Yell -the demise and is there an alternative?
For 40 years companies worked with Yell to promote their business. With the end of Yellow Pages and the continued decline in yell.com, we look at your options.
After a 40 year lifespan, the lack of consumers using the Yellow Pages directory has meant the struggling company has decided to cease publishing the old yellow book. Across the industry this was expected. In 1997 I was working for an advertising agency. Advertising in Yellow Pages was the most important element of my client's advertising. Over the past 10 years the book has become less and less important. Now, none of my clients would dream of putting budget into it.
More concerning for Yell (or hibu) as the company tried changing its name a few years back (it didn't stick, even the CEO at the time admitted hibu meant nothing!), is the continued demise in yell.com.
In 2012 the monthly visits to yell.com was 22.1million. In 2016 this had decreased to 18million.
In 2018 THE MONTHLY FIGURES ARE NO LONGER PUBLISHED. This can only mean one thing. The figures have dropped so much they are afraid to tell you the truth. Contact yell.com yourself. Ask the question. YOU WILL NOT GET A STRAIGHT REPLY. We have asked many times for the latest stats!
Whilst the usage of yell.com decreases, the prices continue to increase year after year! My clients tell me the enquiries are dropping, the rates are increasing, and they are visited just once or twice a year by their rep, where the meeting is just to get them to spend more money (it doesn't matter on what, just increase your spend!)
A lot of the time it is not the fault of the rep. They have around 100 customers to look after, normally across a huge area. They have a demanding manager who expects huge growth of these clients to satisfy his /her line manager. Miss a target, you're on a warning, miss two and you could be kicked out of the business. A tough environment to work in.
So, what else can Yell offer you?
Well, there's their websites
.
A basic site can cost as little as £499, but you will be tied into a 'service charge' of around £75 per month. Every month.
They offer bespoke sites that are exorbitantly priced through their Yell Agency department. One of our clients wanted a new, e-commerce website. Yell quoted £6000. We were able to build the site to the exact same specifications for just £3250.
Feedback we have received included 'cheaply put together templated site', 'Amends take so long to action' and 'SEO are on the site is poor'
Google AdWords (Pay per click)
.
Yes, Yell are a reseller of AdWords, as are a large number of businesses across the UK. What is highly questionable is the quality of the campaigns that are built, together with the ongoing maintenace.
Also, their is no flexibilty with them. You may have a seasonal business where you wish to incrase your budget for a month or two. Yell do not allow you to do this. Ask to increase for a month, you are tied into a further contract where you have to maintain the increased spend for at least 4 months! No good if you are targeting Valentines Day, Easter, or Christmas.
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)
.
Getting your website up the Google rankings. Getting seen. A huge importance to any business, but not Yell.
Their SEO department is tiny, as a company they don't focus on this. Why? Simply, it's not cost effective to them. SEO takes man hours, hard graft to write blogs, syndicate, them, design videos, update websites. Yell wants your money, they prefer to push you to spend on yell.com and AdWords where they make more profit.
So, what can you do?
There are alternatives.
At Digital Marketing Advice Ltd
we work with clients across South Wales and Herefordshire, including Cardiff, Swansea and Newport.
We don't solicit business, all our work has come to us through recommendations.
We offer to our clients
Websites built around your needs and expectations. No templated designs, you have what is relevant to you.
Google AdWords. Campaigns initially built, but, more importantly, an ongoing service that monitors daily /weekly /monthly the effectiveness of the advertising, and tailors it accordingly. Monthly face to face meetings are essential to discuss with you the performance.
SEO. There are 200+ elements to achieve excellent SEO rankings. We look at them ALL. We work with you on the keywords that mean the most to you, and make sure your website is found in the locations you want to appear in. We will manage your Social Media blogs, so you can concentrate on the important things like running your business.
A range of other products, including Online Review Monitoring, Review Platforms, Call Tracking, Live Chat plus more.
All our clients are spending LESS than they were spending with Yell!
Contact Digital Marketing Advice Ltd today for a FREE marketing review on your business, and how we can tailor a marketing package specifically for your business.
Call us on 029 20 600455 or email us at advice@digitalmarketing.wales
www.digitalmarketing.wales .Helping local businesses achieve greater leads and sales.
