Independent Yellow Pages garner 40% share of overall Directory Usage.

Awareness and usage of print Yellow Pages is strong, according to research conducted by Knowledge Networks on behalf of the Association of Directory Publishers (ADP).

The ADP National Yellow Pages Study revealed 85 percent of the U.S. population used a printed directory last year. Independent publishers (those not affiliated with local telephone companies) enjoyed a strong share of this consumer usage, with 40 percent of overall Yellow Pages look-ups going to independent directories.

“The usage share number confirms that independent publishers still have growth opportunities in print as well as in their new media offerings,” said Larry Angove, ADP President & CEO. “The fact that independents are responsible for 40 percent of overall directory usage should indicate to national advertisers and their CMRs that independent directories are a smart choice for their national placements.”

According to the study, print Yellow Pages provides advertisers with consumers who take action after referencing a directory, with 78 percent of directory users contacting an average of two businesses. Telephone contact is the most common action taken (93 percent), followed by in-person contact (31 percent), online contact (10 percent) and mail (1 percent).

“We’ve heard more than a few predictions about the death of the printed directory in recent years,” said Angove. “The fact is that the preponderance of local transactions still come from print, which means that print is not only very much alive, it is a highly relevant segment of local advertising. The relevance of print underscores the importance of independent publishers, which currently represent the growth sector of the printed Yellow Pages business.”