Much of the internet knows that the days are numbered for the yellow pages. They continue to become more and more obsolete. Many however fail to consider a main reason for this decline, which is the growth in Local Search Engine Optimization or SEO.

More then likely if you’re reading this article you’re a business owner or someone in charge of bringing more customers to your company. By understanding this decline for the Yellow Pages you can learn two important points.

  • The replacement of Yellow pages with Local SEO helps in understanding the significance of local SEO process.
  • It is a wake-up call to all those business owners who are still involved in yellow pages registrations.

Reasons Why Local SEO replaced the Yellow Pages

Your first step in understanding the transition is to learn the SEO process. Simply put, local SEO refers to optimizing your web pages for local search queries. It works two-fold: First, local SEO involves adding your NAP (name, address, phone number) information to your website, social media accounts, and Google Maps/Business listings.

For example, if someone types in “best coffee in Newark” that is a local search query. If you optimize for keywords “coffee” and “Newark” or the entire phrase as a long-tail keyword, then you will be optimizing for a local audience. This ease of obtaining information is what has moved users to the search engines, and has spelled the death of the Yellow Pages. What would take minutes can now be found in seconds by completing a simple Google Search. Now that Google is getting more advanced, you can even type in “near me” and the search engine will use location tracking to generate relevant results.

Other reasons search engine optimization is better then the Yellow Pages

Local SEO is targeted

While the Yellow Pages are typically categorized and then alphabetized, local search engine optimization takes this even further. A properly SEOed website can rank your business for more categories and keywords that are relevant to your business. Many companies provide more then one product or service, and with SEO you can gain business for each of them.

Search results are also constantly changing with each Google Algorithm change. This gives the user confidence that the results they get are going to be accurate and useful. This isn’t always the case with the Yellow Pages, and is yet another reason people no longer turn to it.

Advertising is easier for businesses

With the Yellow Pages a new book comes out just two times a year. Say a competitor opens up shop in your town and you want to increase your marketing. With Local SEO this is possible and you can firmly establish yourself as the authority in your area. With the Yellow Pages this simply can’t be done. You’re just going to get your two listings a year, with zero control over anything else.

Local SEO is a better investment

While it may not be too costly to register yourself in the yellow pages (this does not include the overly expensive digital options they are now trying to push), local SEO will give you a higher ROI. As more people use local search, you get the golden chance to increase your brands visibility and convert them into customers.

Although a more expensive option, when hiring a reputable SEO company, you will make your money back several times over.  A good SEO company will also help you track your new leads and you will be able to see the results of your work. Being able to understand how your marketing is paying off makes your business decisions much easier to make. Without customer tracking and understanding the value of a client you are simply guessing, never a good thing to do with your business.

The decision is yours

Plain and simple, in the vast majority of towns, the yellow pages can’t match the reliable and focused approach of local SEO. Even if people do find you in the yellow pages, there is no telling whether or not they will choose to call your business. It turns out to be a risky roadmap for business owners. In the end, local SEO is the clear winner for most businesses.

 

Want to learn more about local SEO?

Are you still paying to advertise in the Yellow Pages? Are you looking to grow your business and take it to the next level? We would love to chat and see if we can give you some free advice.