My first thought was “at least they could have put it in the recycling bin!” I saw these in the garbage can by a mailbox—people didn't even bother to open them. Why would they, when almost everyone finds what they need by going online?
Google, faced with stiff competition from social media sites for advertising, is continuing to drive both users and businesses into their directory. They are running traditional media ads to get businesses to sign up for Google Places. Linked to their maps, Google Places helps people who “just Google it” find what they are looking for. This, of course, makes Google a more attractive place to purchase AdWords or the other enhancements they offer.
As businesses have to invest more in Google (and less in Yellow Page ads), they continue to be approached by a slew of other online offerings, like online “yellow pages” to generate leads. Unfortunately, as Google continues to be the prime driver of the user interface, these other options are becoming less and less effective.
Online directories can hurt organic search engine rankings by diluting the traffic to your website and professional brand. While Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has grown in complexity, it will remain a critical part of your overall marketing strategy going forward. To make things even more complex, social media has become another factor businesses will need to consider for advertising and the online landscape wont stop changing there.
As I've watched people migrate from print to online services over the last three decades, not only has the pace of change sped up, the difficulty in keeping up and managing it has also grown. The only real solution is to simplify it by following an authentic and sustainable process that integrates the use of websites, social media, and new technologies that will continue to emerge. This is exactly what Ezults can help you do.
