Today, I am stepping back to an article published in April of this year. This is from the Yellow Pages Association regarding some research comparing the value of search engines and Yellow Pages directories.
As published by the Yellow Pages Association, “comScore Networks and the Yellow Pages Association(TM) (YPA(TM)) today announced the results of a joint research initiative designed to compare consumer local search behavior on Internet Yellow Pages (IYP) and major search engines. The findings are based on consumer Internet behavior observed in comScore’s panel, which consists of 1.5 million U.S. consumers.
YPA selected comScore Networks for its exhaustive database analysis method, which evaluates actual behavior rather than relying on survey recollections or perceptions. Besides determining overall consumer Internet usage patterns, the study examines local search behavior in five top consumer search categories: financial services, health care, home services, automotive products and services, and restaurant dining. Among the results are the following key findings:
IYP offers a more efficient local search experience – In the five categories examined, Web search engines accounted for 66 percent of consumers searching for local information, while IYP sites accounted for 34 percent. However, consumers are able to find local information quicker using IYP. Local searchers who use IYP take an average of 4.6 clicks to find local results, while search engine users take 7.6 clicks on average.
IYP users spend more in specific categories – Local searchers who use IYP spend 4 to 22 percent more per buyer than local search engine users in the automotive, home and garden, health and beauty and general services categories. IYP users also spend 4 to 17 percent more per buyer for offline purchases in the drugstore, automotive, restaurants, and home and garden categories than do local search engine consumers.
IYP users comprise an attractive demographic profile for advertisers – IYP users are 71 percent more likely than the average Internet user to have an annual household income over $100,000 and are more likely to have a broadband connection.
“This study underscores the growing importance of Internet Yellow Pages as a player in the increasingly competitive local search market,” said Neg Norton, president of the YPA. “Advertisers can leverage these results to reach more potential buyers in the stronger IYP purchase categories.”