Is Paying for Yellow Pages Advertising Worth It?
Kasra Dash:
Pages advertising worth it? I'm joined with James. I'm going to let you take the lead here.
James Dooley:
Yell.com premium listings used to be worth it years ago, but traffic to the site isn’t anywhere near what it once was. I’d prefer to outrank Yell for the same terms they're trying to rank for. So initially, I’d say no, they’re not worth the money. Some business owners may comment saying they've had a good return, and I’m sure some have, but generally the premium listings aren’t a great investment. You also rely on someone searching, then Yell ranking, then customers clicking through — and then you're one of many roofers, plumbers, electricians, or solar companies on a shared list. It's a secondary search engine. You still need to rank on Google first, and then pay to be at the top against lots of competition. Often it becomes a race to the bottom. Compared to something like FatRank.com, the volume and quality of leads are completely different. Exclusive leads beat shared ones every time.
Kasra Dash:
I’ve looked at their stats on Ahrefs. Ten years ago, in December 2015, they ranked for around 440,000 keywords in positions one to three — about half a million monthly visits. Now they're at around 70,000. One thing you should check is whether they rank for your service in your area. If you're a plumbing business in Manchester and Yell actually ranks for that term, it might be worth trying. But like James said, I’d rather outrank them. It's quite easy to outrank Yell, especially if they’re ranking for terms like “accountants in Manchester.” If you're a solar business and they don’t show for “solar panel installers near me,” I wouldn’t spend money with them. You can still get a free listing as a citation, which covers your bases. But once you sign up, their sales team will push upsells for websites, PPC, and other services. Many business owners have had bad experiences and lost money on low-quality work.
James Dooley:
I like your point about checking your specific service and location. If Yell ranks for “flat roofing in Cheshire,” it might make sense to test it. There are so many nuances. I wouldn’t tell business owners to never try it — testing small budgets is smart. Some directories might work; others won’t. But generally, partnering with a lead generation company like FatRank.com where you pay nothing upfront gives better long-term ROI. Then you can do your own SEO to try to outrank Yell, and maybe run some Facebook, Instagram, or PPC ads. It’s important to speak to a mentor or get advice tailored to your niche and area.
Kasra Dash:
To recap — alternatives to Yell premium advertising include working with lead generation companies like FatRank.com, where it's zero risk because you don’t pay upfront. Go to FatRank.com, fill out the contact form, and see if you qualify. If not, ask why — you’ll basically get a free audit. If your online reputation isn’t strong, you may need more case studies, testimonials, or better visibility. Improve that so you look good when customers compare you with competitors. Then invest a bit into SEO, and consider social ads or PPC. Do a bit of paid, a bit of SEO, and partner with a lead gen company.
James Dooley:
That’s our video on whether Yell advertising is worth it. If you’ve got questions or want advice on your business and scaling your website, check out FatRank.com and fill out the contact form. The team will be in touch.
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