Larry Angove
President & CEO
Association of Directory Publishers
(231) 935-4608
Larry.Angove@adp.org
WHO USES YELLOW PAGES ANYWAY?
Key Research Data on Yellow Pages Usage
Reveals Important Patterns and Trends,
Including ‘Higher Spends’ than Other Media Customers
The Association of Directory Publishers (ADP) recently released data highlighting current trends in usage of Yellow Pages directories. The data reveals significant value and returns-on-investment for both consumers and advertisers utilizing the medium. The short answer to “Who uses Yellow Pages Anyway” is simple. More than one might think! Here are the facts:
- 7.4 billion references were made to print Yellow Pages during 2011
- 76% of adults used print Yellow Page directories last year
- 40% of adults use print Yellow Page directories in an average month
- 24% of adults use print Yellow Page directories in an average week
It is important to note that these usage figures are highly significant. Yellow Pages have never been a daily-use reference resource. Yellow Pages are used episodically – when people are ready to buy. For many businesses, Yellow Pages today remain the most effective tool for connecting buyers and sellers.
Also revealed in the data is a fact that should be of paramount interest to every business owner: the people with the most to spend are the heaviest users of Yellow Pages. “Any business whose target customer base is the 48+ age demographics would be extremely foolish not to include include Yellow Pages in their media mix,” noted ADP President and CEO Larry Angove. “Smart advertisers follow the money.” Research shows that purchases driven by the urgencies of life events average some 25% higher than those made by individuals. Research also shows that purchases driven by the urgencies of life events average some 25% higher than those made by individuals looking for discounts and sales.
And though Baby Boomers and Matures have the most money to spend, they are not the only demographics that regularly use the Yellow Pages. In 2011, the Yellow Pages were used by 61% of 25-29 year-olds and 47% of 18-24 year-olds.
Exactly what drives Yellow Pages usage? It’s the extraordinary events that occur in the course of ordinary living – “life events” as they are called. An extraordinary life event might be an engagement, a marriage, the birth of child, making a first time financial investment, buying or leasing a new or used car, celebrating a graduation, becoming separated or divorced, buying a second or retirement home, experiencing a death within the family, or inheriting wealth. Each of these life events, and hundreds more left unmentioned, lead to references in the local Yellow Pages directory. Critically important to business owners – research shows that purchases driven by the urgencies of life events average some 25% higher than those made by persons looking for discounts and sales.
Once making the reference, 9 out of ten users WILL MAKE A PURCHASE. Many shoppers using the Yellow Pages to locate local business information become FIRST-TIME customers of their new provider. These new customers also told researchers that ad content makes a huge difference in determining who they ultimately call or visit, something important for advertisers to embrace.
Some among the press and in the blogosphere have assumed that the reported decline in Yellow Pages references during the recent recession was evidence that the medium was weakening. It was an assumption unfound in fact. The truth is that when people either don’t have money to spend, or are reluctant to spend what they have, don’t buy goods and services. People who are not ready to buyers logically don’t use the Yellow Pages. Data shows that as consumers became more comfortable with spending again, Yellow Pages references rose significantly. Yellow Pages references have increased for three consecutive years, including a whopping 18% in 2011.
The data proves that Yellow Page directories remain effective for advertisers, deliver incredibly high ROI and extremely low cost per customer influenced, and deserve to be an integral part of virtually every business’ marketing and media mix.
To learn more about Yellow Page usage trends and the Power of Yellow™, visit www.ADP.org
