Here is an article by Joe Mandese from August 23, 2006 with some very interesting information regarding the future of Internet Yellow Pages. The one particular quote that I find most interesting is:
But the most surprising finding in the new report is the attitude Yellow Pages users have toward advertising. Unlike most media where advertising is deemed “clutter,” most Yellow Pages consumers consider it “content.” In fact, 18 percent of the 9,078 consumers surveyed by KN/SRI said they wanted more ads in their Yellow Pages directories.
Now before all the Google crazed people email about Google taking over the world and IYP going by the wayside – I want you to consider one very important point. Google is not about collecting and building content – remember, Google is great at indexing content. Google’s job is to redirect traffic to the places where the content resides. If this is not the case, than I really question why I spend a lot of time optimizing web sites.
What does the IYP industry have – local content, plain and simple. Google and the IYP’s go together like peas and carrots – they both need each other. This is the main reason why Google partners with IYP companies to provide much of its local data. Here are some screenshots from Google UK, Google Canada and Google Earth.
Google UK – Results Provided by Yell.com
Google Canada – Results Provided by YellowPages.ca
Google Earth – Canada Search – as Above
Read the rest of the article “Web Fuels Yellow Pages Growth, Medium Deemed Too ‘Uncluttered’.