Though some hybrid IYP/rating-and-review sites, like Yelp, have been having a hard time attracting a large enough number of frequent users and reviewers, San Diego-based MojoPages has claimed that they are gaining traction. President Jon Carder says that his site now boasts 500,000 user reviews and 100,000 local advertisers across the U.S., mostly with partners like Superpages.com, Marchex, ServiceMagic, and ServiceMaster.
Yellowbook, the leading independent publisher of print and online yellow pages directories nationwide announced yesterday the launch of a new integrated marketing campaign entitled “Say Yellow to the Future.” This campaign includes a new streamlined logo, a more condensed name to one word (formerly Yellow Book), new television commercials, and newly designed print directories that present the company as forward-thinking.
The author of the book The Art of War, Sun Tzu, once said, “Every battle is won before it’s fought.” With everyone talking about the recession and rising gas prices, it seems that businesses will have to do “battle” in order to get through this downturn. In my last blog entry, “Recession: Blessing in Disguise?” I talked about the MarketingSherpa report and how businesses can leverage online marketing during these uncertain times. However, that report has a second part which talks about strategies that marketers are using to get through the slump. In this blog post, I’m going to talk about those strategies, plus add some data from eMarketer that backs them up. This post will explain how local businesses can use these strategies to their advantage. It can be your “business battle plan” if you will. (more…)
Google just announced that you can now embed local business videos into your business listing on Google Maps. These videos will be displayed under the “Photos and Videos” tab. Until now it seemed as though Internet Yellow Pages (IYP) had been the only ones looking to harness this potential. However, this recent partnership may give IYP publishers a run for their money, and hopefully make it more cost effective for businesses to implement this on IYP’s and local search sites such as SuperPages.com, YellowPages.com, or Citysearch.com.
SuperPages.com announced over the weekend it would be adding user review content to its website. The effort is meant to allow local businesses to further promote their services and to interact with customers. Although SuperPages indicates this gives them a competitive advantage, their closest competitor has hosted user reviews for some time.
The Kelsey Group released it’s Global Yellow Pages and Local Search Forecast today which measures the current and future size of the local search industry. Highlights of the forecast include a predicted growth of 23.4% for interactive advertising between now and 2012, as well as a predicted global advertising share of 21% in 2012.
Back in the dark ages, referred to by some as BC (Before Computers), consumer opinions regarding personal experiences with businesses were passed around in a practice known as “Word of Mouth” marketing.
Jane tells Mary about how great her new microwave is, or that the service could have been better at the new restaurant in town. Soon enough, word gets around and sales are up for that microwave, and the service is carefully watched at the new restaurant.
The Internet has transformed word of mouth referrals into “user reviews” and “ratings,” where consumers can comment on and rate products or services that they have purchased or experienced. (more…)