Internet Marketing vs. Yellow Pages Advertising

It's becoming painfully clear to the yellow pages people that their glory days for the phone books are over. Unfortunately for consumers the yellow pages advertising companies have worked hard for several years to develop internet advertising to stop their massive loss of print advertising revenue. The internet yellow pages (IYP) is a bigger "game" than the print book ever came close to being. With this said, let's look at "Real Internet Marketing" and "Yellow Pages Advertising".

First, as the saying goes, the proof is in the pudding. Do a Google search for most anything and make a note of how often the IYP website is not to be found. This means that a real Search Engine Optimization Company can beat the pants off of the phone companies when it comes to getting a business on the first page of Google, Yahoo or Bing (or any other search engines). Obviously there is no way to believe that a potential customer would not click through to a business website listed on the first page of the search results. This is the most obvious, and most objective manner, to see that IYP is a poor option for increasing your online traffic.

Second, convenience is a critical success factor. Web users want the fewest click to gratification. Let's look at two user experiences and you decide which is more convenient. ONE, a click to Google to start the search, a secong click to a website in the organic placement, and (possibly) a third click to another page of the chosen website - BAM, 2-3 clicks and the prospect has their selection. TWO, a click to Google to start the search, (assuming visibility) a click to the IYP site, another click for the "heading category", another click to one of the IYP listings (which shows little to no info about the company), and then another 1-3 clicks to get info and maybe visit the business website - 4-6+ clicks to view just one business. Again, a site with effective SEO crushes IYP.

Now for the subjective evaluation. An IYP listing provides little information unless you dig deeper into the IYP site. Unlike a search engine like Google which applies a Quality Score to a business website, the IYP site gives better placement to the company that pays the most money. From a usability standpoint, you probably have to work hard to get a "pure" list of companies. The IYP model does not serve the user as much as the advertiser - you pay high prices and they try to get you more traffic . . . so you will continue to pay high prices for IYP advertising. (notice that the quality for the web user is not part of this equation.

What about cost? IYP can bleed a company to death. The sales reps confuse you, generate fear and concern to "spread you out" into all of the various headings that they created, and then you go into the sales pitch about what you have to spend to get listed high in each one of the selected headings . . . . and keep paying every month, for as long as you can bear the burden. With a good SEO service you can often make a one-time intitative to gain significant ranking improvements and, if needed, pay a modest fee for temporary SEO work to improve or expand your search engine ranking. And, with an SEO and internet marketing company, you can expect truly personal service and have consistency in your contact people.

Our clients that have significantly reduced, or entirely eliminated, their yellow pages advertising (and switched to SEO/internet marketing services) consistently report vastly improved ROI's at much lower costs. For more information please leave a comment and get our thoughts.