Back in April, we blogged about AT&T Interactive’s introduction of YP.com as the new name of its flagship YELLOWPAGES.COM web property and brand.

Now the company is debuting a new logo, tagline, and homepage for the popular Internet Yellow Pages destination. YP.com’s new tagline, “Click Less. Live More”—as well as its new vibrant, image-based homepage focused on encouraging users to “eat, play, and live” within their local communities—reflect the site’s goal “to help consumers easily discover ways to live locally.”

While users can still take advantage of YP.com’s popular search tools to find and browse local businesses, the new graphics on its homepage encourage visitors to discover places as well:

• Eat: One-click access to local restaurants and dining categories, with the option to book reservations at select restaurants through Opentable.com.
• Play: Ability to check local event listings and movie times, and buy tickets for select theaters. Can also search for hotel availability and book rooms.
• Live: Options to search for a new or used car, find a florist, or browse YP’s extensive list of service business listings.

Additionally, YP.com features a variety of other useful tools, including money-saving coupons, the ability to share businesses and events via social networks and mobile, and 16,000+ local business videos.

I’m excited about AT&T’s ongoing efforts to expand and improve YP.com, which with more than 36 million unique monthly users, plays an extremely important role in representing our industry’s successful embrace of the digital space. Be sure to check out the new YP.com by clicking here.  Then Eat, Play, Live!

In a free public webinar yesterday entitled “Yellow Pages, Local Search and the Path to New Digital Revenues,” BIA/Kelsey’s Charles Laughlin discussed the current state of the Yellow Pages industry,  and his predictions and  suggestions for providers looking  to transcend the obstacles of today’s changing media landscape.

According to Laughlin, our industry is expanding from its traditional core business—print directories, and by extension, Internet Yellow Pages—to also include a wider range of product areas that will serve as attractive growth drivers moving forward.

Specifically, Laughlin discussed how providers are increasingly looking for the right group of partners to help build and diversify their product offerings to include everything from reputation management to social media, mobile, SEO/SEM, and direct mail.

Laughlin believes changes in the industry can be summarized by the following key themes:

1. Financial results are driving the need for transformation rather than incremental change
2. Companies are working furiously to reinvent themselves
3. The industry’s future depends on success across a wide range of products and services

Laughlin also noted that as the industry adapts to changing consumer behavior, the fundamentals of Yellow Pages advertising are shifting from print-central to digital-centric, where the focus is on the local business’ website as opposed to its directory listing.

Click here to watch the complete webinar.

Laughlin’s webinar served as a preview for the jam-packed Directional Media Strategies (DMS) conference, one of the most important industry conferences of the year, scheduled for Sept. 14-16, 2010, at the InterContinental Hotel in Dallas.

In addition to the high-profile list of speakers and panelists already announced, Laughlin confirmed that Randy Wootton, VP of Global Search and Online Marketplace for Microsoft Advertising, has joined the schedule to discuss Microsoft’s approach to local, where its strengths lie and its approach to partnering with other providers. That will definitely be a presentation worth attending!

For more information about DMS ’10, including registration information, visit the DMS ’10 page on the BIA/Kelsey website.

We frequently blog about the strong value that Yellow Pages’ integrated advertising options provide for businesses in their efforts to reach consumers.

Now, SuperMedia is taking “integrated” to another level by becoming the first U.S. Yellow Pages company to introduce Quick Response (QR) code technology nationally on the covers of its Yellow Pages directories—seamlessly linking its traditional print offerings with its newest mobile apps and tools. The QR codes will also appear inside directories and in direct mail advertising.

If you aren’t familiar with QR code technology, it has to do with a matrix barcode, readable through QR scanners and mobile phones, that’s encoded with data. The barcode can include text, URL, or other data that provides the device with information or action items, like directing users to a specific website or downloading a file.

SuperMedia will use QR code in a variety of ways:

• QR codes located on the cover and in the SuperYellowPages as advertisements promoting SuperMedia will prompt users to download the free SuperpagesMobile app.
• SuperMedia ads with the QR codes in the SuperYellowPages will prompt users to register for the SuperGuarantee program.
• QR codes on the back of SuperpagesDirect card packs will direct users to an array of local online coupons on Superpages.com.

The integration of QR technology will give SuperMedia print users more opportunities to take advantage of the company’s growing array of online and mobile offerings. For some, it may be the first time they’ve heard of SuperMedia’s mobile app or its online coupons site—and there couldn’t be an easier way for them to get on board.

I look forward to hearing more about how the QR code helps drive awareness for SuperMedia’s digital and mobile products, as well as the benefits it provides not only for consumers, but for our clients advertising with these new tools.

This is good news for Internet Yellow Pages because it essentially helps extend the reach of those resources for consumers, and helps advertisers access a desirable demographic – the ready-to-buy shopper.

comScore found that the number of mobile subscribers accessing business directories on a mobile phone increased 14 percent year-over-year to 17.3 million users in March 2010, extending the reach of Internet Yellow Pages beyond just the personal computer. This increase outpaces the10 percent growth in the number of mobile media users who browsed the mobile web, used applications or downloaded content during the same time period.

Additionally, the number of people accessing business directories on a mobile device at least once per week increased more than 16 percent year-over-year to nearly five million in March 2010.

Much of this growth is due to the rapid growth in smartphone users combined with the adoption of 3G technology, better search offerings, and higher advertiser engagement.

As I point out in a column on Search Engine Land this morning, this high growth illustrates that as more consumers use mobile devices to search and access content, they are continuing to rely on Yellow Pages’ convenient and reliable business listings to help them find local businesses on-the-go.

It’s also great news for advertisers. In addition to the benefits of advertising with IYPs to attract those searching for business information on their personal computers, local businesses are receiving added value in online listings being accessible to a growing number of mobile users.

Other interesting mobile-related data points from the study include:

• The mobile browser was the most common access method for users, with 10.8 million subscribers in March 2010 and 21 percent year-over-year growth.
• Apps are hot, with 42 percent year-over-year growth in the number of mobile subscribers using apps to access business directories.
• Mobile unlocks a desirable user for the advertise: 58% are 34 or younger; over half have a household income in excess of $75,000; and they are three and half times more likely as the average mobile media user to access women’s magazine content, health information, real estate listings, and job listings via their mobile devices.

IYP Local Search on Personal Computers

comScore also found that local searches on personal computers saw year-over-year growth.  Searches on IYPs and portal sites increased 4 percent to 444 million in March 2010, or 5.3 billion annually—indicating that more consumers are coming to rely on Yellow Pages when searching from their computer.

Additionally, the report showed that people access IYPs and local online sites in a number of ways:

• Traffic to IYPs from web search sites increased three points from the first quarter of 2009 to the first quarter of 2010, to 44 percent of visits.
• Direct traffic also increased over the same time period, up four points to 32 percent.
• Referrals from affiliate sites (advertisements, e-mail marketing, and other partner sites) decreased six points to 25 percent.

comScore’s data illustrate how in today’s changing media environment, IYPs are attracting growing audiences online and via mobile—giving advertisers new opportunities to reach consumers wherever they are.

This is a testament to our industry’s strong emphasis on building our digital and mobile platforms this past year. Whether its rebranding our companies, creating new iPhone, iPad, and Google Android apps, or launching new IYP concepts like buzz.com, Yellow Pages companies are building on decades of experience to deliver the highest-quality directories for advertisers and consumers to connect.

We’ve blogged recently about increased consumer usage of mobile devices such as Apple’s iPad and Google’s Android phones, and how Yellow Pages companies need to continue to create innovative mobile offerings in order to capture additional leads for their local business customers.

And now this week, Amazon, the popular online retailer, is making headlines for passing its own digital milestone—one that further emphasizes the need for our industry to embrace rapid consumer adoption of mobile offerings.

According to Amazon, during the last quarter, electronic books for its Kindle e-reader outnumbered sales for its hardcover books for the first time ever. In fact, Amazon said it sold 143 Kindle books for every 100 hardcover books during the past three months—and that that rate increased over the last four weeks to 180 electronic books for every 100 hardcover copies.

While the company did not disclose how paperback sales compare with e-book sales—paperback sales are likely still higher than e-book sales—it did note that it took just 33 months since the Kindle’s introduction for its sales to surpass hardcover sales, despite the fact the company has sold hardcover books for 15 years.

I doubt that Amazon will be pulling hardcover books off the site anytime soon, but clearly digital has momentum.  Likewise, we still find our print directories to be a trusted and referenced tool for ready to buy consumers – and they will continue to be.  But I’m proud of our industry’s efforts so far this year in developing new offerings in the digital and mobile space, including adding new local social search sites and social networking channels, partnering with major search engines and local directories, launching SEO/SEM program and mobile apps, and so on. I think today’s news is additional indication that we’re moving in the right direction in quickly adapting our business strategies to take advantage of opportunities in the mobile space.

Today, BIA/Kelsey released new forecasts for our industry which reflect the increased role that digital is playing in our business. According to a mid-year update to BIA/Kelsey’s Annual Global Yellow Pages Forecast (2009-2014), digital offerings—including Internet Yellow Pages, video, SEO/SEM, mobile, social and reputation management—will account for 39% of global Yellow Pages revenues by 2014.

The report found that while digital growth is occurring globally, it’s doing so at varied rates and with different emphasis in regions around the world:

• U.S. – Digital revenues in the U.S. will grow at a 17.2% compound annual rate (CAGR) as a result of publishers selling a wider array of digital products. BIA/Kelsey expects significant growth in reputation management, SEO, social and mobile, as well as websites, SEM, and video.
• Europe – Digital revenues will surpass print revenues across Europe by 2014, and even sooner in several markets.
• Latin America – BIA/Kelsey estimates that digital will grow from 6.2% of total revenues in 2009 to 11.8% of total revenues by 2014.
• Asia/Pacific Rim/ROW – Online directory revenues will grow by $446 million from 2009-2014. Many emerging markets such as China are expected to adopt a more vertical and mobile approach, bypassing print and Internet Yellow Pages as significant product categories.

BIA/Kelsey’s findings confirm our industry’s ability to adapt to today’s changing media landscape and create new opportunities to grow in the years to come. That’s great news for Yellow Pages, our clients, and consumers around the globe.

More information about today’s announcement will be available at BIA/Kelsey’s upcoming Directional Media Strategies 2010 (DES ’10: Yellow Pages and Beyond) conference, which is scheduled for Sept. 14-16 in Dallas. Yellow Pages Association is a sponsor. Visit here for more information on DES ’10.

It seems like much of the attention has been focused around the apps developed for iPhone and iPad.  But the buzz about Android continues to grow, suggesting that we can’t forget about other mobile operating systems.

Consider this new data from comScore I saw at fortune.com:  Android had some significant gains in market share between February and May of this year, moving from 9% to 13% of smartphone subscribers.  That’s the biggest jump of any platform – in fact, all the other mobile platforms (RIM, Apple, Microsoft, and Palm) lost some share during that some time period.

And according to the comScore numbers, mobile is hot all around.  By the end of May, 49.1 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones – that’s up 8.1% from the previous period.  Despite losing share to Google Android, most smartphone platforms continue to gain subscribers as the smartphone market overall continues to grow.

This growth presents plenty of opportunity to local search companies.  As we know, new features and hardware are constantly emerging that drive people to download the next great OS or purchase a new device.  We have to keep up with these trends, understand how consumers use mobile so that we continue to be the most trusted, most accurate, and most convenient source to find a local business when you need it.

As we mentioned last month, the Yellow Pages Association is once again partnering with BIA/Kelsey to present one of the most important industry conferences of the year, Directional Media Strategies (DMS) ’10.

Scheduled for Sept. 14-16 at the InterContinental Hotel in Dallas, the conference will focus on the Yellow Pages industry’s best strategies for pursuing new opportunities in today’s rapidly changing media environment.

While speakers are still being selected, the general agenda is posted and includes a variety of interesting sessions:

• The iPad — A Game Changer for Yellow Pages? The iPhone has been a huge catalyst for innovation in mobile Yellow Pages. Will the iPad, with its much larger screen, prove to be an even more significant new form factor for digital directories?
• Mobile Yellow Pages Leaves the Laboratory. Mobile Yellow Pages has moved well past the science project stage, beyond the traffic supplement stage and is now well into the monetization stage. More and more publishers are generating a discrete, fast growing revenue stream. We will hear from directory executives at the leading edge of mobile Yellow Pages monetization.
• Social Media + Yellow Pages = A New Lease on Life? Directory publishers worldwide have been investing resources in building social platforms in the hope of creating rich content in the form of consumer reviews, plus engagement with a new set of users otherwise disengaged from Yellow Pages brands. How are these efforts faring?
• Verticals Showcase: Maids, Shades and Auto Repair. Vertical search has been gradually migrating from its original core of travel, jobs and homes to more explicitly local categories — home and personal services, retail, professional services and so on. In this special showcase, we’ll get a taste of how some of the more compelling local verticals out there generate content, attract users, form partnerships and, of course, make money.

As you can see, DMS ’10 will feature discussions on many of the major topics facing our industry and its individual companies—hosted by one of the most respected analysts in the field. It’s definitely not to be missed.

For more information, including registration and speaker submissions, visit the DMS ’10 website here. We’ll share additional information right here on the blog as soon as it becomes available.

On the digital front, our industry is not only expanding the reach of Internet Yellow Pages directories, we’re also partnering with a variety of popular local search sites including Yelp and Citysearch in an effort to provide our clients with more ways to reach online consumers.

This week, AT&T Interactive—which recently rebranded its flagship YP.COM and added new features to its YPMobile app—became the latest Yellow Pages company to announce a new distribution agreement with Citysearch. The move comes just a month after Dex One and Citysearch entered into a similar partnership.

Under the new arrangement, sponsored listings from YP.COM will have the opportunity to appear on CityGrid, Citysearch’s extensive local content and advertising network. The new agreement builds on an existing relationship between Citysearch and AT&T Interactive where Citysearch listings, user reviews and editorial content have the opportunity to be displayed on YP.COM.

Additionally, YP.COM advertisers will have the opportunity to place ads alongside content on Citysearch or other CityGrid publisher web properties, and CityGrid reseller partners will have access to distribute advertising across YP.COM.

This open arrangement benefits local businesses by allowing them to explore new, exciting online advertising opportunities— all within their established Yellow Pages marketing strategies.

For more information, read the full AT&T Interactive and Citysearch release here.

Just last week, we blogged about findings from a recent Sensis “free pizza” campaign which found that when consumers need to locate local business information, the majority turn to Yellow Pages’ various offerings.

That’s why a multi-platform approach, championed by our industry, makes the most sense for local business advertising. It realizes the benefits and opportunities available across all forms of media, whether they’re in print, online or on mobile.

To read my full Search Engine Land article, click here.