How do we really search for businesses?
When to comes to searching for a business or service, every thing from restaurants to landscape contractors to tire dealers, people use a multimedia strategy with both “old” and new media, based on a recent report from Knowledge Networks.
In results presented from a poll conducted in the spring among respondents age 13 and older, the report says 77% turn to print Yellow Pages. Yep, despite what you may be hearing those print phone books continue to be a preferred local shopping resource. In fact 48% said this is the source they use most often.
Of course online can be also be a valuable source when you are “browsing” for information. Search engines were the second most popular information source with 49% saying they use them to find a business or service, and 21% indicated they the Web is the most-often-used source.
The only other resources to register double digit usage in the survey were Internet Yellow Pages – IYP’s (36%, 13% used most often), free or fee-based 411 (30%, 8% used most often) and newspapers (19% , but only 2% used most often).
The study also shoots holes in the popular perception that people are roaming the streets with new web-enabled mobile devices in hand seeking those sames products or services. Currently just 5% included “mobile search” among their sources, with just 1% saying they use mobile search most often.
on December 19, 2008 on 8:46 pm
If the Yellow Pages bases its future success off reports like this, they’re in more trouble than I thought.
on December 21, 2008 on 9:06 pm
They don’t need the research to find out what they already know Ed — the print products still work well for many small and midsized businesses.
If you got out from behind your keyboard and monitor and actually talked with publishers like I do on a regular basis, you might be surprised. Advertisers are still getting a high ROI on their print ad investments, call volumes are strong, and except in metro areas where the economy overall is very weak, print Yellow Pages still outperforms all other mediums.
Are many businesses trying online? Of course they are. But businesses are find a click has a far different value to them then a call generated by print directories.
on December 21, 2008 on 1:20 am
This study is obviously rigged to favor the print yellowpages.
We have teenagers in the house who would rather take out the garbage than open a print directory. If they want to find something they go online. There is no way that the 13-35 years old demographic uses print yp.
There is no questions that online local search directories like click2connect.com are the future.
on December 21, 2008 on 8:56 pm
So you are suggesting Knowledge Networks had nothing better to do for a couple of weeks so they made up some numbers?? That certainly would do wonders for their reputation.
There is no doubt that online offers you looks of interesting things to browse through, but have you ever wondered how that data shows up on the site you mentioned and other online directories?? It’s from the same yellow pages sales rep working with that business to put together an ad program that works best for them – print and online. Why the print? Because as the study shows, they still bring those businesses significant business.
And if your having trouble getting the kids to take the garbage out I think there is also a heading in that print directory you can look at for assistance.
on December 22, 2008 on 12:22 am
And people still call travel agents. And people still buy CDs. Kind of.
I have a hunch that many businesses would prefer a call from someone that has reviewed their website rather than a call based on an alphabetical list of businesses in a print directory. Answering the phone costs money. Who’s a more qualified customer?
on December 22, 2008 on 8:57 pm
The one who found them in the print Yellow Pages…. As you know people don’t go to them to just “browse”. They are only in there because they are buying….
So in your business you don’t want a phone call????
on January 8, 2009 on 9:05 pm
Really – the comparison of web “browsers” being used only to “browse” is just tired.
It’s cute -but everyone knows that the term “browser” was coined long before ecommerce was ever invented.
Nobody physically “dials” a phone anymore, but we still use that verb.
sheesh.
on January 8, 2009 on 10:54 pm
“tired” for whom James? The millions of business who spent billions because it makes their phone ring with business? They vote with their wallets.
on March 11, 2009 on 10:25 pm
I think most of those advertisers don’t know what they are wasting! If they only knew the real numbers. What’s the old joke… “I know half of my advertising dollar is wasted, I just don’t know which half?”
I almost want to tell my exterminator competitors, but my green clean enviroment side tells me I should. Here are my stats for phone book calls: Phone Book Wasted Advertising Money
Do the math… Your paying the phone books to make your phone ring, but are you making any money on that new call when you have to send $300 to $500 out the door?
– Chandler Pest Control Guy
on March 17, 2009 on 1:38 pm
I found your stats interesting specifically the one of “…24 referrals calls- Looking for us, if they don’t find us in your directory then they will find us somewhere else.” And where else would they find you????
Example — I assume you love your dentist. If I wanted a referral for him/her, what’s their phone number? My dentist has this long wonderful Polish last name with about 15 vowels — don’t even think I could guess how to spell it. But when I’m looking for that dentist, with you recommendation in hand, I still want to find out more about this guy. How big an ad does he have in the book? What does he specialize in? Etc etc etc.
Perhaps you need to look at your print ad. Does it provide the information that your clients are looking for? Is it graphically pleasing? Ask the publisher to put a call tracking number on it to prove its value to you. If they believe in their product, they will do that.