Maybe a slow decline of physical books but At&T and other providers are positioning themselves as local online search sources.

These companies have entire departments dedicated to SEO and placement as well.

The business itself isn't going away but the way it's conducted is certainly changing its face.

Personally, I like the physical book. Sometimes it's more convenient just to open it up and look. However, I rarely use the Yellow Page Ads as a way to shop for a business. When I use the Yellow Pages, I know who and what I'm looking for.

I prefer online search when shopping for a company to do business with.

The New York Times CEO said a year ago that The Gray Lady would stop (read that: STOP) the printing presses in 2012. No more ripping out forests... of course the Sunday Edition readers will be up in arms, but that might actually survive! It has new content for around 52 Sundays a year.

What will happen (call me a freak!) if Wireless Technology is demanded by a newly energized population, such as the one that is arriving at the polls in droves: The under-30 crowd has been texting each other for about six years now. They are voting at the polls. Anyone see a landslide for The People coming up?

In other words, the growth of the Internet is at about double per year right now, and these youngers are going to be carrying a laptop that weighs about a third of what the yellow pages are worth in weight.

Us dinosaurs (over 50) might still reach for it because the truth of the matter is a that about only half of Main Street's businesses have a web presence.

That number is shrinking!

So, back to the Government offering to the People what they want? Free wireless? Yes. $100 laptops? It could happen! This group of voters is energized, empowered, and they have a vision. And it doesn't include tapping forests for yellow pages.

I'll give the Yellow Pages owners up until 2009 to see the writing that's there in them quick sands... but watch out! Could be slippery-slidey!

cf

Thank you for your post and comments.

I do agreed with you that the internet will not totally replace your local yellow pages.

I've found that I've personally nor has anyone that I've talked to has used a Yellow Page book in the last 3 years.

I pose the question. How much longer will the yellow pages be an effective option for local business advertisers?

ALAN S. HOROWITZ of The Wall Street Journal reported recently that..

Consumers are turning to the Web to find local products and services and that means even small firms need to have an online advertising plan to reach new and existing customers.

Five years ago, when Pat Sheetz bought Mari's Skin Care, a skin care and day spa in Dallas, nearly 70% of her business came from print yellow pages advertising, with 15% to 20% from referrals and the rest from other print media. Today, she says, print yellow-page ads contribute only half as much business as they used to, while local Internet advertising has made up the difference.

http://online.wsj.com/article/S61120HOROWITZ.html?sjcontent=mail

The myth is that the Internet is all we need. The Wall Street Journal reported recently that the broadband market is about tapped out. There will always be a good percentage of the population that will never have access to the industry’s Internet products. Barely more than 50% of households in the U.S. (about 56 million homes), currently subscribe to a high-speed Internet service. An additional 21 million households still use dial-up connections (yes, you read that right – dial-up connections).

Better keep that door stop in a convenient place....