Yellow Pages Group is staying true to its promise to reposition itself in the “new digital universe” with dual announcements today regarding its acquisition of various online properties.
The Canadian Yellow Pages provider said it had purchased the 411.ca brand, a fast-growing online directory that currently attracts 10% of local search users or 13 million queries each month, expanding the footprint for YPG’s existing Canada411.ca and YellowPages.ca brands. The company said the addition of the 411.ca site will add approximately 1 million unduplicated unique monthly visitors to YPG’s online network.
Additionally, YPG took control of Clear Sky Media, a holding company that owns RedFlagDeals.com (an online discount/coupon site), Scarlett Lounge (a fashion and beauty shopping site for women), and PriceCanada.com (an online shopping price comparison site).
RedFlagsDeals.com, which alone attracts 2.2 million unique monthly users, represents a fast-growing segment in the local online space. In the U.S., for example, more than 20% of online users – or 45 million consumers – used digital coupons in 2009, according to research compiled by Coupons.com. This represented an 18% increase in use compared to 2008.
Today’s announcements come just days after YPG announced Search Engine Solutions, a new SEM offering designed specifically for small and medium-sized businesses.
These moves represent the growing shift in the industry towards expanding online directory and vertical offerings and associated services related to search engine optimization.
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