Although the Yellow Page Directories are still regularly delivered, their effectiveness is rapidly diminishing. The Internet has taken on a huge role in the marketing of both online and offline businesses and now, regardless of the location, many businesses are finding it is important to have a strong Web and Online Video presence. It's true the Yellow Pages will still be around for a while longer, and certainly there are still people who use them, but their days are numbered as more customers search online. There are many advantages to start considering virtual marketing campaigns.
Local Focus
Say, for example you own a local dental practice. If you open the Yellow Pages you'll find hundreds of listings for dentists from your town and the towns within a rather large radius. So unless you want to invest thousands for a 1/2 page or even more for a full page Ad, your listing will be lost amongst all the others.
Marketing online is a very different prospect in comparison. As you do your keyword research and build a targeted website, the odds of your business website being found during a local Internet search become much higher. You'll have the opportunity to rank your website within natural search engine listings and to pay for visible search engine advertisements. You'll also be able to feature your business in other local search sites, like the online directories or Google Places (the map listing inside of Google you've likely seen). Video Marketing is now becoming a very cost effective way to market your business online.
Return on Investment
Let's face it, running an Internet marketing campaign will save you hundreds, if not thousands of dollars per year. Some companies are spending well over $1,500 just for a small Yellow Page Ad, while others are paying more than $5,000 annually for 1/2 page Ads. Without a large ad, it's near impossible to stand out from the crowd.
It's certainly true that an effective online presence does require a higher upfront investment as you need to build a website, write marketing copy, set up Social Media profiles and generate e-mail opt-ins. However, once you've made that one-time commitment your ongoing costs will become much less. You will no longer have to pay high yearly advertising fees and you can zero into different areas of specialization without a large investment. With online marketing you can also very accurately track your ROI and use very effective split testing so that you invest only in the successful campaigns.
Customer Loyalty
Yellow Pages advertisements are just that - advertisements. Online marketing by contrast allows you to interact with your customers in a much more dynamic way, using e-mail campaigns or social media for example. Potential new customers can ask questions on your FaceBook page, send Tweets or make comments on your Blog. In comparison, your Yellow Page Advertisement will not encourage much in the way of ongoing social engagement.
It's all about ROI - determining which marketing methods will bring you the best results without causing you to spend a ton of cash. You'll be amazed at how much more you can accomplish online.
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