Directory Advertising - Definition & Meaning
What is Directory Advertising?
It is a type of advertising which takes place in a specialized directory. In contrast with other forms of media, directory advertising is usually inexpensive and provides an opportunity to the advertisers to drive attention towards product or service at a moment when the customer is eagerly looking for and is prepared to buy.
To be more specific, it is the placement of print advertisements in the white and yellow pages of a book. Both of these are separate publications. Phone directory advertising is typically amalgamated by major metropolitan areas and their sub-communities. Advertisements are listed in an alphabetical order category-wise, such as legal and counselling services, food and beverage, clothing stores, etc.
The primary fact that most consumers consult a phone book or directory listing while searching for a business or a product which is capable of fulfilling their needs and desires is one of the main reasons for its low cost. Besides a listing or a print advertisement, some directories also sell cut-outs of coupons as well as full page as. One of the highlighting features of directory advertising is that relative to the community, the publication mostly contains information for emergency and public services. Generally, the local telecom company takes the responsibility of formulating, updating and distributing the directories to its subscriber base on an annual basis.
White pages in addition to the advertisements also contains the residential phone numbers. Yellow pages only contains commercial listings with some emergency numbers. Depending upon the area's population, yellow and white pages can be produced separately or clubbed into one.
Advantages: -
• Highly targeted
• 24x7 coverage
• Highly effective mode of advertising
Disadvantages: -
• Expensive
• It is printed only once in a year.
• The sales of directories have shown a steep decline due to the emergence of alternate and less expensive modes of advertisements.
Hence, this concludes the definition of Directory Advertising along with its overview.
This article has been researched & authored by the Business Concepts Team. It has been reviewed & published by the MBA Skool Team. The content on MBA Skool has been created for educational & academic purpose only.
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