Should you still advertise in the Yellow Pages?

This post was last edited by Alex Cohen, on the January 4, 2011 @ 12:28 pm

The Yellow Pages has been used as the go to directory of UK business since its inception in 1966. Although it is still a popular tool for business advertising today, the comparative rise of print and distribution costs along with the popularity of the Internet means that businesses are questioning whether or not to spend their marketing budgets in the Yellow Pages.

Why should you advertise in the Yellow Pages?

Advertising in the Yellow Pages varies depending on the type of advert and the area you’re advertising in; display costs range from around £200 to over £20k for a double page full colour advert. Depending on the size of your business and the budget you have available it is a huge annual expense.

Here are some of the advantages to advertising in the Yellow Pages:

• The cost is only once a year.
• The Yellow Pages is location and business targeted – your advert is placed under the relevant categories in the right area.
• You have a 24 hour sales presence in customer’s homes as people who use their Yellow Pages regularly normally have it to hand.

Are some industries better suited than others?

For B2C it is can be a good sales tool, especially for service trades such as plumbing, cleaning, garages, and restaurants. There is a new option for restaurants allowing them to put in their full menu in the book. In recent years the Yellow Pages has also added the facility for a company to print discount vouchers and coupons – this is an excellent incentive to both the client and the customer and increases sales for both. This coupled with their new multimedia packages including web and mobile apps means that Yellow Pages still has much to offer the advertiser.

However there has been a steady decline over the years and the book has become slimmer and for many users the Yellow Pages is not necessarily the most convenient option. Many people are now more likely to use the web to find service providers and a well maintained and up-to-date website is much more user friendly than having to trawl through the Yellow Pages.

The Yellow Pages – it’s what I’ve always done!

Whilst there is a common conception for businesses owners saying ‘that’s what I’ve always done’ there are not just disadvantages to advertising in the yellow pages, there are also many potentially better places to spend your marketing pounds.

Some disadvantages of advertising in the Yellow Pages include:

• Businesses only get one shot – make a typo and you are stuck with it for a year.
• You can’t update customers on service or information changes.
• You are competing based solely on price – companies who spend more get larger, prominent adverts.
• It can be difficult to track whether the advertising is working for you

If you are concerned that the Yellow pages might not be suitable for your business, there are plenty of other options open to you to get found:

• Website. An obvious necessity for any business whether listed in the Yellow Pages or not.
• Social Media. Get found online and interact with your customers through tools like Facebook and Twitter
• Direct marketing for targeting specific niches and market segments (direct mail, email marketing and telemarketing)
• Search engine marketing for making the most of existing websites, you can get more qualified traffic and with PPC only pay when someone visits your website
• Free online business directories that increase your overall presence on the web.

An offer: Before thinking of advertising in the Yellow Pages give us a call and we’ll help you decide for free if that’s the best use of your marketing budgets.

Tags: yellow pages