Thursday, December 21, 2006

Will Pricey Print Directories Perish?

I am still reeling from the sticker shock of being quoted prices for advertising in my local SuperPages directory. For the substantially less than the price I was quoted, I am currently maintaining a website and have it promoted through 4 other online directory services, ensuring that it ranks high on all of the search engines.

For now the print yellow pages are on solid financial footing as they dominate the ad revenue when compared to online, but just as newspapers are losing classified ad dollars to online, our collective fingers will likely be doing much more clicking than walking in the future.

I use a print directory only if I'm dissatisfied with what I can find online. Being able to search by keyword and by distance from my house gives me much greater flexibility. Print directories require that I guess the category correctly, and that the advertisers offer a better product than the companies that choose only to have their business name listed.

I've only referred to a print directory less than 10 percent of the time, and this often is done in conjunction with an online search. Sure, I'm an online junkie, but the folks who primarily go to a print directory for local vendors will become an endangered species.

I ask you, how often do you turn to a print directory when looking for a local company or service versus using local search?

Unlike the other directories that I've subscribed to, Verizon's SuperPages requires that I lock in for a full year for an online purchase. That is inexcusable in today's performance-centric marketing world.

Paying $3,600 for print directory ads seems excessive when there is zero guarantee that they will generate sales, especially when there are a handful of print yellow pages to choose from. The cost of print ads would come down if more advertisers just said no and put their priorities online.

Posted By John Gartner at 03:01 PM
Permanent Link: Will Pricey Print Directories Perish? | Comments (1)

(1) Comments on Will Pricey Print Directories Perish?

You asked the question how often do you turn to a print directory when looking for a local company or service versus using local search? The answer is a simple one. First print directories get over 15 BILLION look-ups a year by adults in just the US. Over 90% of US adults use the print product at least once a year, over 75% use it monthly, and nearly 60% use it weekly.

The Yellow Pages industry is unique in that it has years of call tracking data by heading so that advertiser like you should readily know how often that “expensive” advertising is going to make their phone ring. Ask your sales rep for that data if they didn’t already provide it.

Unfortunately not everyone has Internet access and needs those print Yellow Pages. One last thought, as you said you only use the print version when you can’t find it online. The industry has some 30,000+ sales people working with local businesses on a day to day business. What other media is going to be able to amass all of that great data that you find in the print products and get it online?? Yellow pages of course. There is no other directional media that can provide buyers the information they need when they need it about local businesses than the Yellow Pages. It is truly the original local search engine….

Comments by Ken Clark : Thursday, December 21, 2006 at 05:45 PM

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