Yellow Pages.com??

JDrake

So I just got off the phone from a like hour long call from a guy at yellow pages.com. (I had signed up for a free listing there about a month ago - and just now got contacted by them). Anywho... the guy was trying to get me to sign up for one of their listings.... When I asked how many people actually went to a listing's website.... drum roll please.... a grand total of 4 for one person and 20 for another!! Any they want anywhere from $75 and up a month WITH a 20 month contract!!! (seems like a whole lot going out for minimal comming in).

Anyone advertise with them and have any success at all??? (I guess that is the main question here)

dogwood

Hmmm... I can't remember the last time I used an actual phonebook (I recycle them the day they arrive at my doorstep). And I have NEVER used yellowpages.com.

I think you'll find many people in the same situation-- search engines seem to be the fastest and easiest way to get phone numbers.

Oh yeah-- and my day job involves lots hours of finding people and calling them up. I never use yellowpages.com and I almost never use a physical phonebook for that either.

So-- just my opinion-- but you'd be better off working on SEO.

claudermilk

Hmm...last time I used the phone book was a month ago when the power went out. No power, no internet, no handy superpages.com, google, et.al. For a photo business, it's probably not worth it considering the traffic quoted vs the cost.

J.T.

I looked into the yellow pages a few months back and they were trying to sell me everything and push their product hard. I don't remember exactly the price of what it cost each month to advertise in print, but they did offer a bundled package with both print and online advertising/listings that seemed reasonable. Did they happen to offer that to you?

dogwood

claudermilk wrote:

Hmm...last time I used the phone book was a month ago when the power went out. No power, no internet, no handy superpages.com, google, et.al.

Well... I have a laptop so even without power, I can get on the internet (the modem can be powered by a battery pack). There's also the cell phone -- most phones these days will connect to the web and only require external power to recharge. And I also have two battery packs for studio strobes-- which will double as emergency power supplies as well. And they can be recharged using an automobile.

So as long as the ISP still has power (and the big companies have generators), it's not too tricky to get on-line. That an there are two different free municipal wi-fi signals available locally. So again, assuming they still have power, there are at least four different ways to get on-line when the power goes out.

swintonphoto

I have had mixed results from phonebooks. I have had enough success to keep a small inexpensive ad in one. However, I had shifted most of my advertising to internet stuff. I would be cautios about making a 20 month commitment personally.

JDrake

They did not offer me any type of print advertising.... just online (listed on yellowpages.com, yahoo yellowpages, and I think aol yellowpages.)

It was like $75 a month for their BASIC package....which puts you at the bottom of the list of everyone else... and over $120 a month for the platinum package. I don't have that kind of money to waste on just 4 - 20 website hits a month... I turned them down! (especially since I can have a FREE listing on their site with all the other wedding photogs.... NONE of them are above the free listing either... so I don't see the point).

And THEN the guy tried to sell me on a website optimization package! lol....