Posts Tagged ‘PYP’

Florists Searches Double in February

Monday, February 1, 2010

It should come as no surprise that in February, the number of “florists” searches just about doubles the monthly average for the rest of the year in anticipation of Valentine’s Day.

For our local business advertisers, generating leads is key.  Data shows that 85% of Yellow Pages’ shoppers follow-up with a purchase after searching the “florists” heading … and more than 40% of these shoppers will end up purchasing from a florist that they have not used before.

Another interesting factoid about this heading is that a greater number of consumers – about 31% – consult this heading from work either via print or Internet Yellow Pages compared to other headings – about 22%.

If you’re among the 28 million who will purchase flowers this year, take a look at the tips below from our friends at the Society of American Florists to extend the life of your bouquet:

  • If your roses arrived in plastic water tubes, remove them before arranging.
  • Remove any leaves that will be under water, taking care not to damage the green bark.
  • Re-cut stems by removing 1-2 inches with a sharp knife.
  • Immediately after cutting, place roses in a clean, deep vase of water containing a flower food provided by your local florist.
  • Check the flower food solution daily and make sure to keep it full, clean, and fresh. Replace the solution if it becomes cloudy.

Even with such TLC, your flowers are likely to last just a few days, but the ROI for “florists” advertisers remains strong year-round.  The “florists” heading is the 18th most referenced among more than 4,000 different Yellow Pages headings and generates over $30,000 in annual sales revenue per advertiser.

February 1, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Tags: , , , , , , ,

Intermedia Shopping Study

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

The Yellow Pages Association has released some interesting results from the just completed Intermedia Shopping Study (ISS) conducted by TNS. The purpose of the study is to measure consumers’ use of various media during the purchase decision process.

Print Yellow Pages + Internet Yellow Pages at 26.5% came in second to online services at 30.8% for the media used most by consumers during the purchase decision.  More importantly, print Yellow Pages extended the reach of search engines from 29.7% to 43.9%, an increase of almost 50%.

The top used headings for print and internet Yellow Pages are as follows.

PYP

1. Septic Tank Service
2. Funeral Directors
3. Plumbing Contractors
4. Glass – Automobile/Plate/Window
5. Appliances – Service & Repair
6. Roofing Contractors
7. Towing – Automotive
8. Electrician/Electrical Contractors
9. Locks & Locksmiths
10. Doors/Garage Doors

IYP

1.  Employment Agencies
2.  Movers
3.  Check Cashing Services
4.  Air Conditioning Equipment
5.  Building Contractors
6.  Apartments
7.  Nurses
8.  Glass – Automobile/Plate/Window
9.  Storage-HH and commercial
10. Septic Tank Service

The fact that only two headings (Septic Tank Service and Glass) appear on both lists once again demonstrates that PYP and IYP are mutually exclusive and are used for different purposes.

January 12, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Internet Marketing Pitch Materials Get a Little ‘Drastic’ Sometimes

Friday, January 8, 2010

I ran across a press release from an Internet marketing service that used some strong words about the health of print Yellow Pages directories, saying that Yellow Pages usage is “drastically dropping” every year.

Of course, a competitor would be apt to say something like that about one of our industry’s products, and the truth is there has been a decline in the number of references to print directories over the last five years.  But I certainly wouldn’t characterize the drop as drastic – especially in light of the current fragmented media environment, where newspapers, network TV and radio have all experienced significant drops in audience share.

The Internet marketing company also forgot to mention that the number of searches on Internet Yellow Pages sites has increased more than 75% over the last five years.

But back to print.  What might be surprising to some is that a significant number of print Yellow Pages headings have shown dramatic increases over the past 10 years, and we’re not just talking about traditionally strong headings like “Gutters and Downspouts” (which has seen a 130% increase in references).

On the contrary, headings that are used by “millenials” have also shown dramatic increases.  For example, “Ear Piercing” and “Tatooing” are each up almost 600% in the past 10 years.  For gen Xers, “Home Centers,” “Resorts” and “Hot Tubs” are each up over 150%.  And for Baby Boomers, “Retirement Homes and Communities” is up over 200%.

This tells us that the more things change, the more they remain the same.  In many ways, I see Yellow Pages as a mirror of societal change.  And we can watch consumers pass through different life stages by the way they use Yellow Pages directories.

Research shows that local businesses can be extremely effective in maintaining a print directory ad that complements Internet Yellow Pages listings, sponsored keyword buys, search engine optimization – which, by the way, can often be coordinated in one suite of services through a Yellow Pages sales rep.

January 8, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Tags: , , , , ,