This article from last year is still very relevant. Since tis the season for Yellowpage adjustments in London I thought I would publish it again...
"The Yellow Pages Group is feverishly working toward creating an online business search directory.
“Duh! Haven’t they been doing that a while?” you say.
Not so much until lately. Let me explain.
Google and other search engines have been eating the lunch of traditional media - including taking a bite out of the print growth at Yellow Pages. To compete with this phenomenon, Yellow Pages Group… those www.canada411.ca people… last year changed how a user can search for information on their site.
For many years, Yellow Pages trained us to look for products, services and companies under prescribed category headings. Need auto repair? Look under Automobile Repairing & Service. Simple right?! Absolutely.
But what if you wanted to get a quote from an auto repair shop specializing in BMWs and didn’t want an actual new car dealer… You would need to scan all the ads, start calling around or ask a friend. A few more steps. Which is long in this day and age! And out there somewhere is the da Vinci of BMW auto repair that is just waiting for your business!
What do you do if YOU are that da Vinci and need every ailing BMW you can get to stop at your shop so you can feed your four little da Vincis and keep Mrs. da Vinci clothed and happy?
Now the good ol’ Yellow Pages has an answer.
The change made last August is that YP print ads are all loaded on the online Yellow Pages and any words inside are treated as searchable text by YP’s main search utility. Go online to Yellow Pages and type in “bmw repair” and all of a sudden you see a new selection of relevant ads that serve up those advertisers that have put “BMW” and “repair” in their ads.
Yellow Pages hopes this new search-ability will make them the place to go to search for products and services. And while it may take some time for this kind of usage to catch on (who would think to search Yellow Pages for “Fettuccine Alfredo restaurants” when you are craving it?), this new tool is available and may help people find you. Which is what is important right?
Do you need help to take on your online marketing?
Find me by typing “arrowfinger” into Google!
(Oh, and ask me why I don’t use the Yellow Pages for this business… but do use it for others...)
Rodney Lover
www.Arrowfinger.ca
P.S. You will find some restaurants on Google featuring Fettuccine Alfredo! "