Internet Yellow Pages or Search Engine Marketing - Best Bang for Your Buck
If you have made the decision to market your company online, you might be wondering whether to opt for an Internet Yellow Pages (IYP) listing or search engine marketing (SEM).
Here are some of the pros and cons of each method.
Ease of Use One of the knocks against SEM is the learning curve.
This factor is especially relevant for small to medium enterprises (SMEs).
Many SMEs find SEM confusing, but do not have the resources to learn about it.
On the other hand, the Yellow Pages have a huge local sales force that can work personally with advertisers, who often find it easier to buy a full Yellow Pages online/print package than to invest time and money in learning search marketing.
For those who do wade into SEM, the upkeep can be overwhelming.
Continued monitoring of keywords to ensure good placement among paid listings can be a lot of work.
Again, it is small to medium businesses that suffer most in this area - they do not often have the resources to manage an SEM campaign, especially if it has a pay per click (PPC) component.
Cost Arguments about cost can be made for and against both methods.
Without careful planning and vigilance, a PPC campaign can become quite expensive.
Costs are static in IYP but can fluctuate with PPC, depending on the number of clicks.
The flip side of this argument is that PPC is more appealing because businesses only pay when their ad is clicked, unlike a flat-rate (and often expensive) Yellow Pages ad, which they pay for regardless of how many people actually see it.
Local Search and Ad Content An oft-cited problem with SEM is its weakness in local search.
Businesses tend to opt for the Yellow Pages because it has brand recognition among consumers looking for local companies.
The fact that Yellow Pages online sites are destination sites for business searches enhances their appeal to business owners.
Another advantage of IYP is the content of the listing itself.
IYP listings contain more information from the advertiser than a search engine listing, and that information is presented in a way that is familiar to users.
These "copy points" include hours of operation, location, brands carried and payment methods accepted.
On the downside, the online Yellow Pages do not tend to include what marketers call "non-advertiser" copy points.
The search engines are picking up the slack here by including things like integrated maps, user reviews, and ratings with their business listings.
Search Options A common criticism of IYP is the limited search options they offer.
Search engines allow for broad keyword searches, while many IYP listings only allow for a category and business name search.
Some IYP directories have added keyword searching, but the results are not always relevant.
Look for the IYP to improve in this area so they can compete with search engines.
The Bottom Line A March 2007 study by The Kelsey Group found that growth in IYP is expected to outpace local search until at least 2011.
What does this mean for you? Both are valid marketing options.
You need to weigh the pros and cons, evaluating each in terms of the work required and the costs involved.
And look at things from a customer's perspective - although IYP may seem easier to you, the advertiser, is that really where your customers are looking? If you aren't sure which way to go, try a test: divert a portion of your advertising budget to the method you are not currently using and track the ROI.
Here are some of the pros and cons of each method.
Ease of Use One of the knocks against SEM is the learning curve.
This factor is especially relevant for small to medium enterprises (SMEs).
Many SMEs find SEM confusing, but do not have the resources to learn about it.
On the other hand, the Yellow Pages have a huge local sales force that can work personally with advertisers, who often find it easier to buy a full Yellow Pages online/print package than to invest time and money in learning search marketing.
For those who do wade into SEM, the upkeep can be overwhelming.
Continued monitoring of keywords to ensure good placement among paid listings can be a lot of work.
Again, it is small to medium businesses that suffer most in this area - they do not often have the resources to manage an SEM campaign, especially if it has a pay per click (PPC) component.
Cost Arguments about cost can be made for and against both methods.
Without careful planning and vigilance, a PPC campaign can become quite expensive.
Costs are static in IYP but can fluctuate with PPC, depending on the number of clicks.
The flip side of this argument is that PPC is more appealing because businesses only pay when their ad is clicked, unlike a flat-rate (and often expensive) Yellow Pages ad, which they pay for regardless of how many people actually see it.
Local Search and Ad Content An oft-cited problem with SEM is its weakness in local search.
Businesses tend to opt for the Yellow Pages because it has brand recognition among consumers looking for local companies.
The fact that Yellow Pages online sites are destination sites for business searches enhances their appeal to business owners.
Another advantage of IYP is the content of the listing itself.
IYP listings contain more information from the advertiser than a search engine listing, and that information is presented in a way that is familiar to users.
These "copy points" include hours of operation, location, brands carried and payment methods accepted.
On the downside, the online Yellow Pages do not tend to include what marketers call "non-advertiser" copy points.
The search engines are picking up the slack here by including things like integrated maps, user reviews, and ratings with their business listings.
Search Options A common criticism of IYP is the limited search options they offer.
Search engines allow for broad keyword searches, while many IYP listings only allow for a category and business name search.
Some IYP directories have added keyword searching, but the results are not always relevant.
Look for the IYP to improve in this area so they can compete with search engines.
The Bottom Line A March 2007 study by The Kelsey Group found that growth in IYP is expected to outpace local search until at least 2011.
What does this mean for you? Both are valid marketing options.
You need to weigh the pros and cons, evaluating each in terms of the work required and the costs involved.
And look at things from a customer's perspective - although IYP may seem easier to you, the advertiser, is that really where your customers are looking? If you aren't sure which way to go, try a test: divert a portion of your advertising budget to the method you are not currently using and track the ROI.
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