Yellow Fever

A recent Economist article reports that the Yellow Pages are headed for a long, slow decline. Shares in Yell (the company that owns phone directories in the UK, USA and Spain), for example, have fallen 75% over the past year.

The main reason for this decline appears to be the internet – people are apparently increasingly searching for local services online. This is an important trend for small and medium-sized businesses to take note of – they account for the bulk of the advertising that appears in the Yellow Pages.

The message is clear: it is critical for small businesses to develop effective web engagement strategies if they wish to thrive in the modern marketplace.