As more of us turn to the Internet to find what we need, from bouncy castle hire to wedding photographers, the quantity and quality of local online directories is becoming more important. From established directory providers like the Yellow Pages and Thompson, to independent local providers, there's no shortage of advertiser space; the difficulty is choosing the right place to spend your Internet marketing budget.
The online local directory market is currently under attack from the big search engines. Yahoo!, Google and Ask Jeeves are among those who see local search as the next big growth area, and are ploughing dollars and development time into providing top directories to their customers. The visibility of these search engines is their advantage - regular Google users, for example, are far more likely to use Google's local directory service than scroll through lesser offerings. Even so, the big boys need to make their directories different enough to attract users, which is why they are incorporating features like maps and driving directions. In Google's case, their local databases will come from Yell.com, which has signed an alliance with the search enginer provider - giving Google access to some of the best and most trusted directory information in the country, and extending the available user market for Yell. Google's local search also carries maps to show the location of your plumber or fancy dress shop, and can also use its pay-per-click service to add relevant sponsored sites to your search results.
What does the entry of search engines to the local directory market mean for those who are currently filling that role? Primarily, it will mean that they will have to look at how they provide their service, and what they can change to make their directory more appealing to users. For independent directories, a focus on their local knowledge could make the difference; search engines may be able to provide you with information on businesses in Cheltenham, but they don't know the town or the people in the same way that true local sites do. Using this unique local knowledge could help the smaller directories retain their edge over the multi-nationals. Bigger directories may choose to widen the information they offer, so that searching for an electrician is only one of many things a user can do with their site. Sites like 192.com offer genealogical and historical data on local areas, making their directory more content-rich than many.
It's a challenge to change people's searching habits, but challenge has never been a problem for the global search engines. As an advertiser looking for a way to add to your Internet marketing strategy, local search engines and directories can be a minefield or a goldmine depending on how well you research the directories themselves and the people using them. So, paying attention to the local directory market over the next few months and ensuring that you spend your advertising budget where your key customers are going to notice it, should be a top priority for any forward-thinking company.
If you are looking to expand your online presence, the Web Marketing Group can give you the Internet marketing advice you need.
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