A Yellow Pages question - sort of

[Colin]

As it's time to renew for 2012, my YP rep phoned me today trying to get me to sign-up for their web directory product, which would display my logo, web site link, and better placement in searches on their site. Without buying this product, I merely show up in a list on a 2nd or 3rd page, with no logo or web link.

But this is only for the Yellow Pages web site, so I'm wondering how many potential customers actually go to a YP site to search for businesses, and in particular, for signs. It seems to me that the vast majority of people use Google. I know I've never used the YP site.

Your thoughts?

 

[binki]

If you have a physical location with an address then make a one page web site with your address on it and your things you do in the title bar and you will be at the top of the search engines in 6 months without doing anything. register with google local, bing local and yahoo local and you will be there in as little as 6 weeks.

 

[Colin]

If you have a physical location with an address then make a one page web site with your address on it and your things you do in the title bar and you will be at the top of the search engines in 6 months without doing anything. register with google local, bing local and yahoo local and you will be there in as little as 6 weeks.

Yyyyyaa, but what I'm wondering about is how much the on-line Yellow Pages sites actually get used, and if it's worthwhile spending a little extra cake on this.

 

[Techman]

I have the present YP ad program.
In over 43 calls only one.. That's right only one was a valid qualified call.
All the rest were competitors calling. In fact I pinned down one caller and he fessed up who it was. This program is about the worst ever.

To me and a few others it is a complete waste of time and money.

I cancelled my YP ads for the coming year.

 

[JoshLoring]

Don't waste your money.

 

[CentralSigns]

Colin, they tried that with me as well, claimed it was better then Adwords. When I asked if we still get the free online listing he got quiet. They list you for free online as a courtesy and since your in their paper product. A way for them to show that the paper product still drives business your way. They also have a SEM marketing side but you pay about $100 a month on top for that stuff. So bee careful

 

[2NinerNiner2]

+1 with Josh

Respecting your privacy, I will not name names, but the other day, when I contacted you, I was trying to recall the name of your shop. Out came the Google. Hmm ... nothing seemed familiar, but there sure was an awful lot of one of your competitors (I walk past that shop on the way to my mother's residence) on the results page for 'sign shop your location with prov.' I eventually had to go the site of where my sister worked to find it

Spend the YP money on SEO

 

[visual800]

I advetised with them several years ago and it drew NOTHING! as a matter of fact I dont even know anyone that used YP for anything i throw ALL the phone books away and just google a number

 

[FrankenSigns.biz]

Don't. Waste. Your. Money.

Virtual and physical Yellow pages are virtual garbage and I mean that literally.

 

[Locals Find!]

Leave the yellow pages for the plumbers, electricians & appliance repair guys. That is the only time I ever use mine. When major stuff stops working suddenly and my wife wants it fixed 10 minutes before it stopped working.

I have used it once to find anybody else in over 10 years.

 

[signguy 55]

Saw the other day somewhere online that around 90% of people searching will not use Yellow Pages but will find their info online, usually Google. With the new voice technology you can speak the question into a phone and get your answer, I think it dials the number for you.

I have dropped my ad totally. It never ceases to amaze me customers that will fuss at the price of a sign, but have full color yellow page ads, sometimes in multiple books, they're spending literally thousands of dollars each year. I have used that reasoning recently with some customers.

Be careful of auto renewal with some companies, they have it written in the contract to extend you a couple of years, even if no sales rep contacts you.

 

[Letterbox Mike]

I agree with everybody else, it's a complete waste of money. They're trying to compete with Google Adwords and Google places, but unfortunately they never will be able to. I don't know a single solitary person who has used either a phone book or the yellowpages website to find a business in years. When you can log on to google, search for a business or type of business and find your answer in 3 seconds, why would anybody go to the hassle of finding the yellow pages website, figuring out how to search there, actually searching, and then weeding through the results. 5 years ago maybe. Now? Google is like a third hand for literally almost the entire population.

Don't bother with any yellow pages products. Spend the money getting your website ranked as high as possible on google, work on a solid, up-to-date and well-reviewed Google Places spot, maybe throw some money at Adwords, and develop a good social media program.

 

[Circleville Signs]

Much regarding the yellow pages depends on the demographics of your area. No matter what, their online presence is AWFUL.

For us, a "liner" ad in the YP is a good thing. Costs us about $30/month. In our area the average business owner is in their mid-late 50's. Many don't even know what a smart phone is.... lol.

 

[iSign]

Circleville is right... The above majority of outspoken nay-sayers really only tells you one thing... THEY are comfortable with they're decision... (which might be why they made it) ...but it can't be used exclusively to make YOUR decision...

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has differing results, but not everyone is comfortable being in the minority, so were not hearing as many YP success stories...

My market is unique... thus island is like a small town, with NO other neighboring towns... and a finite market, with a clear lineup if competitors... and in MY market, LOTS of people still use the YP...and lots of them buy from me specifically as a result... and lots become repeat clients...

...for $3K a year, I have a good looking dollar-bill sized ad all year, and I have no doubt it pays for itself... so hopefully my competitors take the majority advice, and I'll stay here and get even better bang for the buck!

 

[Colin]

Thanks for all the replies. Whether to be in the printed book or not is another debate, and on that debate, it seems like many people who are over ~50 still reach for the phonebook, whereas a 25 yr old looks at it like a museum piece. But often it is the older person who has the wealth.

But as our world becomes more & more internet based, the web is the area where one really needs a presence. Google is obviously king, but I'm still wondering just where the on-line YP site(s) really stands in terms of usage by people; and maybe the usage is different in the US vs Canada, but I doubt that.

 

[iSign]

I wouldn't put much faith in yellowpage websites

do you use one? Have many of your google searches taken you to one? When they do, do you stay, or back out to explore other results?

I rarely find these pages, and rarely use them when I do. I almost never use the book either, even though enough of my clients still do...

 

[CanuckSigns]

My father uses the YP website sometimes, but he isn't very computer literate. I'm under 30 and I haven't used YP in either physical or digital form for at least 10 years.

 

[mikefine]

I took out an YB internet ad about a year ago. Figured I test, and if I got a couple of calls a month, it would pay for itself. Well, I got a couple calls all right -- for the entire year. If that. YB does no marketing. No promotion of their product. I don't even see the TV ad anymore, with the actor with the deep voice. Maybe they think just put put a web ad on the internet, and people will come.

No, strike that. They do advertise. I forgot. They send out mailers advertising Vista Print, with your bill. That was fun.
Total waste of money. The only calls you will receive is their collections department looking for payment for their ineffective, waste of money product! Do I sound mad? Yes, I am mad. At myself for taking out a YB internet ad.

 

[ProWraps]

unless someone is ordering your product from a phone booth.....ouside of a jail...... you get the picture.

 

[gabagoo]

Take the free listing and thats it.

Those idiots at yellow pages have my roll over line as my main line so I know when people are calling me from the online pages.
Mostly price shopppers anyhow although I have to admit for some reason my name pops up near the top on searches hehe