The print version of the phone book is dead.
An article from 2011 (5 years ago) underscored that phone books are nearly obsolete.
Quoting from a survey mentioned in the article:
“Just 30% of Americans use white pages phone books to look up telephone numbers and addresses. Even fewer Americans (22%) recycle them, according to a study released Wednesday.”
I would imagine the percentages quoted above are even lower today. Many cities have stopped printing phone books altogether.
The print “Yellow Pages” will tell you they are still profitable. I’m waiting for one of their advertisers to file a class-action lawsuit for making such claims, but that’s a discussion for another day.
This means most people prefer to do quick online searches, as opposed to looking in the phone book, for your business phone number. (also called a “navigational search”)
This is especially true for repeat customers, and you should never take them for granted.
The take away?
MAKE IT EASY FOR THEM!
Sorry for shouting, but have you noticed that sometimes finding a phone number online is like pulling teeth?
There are some simple things one can do to take advantage of this phenomenon that will help make your phone ring.
Two (2) rules to follow:
- Your website should ALWAYS rank on page one in response to a keyword search containing your business name. If this isn’t the case, then you have some SERIOUS SEO issues.
- Your phone number should display on page one (1) of the SERP (Search Engine Results Page), eliminating the need for additional mouse clicks or user interactions.
Why is this important?
If all one is searching for is your phone number, it means they wish to speak with you.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity!
The screen capture image (above) resulted from the keyword search, “bizeeo”.
Notice our phone number is prominently displayed. Call us if you’d like. 😀
If you prefer to see the keyword search and resulting SERP in action, follow this link:
Click here to see it in action
Note that your search results may vary slightly depending on your browser customizations and the current location from which you are searching.