Several consumer surveys of late that have shown, while print directories are still used widely, the Internet has emerged as the leading resource for local information among a cross-section of US consumers. UK-based local “social directory” site welovelocal has put out results from a survey it commissioned that offers similar findings among people in Britain.
The survey involved just over 1,900 adults and was conducted by research firm YouGov earlier this month:
Thinking specifically about the last 6 months, which one of the following have you used the most to find local businesses / services?
- The Internet – 51%
- Printed Business Directories – 24%
- Recommendations from friends/ family – 14%
- 118 Telephone Services (directory assistance) – 2%
- Other source – 2%
- Don’t know/ can’t remember – 2%
- NA - I have not needed to look up local businesses/ services in the last 6 months – 6%
Which ONE of the following do you trust the MOST when trying to find local businesses/ services?
- Word of mouth – 67%
- An advertisement – 5%
- Neither – 4%
- Both equally – 19%
- Don’t know – 4%
Have you used a printed business directory (e.g. Yellow Pages Thomson Local etc) to look up a local business or service (e.g. plumber, restaurant, florist, estate agent, shop, etc) in the last 6 months?
- Yes, I have – 65%
- No, I haven’t – 32%
- Don’t know/ can’t remember
Which ONE of the following statements best applies to you?
- I would PREFER to receive printed business directories at home – 58%
- I would PREFER NOT to receive printed business directories at home – 35%
- Don’t know – 7%
What these data in the aggregate say to me is that print directories are still widely used and valued but the Internet now has become the more commonly used resource. In addition, the trust/word of mouth data confirm many similar studies in the US. The findings favoring the Internet become somewhat more pronounced when looking at the responses of younger users.
The full survey can be accessed here.
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Relatively new social directory touchlocal seeks broader visibility. It joins TrustedPlaces, welovelocal and a couple of others in trying to give Yell a Web 2.0 run for its money. Ultimately Yell probably needs to acquire one of these companies.
