Trading “Yellow Pages” for “Web Pages”
The Yellow Pages have been around for a loooong time. According to Wikipedia, the term “yellow” pages” came about in 1883 when a printer in Cheyenne, Wyoming (who was working on a regular phone directory) ran out of white paper and began using yellow paper instead. Later on, in 1886, a man by the name of Reuben Donnelly officially created the the first copy of the yellow pages directory. Today, the Yellow Pages are still used although the recent surge of Internet use over the past decade has introduced a web copy of the Yellow Pages, which is highly accessible.
Making the Transition from “Yellow” to “Web”
In recent years, the Yellow Pages has made its way to the Internet. Although the printed version of the Yellow Pages still gets delivered to people’s doorsteps, the Internet Yellow Pages (IYP) can be delivered at the touch of a button thereby making it more accessible.
Also known as “vertical directories,” IYP’s offer online advertising and are consumer as well as business oriented. IYP’s developed mainly as a result of publishers not making as much money off of the printed version of the Yellow Pages. This was due solely to the fact that people and consumers alike had started shopping and doing more business-related things on the Internet. Also marketing products and services on the Internet was a lot cheaper than marketing on paper.
Going, going, gone…
There are still those of out there who will always prefer to see something on paper, something we can hold in our hands. And there are those of us who don’t want to risk getting a paper cut when it comes to looking up a phone number or address. Today, many businesses prefer Internet marketing to old fashioned paper marketing. Whatever the case, the Yellow Pages will always be the “big brother” to IYP.
March 13 2008 02:00 am | Social Networking
Chip on 13 Mar 2008 at 7:53 am #
We are in a transition period. Many small business owners don’t even have a website so they can not advertise on the Internet. For example, for roof repair you have many more choices in the Yellow Pages NOW than you have on the Internet. In time, small business owners will realize that the Internet is changing their way of doing business either if they like it or not. When they will see that their competition is growing and they are shrinking, they will have no choice but to advertise on the Internet.
Thanks.
Janelle on 13 Mar 2008 at 11:52 am #
Hey Chip-
I’m really glad you brought that up. That’s a great point that you made, and it really gives people something to think about.
Trading “Yellow Pages” for “Web Pages” | unterderbruecke.org on 14 Mar 2008 at 12:13 pm #
[...] numbers of people have been trading in their "yellow pages" for "web pages" and with good reason. The Internet provides a great venue for marketing all sorts of [...]
Terra Andersen on 15 Mar 2008 at 12:29 pm #
Growing up in the technology age, I have never even thought to advertise my business in the Yellow pages. Just goes to show how differently the newer generation of business owners think!