In the last lecture, there was a slide which said that 23% of survey respondents listed print yellow pages as their primary source of local business information in 2010. Although this was only 2 slides out of the entire class, it definitely caught my attention. 23% is no longer the highest figure (that distinction goes to search engines at 33%) but it is still in the top 3. I wanted to do a bit of research on the scenarios in which it would make sense for a business to continue to advertise in the print yellow pages.
Most of the articles that I found were written for small business owners. Here are a few of the justifications for continuing to advertise in the print yellow pages, even as online searches continue to gain market share:
1. To reach older customers. This segment is used to the print version of the yellow pages, and may not have adopted a smartphone.
2. To reach customers in smaller metropolitan areas and towns, or in rural areas. Less competition means smaller books, which means that ads placed can more easily lead to sales.
3. To reach lower income customers who may not have regular access to the interent/online search.
4. If you are trying to reach a specialty market. Directories such as the Korean Yellow Pages serve a specialized consumer segment, and advertising in this type of directory can lend legitimacy and make it easier for customers to find you.
Overall, it seems like the print version of the yellow pages does not have long to live. However, until the US has widespread internet access that pushes the majority of the population on to the mobile and/or desktop online search, print ads in directories such as the yellow pages will continue to be important. They should obviously be a part of a marketing campaign that includes both online and print, as print alone will not allow a business to reach a large part of any market.
http://searchengineland.com/are-yellow-pages-toast-four-years-later-we-review-ad-value-116199
Most of the articles that I found were written for small business owners. Here are a few of the justifications for continuing to advertise in the print yellow pages, even as online searches continue to gain market share:
1. To reach older customers. This segment is used to the print version of the yellow pages, and may not have adopted a smartphone.
2. To reach customers in smaller metropolitan areas and towns, or in rural areas. Less competition means smaller books, which means that ads placed can more easily lead to sales.
3. To reach lower income customers who may not have regular access to the interent/online search.
4. If you are trying to reach a specialty market. Directories such as the Korean Yellow Pages serve a specialized consumer segment, and advertising in this type of directory can lend legitimacy and make it easier for customers to find you.
Overall, it seems like the print version of the yellow pages does not have long to live. However, until the US has widespread internet access that pushes the majority of the population on to the mobile and/or desktop online search, print ads in directories such as the yellow pages will continue to be important. They should obviously be a part of a marketing campaign that includes both online and print, as print alone will not allow a business to reach a large part of any market.
http://searchengineland.com/are-yellow-pages-toast-four-years-later-we-review-ad-value-116199
No comments:
Post a Comment