YellowPages.com joins Citysearch in beefing up local sales reps so reports The Kelsey Blog.
"TKG estimates the sales offices will have between 20 and 25 field sales reps and between 8 and 10 telesales reps. With field sales earnings averaging $70,000 and telesales reps average earnings around $55,000"
They are coming buy to support these salaries local merchants can expect some some hard sells coming there way.
This will make independent search marketing services like mine more attractive to local merchants. Those reps are not agnostic, Citysearch reps will be pushing the IAC product and the YellowPages.com people will be pushing their single site. An "independent" like me can offer the full range of local search options placing clients where they are best suited.
Multiple directory submissions, judicious use local targeted PPC, site development and consulting is my business. I can afford to charge less for my full suite of services for less than the YellowPages.com guy or gal will charge for most top category placements.
I was approached already by a very slick YellowPages telerep. Though he was preaching to the choir (and knew it) he was undeterred and convincing.
His persuasive manner was impressive as he quoted user stats and neat demo information. Only $400. per month for a top three spot for my category. Ouch! Didn't he know people go to Google? We had an interesting conversation.
Same tactics as the print now employed online. Local business will embrace the independent alternative!
Topix.com is "Calling All Editors".
About editing on Topix
Topix Editors are an elite group of users that post interesting and relevant articles to share with their communities. Editors receive special tools enabling them to find and promote stories on pages that are read by millions of users. Editors can even post their own original articles and photos.
Anyone with a passionate interest for news in their community is encouraged to submit an application.
As location editor you (along with roboblogger) are a gatekeeper for articles and help keep spam out of user forums. Being an editor could act as a great tool for real estate agents who need to keep the pulse of particular locations or markets.
YellowBot (beta) is a new Internet Yellow Pages play with a friendly and inviting interface. You can submit a business which is great. One negative is the GenX phrasiology used throughout the site like "off the heezy" for business ratings or "got peeps" indicating spots on a map. Their demo's must indicate like minded hip urban twenty-somethings or perhaps they really believe such slang is mainstream.
I don't know or care what "heezy" means so I won't use their ratings system. I will suggest clients submit their business but most are there already because Localeze is the bus. info provider.
Finally Microsoft Office Live offers a free website and supporting tools. Christine Churchill has a great review on Search Engine Land.
Who is Embarq?
"Corporate Profile; Embarq Corporation (NYSE: EQ) provides a suite of communications services to customers in its serving areas. Embarq, which is expected to rank among the Fortune 500, brings common-sense ideas, reliable service and a renewed commitment to the communities it serves. Embarq focuses on offering its customers practical, innovative products and competitive pricing. The company has 20,000 employees and operates in 18 states offering local and long distance voice, data, high speed internet, wireless, and entertainment services."
UMmmm, I don't understand. Corporate speak is not my specialty so I went to the common man's place to find all answers under the sun Wikipedia!
"Embarq Corporation, or EMBARQ, was formerly the local telephone division (LTD) of Sprint Nextel. It is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol EQ.
The company is the fourth largest local exchange carrier in the United States (below the Baby Bells) and the largest independent local provider, serving customers in 18 states and providing local, long distance and high-speed data services to residential and business customers. The Las Vegas, Nevada metropolitan area is its largest market. [1] The company consists of approximately 20,000 employees.
Telephone directories for EMBARQ customers are published by R.H. Donnelley.
Approximately $3 billion in debt incurred from the Sprint Nextel merger was transferred to the new company. The company is estimated to have approximately $6 billion in revenues.
EMBARQ trademarks are the property of a subsidiary named Embarq Holdings Company LLC, commonly mistaken as the actual name of the publicly traded holding company, Embarq Corporation. It began trading on the NYSE on May 18, 2006."
Ahhhh that's better and now I understand the connection to R.H. Donnelley. Embarq owns BestRedYP.com and the online Yellow Pages site is published by R.H. Donnelley who last year bought LocalLaunch and are clearly moving into local search in earnest.
Why this ridiculous lead up? Well today I saw a Google AdSense ad on another blog advertising Embarq's BestRedYP.com. It seems odd Embarq is pushing their directory this way. Maybe they are taking the tact Local.com took when they jump started their local search engine in 2005. The company spent a ton buying traffic via AdWords and according to the company the marketing plan was successful. I can't imagine BestRedYP can catch the same wind as Local.com. The name is not catchy and the interface is old school, not intuitive and a bit clunky. I'm not saying it's not a good directory but I am suggesting it's not going to get bookmarked by too many.
Embarq is well capitalized so they can afford to test away. I can't see any benefit in placing clients there yet but I will keep an eye on the site and how it is being marketed.
