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If you are reading this article 10 years ago then the simple answer to the question is yes. Congratulations your time machine works! However, times have changed and now you are reading this in 2018 and beyond. You’re probably on a touch screen device and not in a big heavy yellow book. So the answer is a resounding NO! Too many people are not moving with the times and keeping up with the new age of digital marketing. You need to do this when growing a business, no matter how large or small that business may be.
The Power of Google
Gone are the days of picking up that big yellow book to find the service you need. Nowadays the majority of us go straight to Google to find what we’re looking for. In fact 80% of us have Google set as our internet browser’s homepage. So obviously that’s going to be the place that most of us look first.
Ask yourself how often you go to Yell.com to find a Coffee Shop in your local area for example. Most people use Google, yet some businesses are paying a lot to show up in the top results on Yell. A fraction of that could go towards getting their business on the first page of Google.
Where Does Yell Actually Rank?
I put Yell.com to the test by searching for ‘loft conversions in Manchester’ (because I am actually thinking about having a loft conversion). Straight away I see 3 Premium Listings, one of them proudly displaying ‘15+ years with Yell’ on their ad. Hopefully they haven’t been paying for a premium listing all this time. I don’t even want to think about how much that might add up to. I put the same search to Google and find Yell ranks in the bottom half of the SECOND page on Google for the same search.
What that tells me is, even before clicking on the Yell result, there have been almost 20 other businesses that I could choose from before seeing the paid premium listings on Yell. Those businesses are likely spending much less compared to the top ones on Yell. In the digital age, strategies like SEO and organic search engine ranking are much more valuable to companies than these directory listings.
Boosting Enquiries for Your Business
The important thing to remember from this article though is that what we are trying to achieve. It is to get more enquiries and interest for our business to make them grow. We’re not trying to count the pennies wasted on Yell. If you’re looking for a no risk supply of enquiries for your business, this is something we can assist you with through our unique service. We can set up a strategy which provides your company with enquiries. You only pay us for the leads which turn into orders. Leave a comment below or get in touch with us to find out more about this opportunity, and what we can do to help you.
Don’t Rule Yell Out Completely
Yell Premium Listings might work well for some companies and that’s great for them. It certainly won’t hurt for small businesses to make a free ad on Yell and fill it with as much content as possible (URL, phone number, pictures etc.). There’s definitely no harm in listing your business, as some people do still use it to find services. The point I am making is that with SEO it’s about getting your company’s name out to a larger audience. That is how you will generate more enquiries and in turn generate more sales. You’ll find that using other methods of boosting enquiries can be much more cost effective, so definitely don’t waste money on a Premium Yell listing.
Yell online is an old way of doing things and is becoming about as useful as a Yellow Pages directory, and the only use for that which springs to mind is the young boy in the old TV advert using one as a step up to get a sneaky kiss under the mistletoe. Any business looking to grow needs to be out with the old and in with the new.
Tell Us Your Thoughts
Do you think using Yell listings is outdated? Or maybe you find that it works well for your company? Let us know your views on this topic and whether you have found other methods which get more traffic and enquiries for your business. If you’d be interested in receiving a no risk supply of enquiries for products or services you offer, please let us know.
