Yellow Pages vs Google AdWords Advertising - Which is the Best Value for Money?

Is your local business listing in Google or the Online Yellow Pages giving you better value for money, as you strive to attract new customers on a limited advertising budget? Considering Yellow Pages vs Google AdWords, which is the most cost effective? Are you paying for the right service to conveniently provide potential customers quick and instant access to find your business?

Yellow Pages vs Google AdWords Advertising - Which is Right For You and Your Customer?

Without doubt, the Yellow Pages directory is one of the most popular and handy guides ever designed with one of their most popular selling points, “At the tip of your fingers,” instantly making the service a brand name worldwide.

But the practice of opening printed directories, turning pages to browse for local information on people, products and services has declined as more people turn to Google to find whatever they need in a hurry.

The Yellow Pages has since offered its directory service online, managing to adapt to the times, when Search Engines are automatically factored into online marketing efforts for local businesses to bring in more clients.

Traffic generation that creates possible revenue for companies is the same function for both Google Listing and the Yellow Pages. We may prefer to use one over the other based on the following: ease of use, affordability, quick results, fast access and up to date information. In the age of digital marketing, it pays to have all of the aforementioned attributes to create a wider client base and ensure income generation.

So which service can get your business, on a limited advertising budget, more enquiries Google AdWords or Yellow Pages Online?

Quality - Quantity of Traffic Generation

U.S. research shows that interaction and action with consumers remain competitively high with Internet Yellow Pages as an estimated 79 % of Internet Yellow pages searches resulted in same-day contact of a business, and 65% resulted in a same day-sale.

So maybe it makes sense for small business owners who don’t update their website with SEO-enabled content to just sign up for a listing on the Internet Yellow Pages.

However, research also shows that Yellow Pages Online gaining 5 billion searches a year pales in comparison to the 6 billion searches average a day on Google. The search trends also indicate that users of Yellow Pages Online continue to decline.

A business would do well to ask how much value is ranking first on the Yellow Pages online when there are lesser people accessing the listing.

Google Trends Data showing the Decline for searches for Yellow Pages

It also appears that staying on Yellow Pages may be only beneficial for certain types of businesses found locally in a neighbourhood. A 2009-2012 study by Local Research Association named the top ten businesses for Internet Yellow Page search as:

The common denominator to these ten is, the demand for local services.

A non-service industry business may not fare as well on Yellow Pages. If your business does not have a neighbourhood identity, you will do well to explore online advertising service on Google AdWords which brings traffic to your website. 

Times are changing as we utilise mobile devices more and more. And so are our views on Advertising - have a look at this Yellow Pages Ad from back in the 80's.

Service Costs: The Yellow Pages

A customer of ours has the Yellow Pages Platinum account – and is charged a monthly fee of $150 for placement in the local listings for their particular business.

The directory service standard packages place an ad above free listings, information about the company eg a company profile, website links and a location map. Higher-cost packages place the listing even higher with a few more perks.

If we are going to calculate the annual rate of this Yellow Pages Online listing, the subscription fee is about $1,800.

Service Costs: Google AdWords

The same customer of ours utilises Google AdWords with a budget of $20 per days. They get traffic from Google AdWords for $3.28 per click with an average of 6 clicks per day.

Comparative Costs

The Yellow Pages Online listing monthly subscription fee translates to $1,800 annually. This is equivalent to the cost of 548 clicks on Google AdWords.

When we look at the Google Analytics data from your customer under referral traffic for Yellow Pages there were 54 clicks for the year and this amounts to $33.33 per click based on their annual subscription fee.

It makes sense that your advertising budget could be better utilised with Google AdWords rather than on Yellow Pages depending on your market.

So take your pick, Yellow Pages vs Google AdWords which is better for you?