In the days before the internet, a full page ad in the Yellow Pages printed directory or Yellow Book was a must for any lawyer who wanted the phone to start ringing. Unfortunately, those phone calls came at a price. The Yellow Pages charged categories such as lawyers/attorneys far more than it charged for other advertisers. But in the modern era of search engines and social media, some attorneys are questioning whether they should even invest in a print ad in the Yellow Pages at all.

Is an ad in the big yellow book still worth it?

For some firms, the Yellow Pages continue to be a marketing tool. While searching online for a lawyer is not for everyone, the younger demographic has shifted away from printed directories. With smartphones so immersed in our culture, consumers are going right to their phone to find what they need online.

If you do choose to invest your valued marketing budget on the Yellow Pages print directory, we recommend a few useful tips:

• Don’t overspend! Sometimes a bold-line listing is all you need.
• Use a unique tracking telephone number to gauge traffic. With proper tracking, you can determine the ROI of your advertising inquiries.
• Cross-reference any call that lasts for more than a few minutes to determine if you signed an actual case, and if the call data is legitimate

Yellow Pages Online Listings

While Yellow Pages representatives continue to sell print ads in their directories, they are also putting more effort into selling internet advertising. Generally the Yellow Pages setup duplicate sites for their pay-per-click and SEO campaigns and can dilute your online brand profile.

Some of the things you should watch out for when working with online advertisers are:

• Duplicated websites, which are known to tank organic SEO rankings.
• Use of directories for primary searching listings. These can be a good add on, but not recommended for a Primary Search strategy.
• Pay-Per-Click campaigns with duplicated landing pages

Before you do anything on line be sure to coordinate through your website management team.