Stats by Dallas SEO Consultant Mike Stewart at SMB SEO
Local Search has changed. Take a look at the following graphs.
A picture is worth a thousand words… in this case it might also be worth $$$ Thousands of Dollars $$$
Are you advertising where the traffic is?
vs
As you can see, search engines are taking local search searches from internet yellow pages sites and local directories. Increased competition in the local search landscape or industry fragmentation has also created a challenge for the IYP (internet/interactive yellow pages) and local search directory listing providers.
Local search traffic is now in the hands of social media sites, mobile browsers, and Google/Facebook Places. Check-in sites like Gowalla and FourSquare are also going to help connect with the who, what, where, and when…. something the phone book companies just don’t get! Even companies like Local.com are growing in marketshare, while traffic and marketshare to Yellow Pages sites like SuperPages.com and other IYPs keeps declining. They can’t use the “more people to distribute rule here.” They, like the print companies, are failing to compete with mobile and social media!
Dallas SEO & PPC Google Advertising Expert Mike Stewart 
That’s interesting to know. You know what, our team even hit the streets of Melbourne just to ask people on where they go if they want to find information. Here’s a snippet of what we got:
Q1. How often do you use the print version of the Yellow Pages?
7.69% use it regularly
23.08% once a month
15.38% once a year
53.85% never use it
Q2. How do you search for products and services you’re looking for?
92.86% use Google.com
7.14% use Yellow Pages
Respondent Quote: “I reckon the yellow pages is obsolete, why would you spend money on the yellow pages when they’ll just as easily find you on Google.”
Q3. How often do you use Google?
100% use Google.com everyday
Respondent Quote: “If I need information I go straight to Google.”
That really made Google win over YP that time. How about you? Have you done the same thing in your area?
Would love to know what they have in mind re: Google vs. Yellow Pages
Cheers,
Dave