In an effort to integrate the ever-popular world of social media into the world of Internet Yellow Pages, SuperMedia announced early last week the creation of its new lead-generating social platform called “AskLearnHire.” This platform attempts to connect buyers and sellers throughout the different stages of the purchase process. “AskLearnHire” is (as of now) a series of three category-specific sites that focus on the following: mortgages, heating and air conditioning (HVAC) and house remodeling.

While using “AskLearnHire,” consumers will have the opportunity to educate themselves before making purchases. This can be done on the sites mentioned above by asking questions, searching the sites’ libraries for articles, requesting to hire businesses or, more importantly, reviewing businesses that have been used by other searchers. These reviews will be essential for businesses, since the better their reviews (or the more reviews they receive), the more leads they’ll gain.

From these leads, businesses will also gain exposure on “AskLearnHire.” They will serve as the experts on these industry-specific sites. The more questions businesses answer and the more content they share on these sites, the more likely consumers will turn to them when purchasing.

Although this new platform is still in the beta stage, there are some things that will be certain for both consumer and business, once these sites are rolled out. Businesses will be able to purchase exclusive leads at a competitive market fee, and leads will only be offered to one business at a time (with information about each consumer’s needs). This way a business can evaluate the lead before deciding to accept it. Businesses will only be charged for the leads they accept. A consumer’s contact information, on the other hand, will only be shared with the business that has accepted the lead, eliminating confusion by the consumer over being contacted by multiple businesses.

“AskLearn Hire” is the latest creation that reflects the ever-changing media landscape of today. It will definitely be interesting to see how both consumers and businesses react to this new development. I have a feeling that this isn’t the last time we hear about “AskLearnHire,” especially as the demand emerges for more information regarding other categories.