Let Your Fingers Do the ... Surfing

Wall Street Journal

Let Your Fingers Do the ... Surfing
AYellow-page publishers are searching for ways to stay relevant in a new-media world

By JULIA ANGWIN
July 10, 2006; Page R5

When Jackie Mitchell was launching her doggie day-care business in Tacoma, Wash., two years ago, she spent most of her limited advertising dollars in the local yellow pages. Now her business, Bark Central, is booming -- but she says more customers have found her through her Web site than through the phone directories.

This isn't the usual tale of new media overtaking old media, however. In a new twist, Ms. Mitchell is paying the nation's third-largest publisher of yellow pages, R.H. Donnelley Corp., to both run her Web site and distribute online ads on search sites like Yahoo Inc.'s.

The yellow pages are finally getting Internet-savvy. After years of fruitlessly trying to sell ads on their own Web sites -- which get relatively few visitors -- many of the directories have begun reselling ads to their customers on bigger, high-traffic Web sites such as Yahoo and Google Inc.

"We're media agnostic," says Simon Greenman, senior vice president of digital strategy, innovation and products at R.H. Donnelly. "Our strategy is to connect our customers with their customers wherever they may be."

Mother’s Day Draws Millions of Last-Minute Online Shoppers to Flowers, Gifts & Greetings Category

Mother’s Day Draws Millions of Last-Minute Online Shoppers to Flowers, Gifts & Greetings Category: "Mother’s Day Draws Millions of Last-Minute Online Shoppers
to Flowers, Gifts & Greetings Category

Site Traffic Spikes and Online Sales Approach $200 Million in the Week Prior to Mother’s Day

RESTON, VA. May 18, 2006 –comScore Networks today released a review of Internet activity in the weeks leading up to Mother's Day 2006. comScore reported strong growth in traffic and sales for online retailers of flowers, gifts and greetings compared to the previous year.

Sales Growth Continues for Flower & Gift Retailers
Online spending in the Flowers & Gifts category showed continued growth, peaking in the week prior to Mother’s Day at $195.8 million in sales. That weekly total eclipsed the coinciding week last year (week ending May 8, 2005) by nearly $28 million and marking 16 percent year-over-year growth.

Sales Expressed in $ Millions
Week Ending Mother's Day (5/14/06)Week Ending Mother's Day Year Ago (5/8/05)Percent Change vs. Year Ago
Flower & Gift Category$195.8 $168.5 16%








“Online retail spending related to Mother’s Day exhibited strong growth over last year, as increasing numbers of consumers continue to become more comfortable making their purchases online,” said Rob Harles, senior vice president of comScore Networks. “Mother’s Day has a way of sneaking up on many consumers, but Internet retailers have done an excellent job adapting to last-minute shoppers to capture their business. While most gift retailers are able to ship out just a couple of days in advance of Mother’s Day, flower retailers are reaping the be"

Sixty Percent of Consumers Researching Weight Loss Use the Internet, Seeking Information on Weight Loss Programs, Diets and Medications

Sixty Percent of Consumers Researching Weight Loss Use the Internet, Seeking Information on Weight Loss Programs, Diets and Medications: "Sixty Percent of Consumers Researching Weight Loss Use the Internet, Seeking Information on Weight Loss Programs, Diets and Medications

comScore Pharmaceutical Solutions Study Finds 44 Percent Consider Online Information Influential in Remaining Compliant with Weight Loss Programs; 30 Percent Remain Compliant with Weight Loss Medications


RESTON, VA, September 14, 2006 – comScore Pharmaceutical Solutions today released an analysis of consumers’ use of the Internet as a resource for researching weight loss information. According to the study,
60 percent of weight loss researchers now utilize the Internet to find condition-specific information, including options for healthy eating/ nutrition, and details on specific weight loss programs and diets. Additionally, more than half (53 percent) report visiting a Web site specifically for information on weight loss drugs.

Nearly half (43 percent) of researchers reported a high level of satisfaction with online weight loss resources. Likely a result of consumer satisfaction, many weight loss Web sites are attracting large numbers of visitors. According to data from comScore Media Metrix, three of the most popular weight loss-related Web sites each drew more than 3 million unique visitors in July 2006: AOL Diet and Fitness (4.0 million), eDiets.com (3.2 million), and WeightWatchers.com (3.1 million).

Types of Weight Loss Information Preferred Online versus Offline
Not surprisingly, nearly all researchers (95 percent) also utilize more traditional offline resources when researching their condition. While general weight loss information is sought both online and offline, the stud"

Yahoo! Sites and Verizon SuperPages Lead in Share of U.S. Internet Yellow Pages Searches

Yahoo! Sites and Verizon SuperPages Lead in Share of U.S. Internet Yellow Pages Searches: "Yahoo! Sites and Verizon SuperPages Lead in Share of U.S. Internet Yellow Pages Searches

Internet Yellow Pages Searches Up 23 Percent in July versus Year Ago, According to comScore Networks


Reston, VA, October 9, 2006 – comScore Networks, a leader in measuring the digital age, today released the results of an analysis which studies the growth of Internet Yellow Pages (IYP) searches. The study is the second in a two-part series that analyzes the growing consumer trend of researching local information online. The first study analyzed all local search behavior, while this analysis focuses on Internet Yellow Pages searches that return business directory listings. These searches occur on the Local sections of major search sites (e.g. Yahoo! Local), or on business directory listing sites (e.g. Verizon SuperPages).

This analysis revealed that 68 million U.S. Internet users performed an IYP search online in July. This represents a 46 percent increase versus year ago. When analyzing the total share of IYP searches, which by their nature have local intent, comScore’s data reveals that Yahoo! Sites and Verizon SuperPages garnered the largest share, with 23.9 percent and 20.1 percent, respectively. Google Sites ranked third in IYP searches, capturing 12.5 percent, followed by Yellowpages.com with 12.0 percent. "

IYP Searches Grow In Local Category

IYP Searches Grow In Local Category: "IYP Searches Grow In Local Category
› › › Search Tools
By Enid Burns | October 9, 2006

Internet Yellow Pages (IYP) searches grew 46 percent in the past year, which means a 43 percent local search increase across the Web. A two-part series on local search from comScore Networks details local search behavior as well usage of Internet Yellow Pages and directory listings.
In July, 68 million Internet users in the U.S. conducted searches at IYP sites. These searchs represent a 46 percent increase over the same month last year. Yahoo sites grabbed 23.9 percent of directory searches; Verizon SuperPages served 20.1 percent; and Google Sites held 12.5 percent."

Pay-Per-Call: A Viable Lead

Pay-Per-Call: A Viable Lead: "Pay-Per-Call: A Viable Lead
› › › Small/Medium Enterprises
By Enid Burns | June 23, 2005

Pay-per-call advertising presents an alternative to PPC models; the platform offers better ability to track conversions. A new The Kelsey Group report, 'Calls, Clicks & SMEs: Driving Leads from Web to Phone' discusses the pay-per-call model.
The report estimates pay-per-call will generate gross revenues of between $1.4 and $4 billion. The projection is contingent on several market variables.
Pay-per-call ability to track results makes it a cost-per-lead model. PPC ability to identify results is lower as it offers no direct communication from the consumer to the advertiser. "

The Secret Weapon - SEMPO

The Secret Weapon - SEMPO: "SEO: the Secret Weapon in the E-Commerce Wars
By Dylan Downhill and James Peggie Elixir Systems
The Opportunity
It has been well documented that consumers use search engines to research and buy products online. They read reviews and descriptions, analyze ratings, and research pricing as they compare products and vendors. A successful e-commerce site must offer a positive customer experience and build trust. However, in the nitty-gritty world of online retail sales, probably the most important success factors are the accessibility of the product and price. "