Yellow Pages Remain A Primary Source for Local Search

Print Remains a Primary Source for Local Business Info
October 8, 2009 — TMP Directional Marketing (TMPDM), the largest local search marketing agency in the US has released its annual local search study, commissioned by comScore, that examines the year-over-year growth of local search and the shifts in consumer behavior and media usage.

According to the study:

Internet search engines and print directories are the primary sources for finding local business information and account for 31% and 28%, respectively, of all local searches conducted in the US.

The study finds that online search is used earlier in the purchase process than offline search, primarily to research the brands to buy and to identify businesses that offer those brands. Offline search is performed in the later stages of the consumer purchase process to get specific business details (for example, hours of operation, addresses and phone numbers) about the places selected for follow-up activities and/or making purchases.

Search preferences vary by generation. Approximately 41% of young (ages 18-24), use search engines for business information, while 49% of searchers ages 65+ rely on print directories.

According to TMPDM, "These findings reveal that online search is a vital channel for marketers seeking to generate local leads and sales, yet offline media still holds practical applications, relevance and value in the consumer purchase process. Based on the ever-fragmenting media landscape, marketers are beginning to see value in adopting a diversified-media approach for their business information to be found by searching consumers."

"While a majority of consumer search behavior has shifted toward the use of interactive resources, print Yellow Pages and other offline directories are still referenced in the consumer purchase process, proving that offline media still has reach and possesses lead-generation benefits. And the high demand for online Yellow Pages information reveals that consumers still use the Yellow Pages, just in different ways. When coupled with IYP, the Yellow Pages are an effective cross-channel source of local business information. In fact, 30% of consumers who first use IYP still turn to print directories as additional resources in their searches."

TMPDM’s local search usage study includes data from 4,000 online survey responses, as well as observed online behavior of one million consumers who agreed to have their online searches monitored anonymously.

Sources: Marketing Charts, Local Search Continues Shift to Online, Mobile Platforms, October 27, 2009 and TMPDM news release, TMP Directional Marketing Study Reveals Local Search Changing With Interactive Media, Indicates Consumer Search Behavior and Media Usage Trends, October 8, 2009.