Morning News rolled out 61 community websites carrying content specifically geared toward each of those communities.

Newspapers aren’t the only ones looking to a hyperlocal approach to improve their product. Yellow Pages providers also are drilling deeper into communities and becoming even more localized and targeted.

The latest step forward comes as R.H. Donnelly launches its new DexKnows IYP platform. The site’s features take local search to the next level, allowing searches by neighborhood or by landmark.

Want to find a dry cleaner in the Queen Anne neighborhood in Seattle? How about pizzerias near Coors Field in Denver? The new platform can handle the job, and it can do so in a more intuitive fashion than other local search or IYP sites.

The new DexKnows IYP platform also can differentiate between businesses with fixed locations (your typical retail store) and those based on service areas (the handyman who works a set region). Thus, a search for a heating and cooling company or a plumber who serves your neighborhood won’t simply bring up those located the closest to you, but those who can make house calls in your area.

As IYPs continue to upgrade and advance, the biggest gains seem set to come from becoming increasingly localized and targeted. Those of us in the local search industry will tell you, hyperlocal is definitely not hype. Hyperlocal is happening. And it’s happening in some interesting places.

In the 130-year history of the Yellow Pages, categories have come and gone, they’ve gained and lost popularity. Typewriters gave way to personal computers. Recycling services seemed to sprout up out of nowhere. Do you think pet grooming was a top heading 50 years ago as it is today?

While some people might think phone directories are a thing of the past, those of us who understand search know that people will always need a way to locate goods and services. Certainly online search plays an important role, but the data show a large number of people still turn to print directories.

An interesting recent study illustrates this point by comparing Yellow Pages search results from 2007 with those from 1997, a time when the Internet was beginning to find its legs in the U.S.

Research from CRM Associates found that the top Yellow Pages headings actually received at least 20 percent more references in 2007 than they did 10 years earlier. Of the 700 headings with 1 million or more references, 250 experienced that kind of growth. In fact, the median of that group showed references had doubled.

Some might scoff and say that’s not true for the younger generation. Again, though, the numbers are illustrative.

A look at the headings most popular among millennials, those in their mid-20s and younger, reveals some of the biggest gainers. References for tattoo parlors as well as ear piercing each have grown nine times more popular than they were 10 years ago. Dating service references have increased even more; they are nearly 11 times more popular. The number of references for video games has grown 80 percent.

What were some of the other headings that saw spikes in searches, and what do they say about us?

How we celebrate Parties and events no longer are being held primarily at banquet halls and similar facilities. People are taking those festivities outside or hosting them at their homes. The study shows headings for renting tents are 18.8 times more popular now. Similarly, the number of references for games and game supplies has multiplied by 15.2 times.

What we drink The proliferation of coffee houses and increased popularity of tea in America has helped the coffee and tea heading experience the largest growth among food products in the past 10 years. References for that heading have grown by a factor of 9.6.

How we relax Do you think yoga is more popular now than it was 10 years ago? Try nine times more popular, according to its Yellow Pages references. Searches for golf carts saw a sixfold increase.

What our society will look like in another 10 years is anyone’s guess, but I suspect the Yellow Pages headings will provide a good indication for what has changed.