Dex Media acquires YP Holdings to expand its SMB marketing automation platform

New company, to be called DexYP, will combine local marketing automation software with print, offline products.

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Dex Media has announced its acquisition of YP holdings in a deal that brings together two rival marketing companies that focus on the local and small business space.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The Wall Street Journal reported before the announcement that Dex is spending $600 million. The new company will be called DexYP.

Best known as a phone book publisher and online local search portal, Dex Media also offers a digital marketing automation platform for small and local businesses called Thryv (formerly DexHub). Today’s announcement describes the platform this way:

Thryv lets local businesses automate business functions they performed manually in the past, or never performed. These include building a digital customer list, communicating with customers via email and text, updating business listings across the internet, accepting appointments, sending notifications and reminders, managing ratings and reviews, generating estimates and invoices, processing payments, and issuing invoices and coupons. Thryv includes a mobile responsive and adaptive website and integrates with many popular online applications so customers can continue to use their favorite tools through their Thryv application.

DexYP CEO Joe Walsh says the acquisition of YP Holdings will help Dex expand its presence across the US. “We already have nearly 30,000 customers using this powerful software, modernizing the way they do business, and with our thousands of sales reps nationwide, we can now deliver this capability to businesses everywhere,” he said.

The new DexYP.com website offers a brief Q&A about the acquisition, which includes the news that the YP.com website local search directory “will remain a great online resource for clients and consumers in the marketplace.”


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About the author

Matt McGee
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Matt McGee joined Third Door Media as a writer/reporter/editor in September 2008. He served as Editor-In-Chief from January 2013 until his departure in July 2017. He can be found on Twitter at @MattMcGee.

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