Who Still Uses the Yellow Pages?

Iconic. Heavy. Bright. Classic. Environmentally-unfriendly. These are a few of the words used to describe the traditional Yellow Pages. As the internet increases exponentially in popularity and people move away from home telephones to cell phones with directories built into the web, it is a wonder anyone even uses the big, bright brick of phone numbers to find anyone anymore. And yet, the Yellow Pages aren’t completely extinct just yet. There are a number of reasons individuals and businesses still use this classic resource. 

While many search engines have attempted to refine our results geographically, looking for something online can result in a list of results that is massive and intimidating. The time alone required to sift through everything and find something local and useful could often be better spent on something else. As such, many consumers find the convenience of the Yellow Pages to be fast and efficient when looking for local shopping and dining. This can be especially true for those of us stuck in hotel rooms after room service has ended and wondering where we can get a late-night bite to eat. 

Research organizations have performed studies to gauge how many people are using search engines and how many people are using the Yellow Pages to find local businesses and restaurants. In 2010, the research found that 76 percent of consumers used a search engine to find a local business. However, the Yellow Pages weren’t far behind with 74 percent of adults using the resource to find a local business. Further results indicated that almost 80 percent of searches in the big yellow brick resulted in a purchase or purchase intent.

These results are rather striking to many people of a younger generation that are used to using the internet for everything. As the older generation with home phones and phone books continues to dwindle, the move toward internet phone books will continue to evolve. But recent research has proven that paper phone books still have their place in our consumer-driven society. Media habits will continue to evolve with technology and consumers will learn to rely on even more platforms to fill their need to find local business information. 

In turn, it is up to local businesses to ensure that they can be found by the consumer they wish to reach. Many businesses that choose not to advertise in the Yellow Pages are obviously missing out on a great opportunity to meet purchases or purchase intent.