Speaking Sensis

One thing becomes very clear when you thumb through Sensis’ recent performance.Despite competitor efforts to undermine the value of print directories all over the world, Sensis has comprehensively proven that the value of Yellow Pages® is as strong as ever… and growing.

Over the last eighteen months or so, we’ve really committed to improving the experience Yellow Pages® delivers to both buyers and sellers. This has led to a range of initiatives that enhance the usability of our products for buyers and the value, accountability and customer support we provide advertisers.

More on these initiatives in a follow up blog next week.

The results of this commitment have been astounding.

First up, Yellow Pages® usage is growing. People all over Australia are letting their fingers do the walking… and clicking… and tapping.

Usage of Yellow Pages® print directories has been stable for the last 18 months(1). Similarly, unique visitors to the Yellow Pages® OnLine site have grown by 19%(2). Usage of the 1234 voice service, which includes the ability to perform Yellow Pages® searches, grew by 9%(3), while Yellow™ Mobile unique visitors grew by a whopping 190%(4)!

In fact, in just nine months, Yellow™ Mobile visits have grown from only 2.5% of Yellow Pages®’ total digital visits to almost 6.5%(5).

Not surprisingly, advertisers are giving Yellow Pages® an emphatic ‘thumbs up’ for value.

The number of Yellow Pages® print display ad units (a measure of display ad coverage in the directories) has grown by 2.1%.

Meanwhile, the number of Yellow Pages® OnLine customers has continued to grow by a healthy 5%.

And, along the way, Yellow Pages® advertisers have acknowledged Yellow Pages®’ value for money in rapidly growing numbers.

In the last six months of 2008, customer satisfaction with Yellow Pages®’ print value for money rose by 7 percentage points compared to the same period in 2007. And Yellow Pages® OnLine value for money rose by a phenomenal 16 percentage points(6).

All together, not a bad result! Clearly, this commitment is paying off for everyone involved.

1: Roy Morgan Single Source Australia. Average monthly unique usage by quarter from Apr/Jun 07 to Jul/Sep 08.
2:  Omniture. Average monthly unique visitors December quarter 2008 vs 2007
3:  Sensis call data, December quarter 2008 vs 2007
4:  Omniture. December quarter 2008 vs March quarter 2008
5:  ibid.
6:  TNS. Sensis Advertiser KPI Report. 2008 metro canvass vs 2007 metro canvass.