subject: White Pages: A thing of the past. What could be next? [print this page] White Pages: A thing of the pastWhite Pages: A thing of the past. What could be next?
On November 12, 2010the Wall Street Journal published an article Companies yank cord on residential phone books.
In this article, news writers report that a few states have decided to quit distributing the white pages. Their reasoning? No one reads them anymore and it is a waste of time, money, and of course, precious resources.
People aren't flipping through the white pages or any handheld directory for that matter anymore. Almost everyone has access to online information which seems to be a much quicker and more reliable source for information. It's imperative that businesses not only create an online presence, but that they make sure their online presence is found. It takes so much more than a website to be recognized amongst the thousands of other companies that compete for customers.
Having a website with relevant keywords and multiple pages full of content are the first steps to creating a valuable online presence. Next, registering your company with as many online directories as possible and linking your website on someone else's site, a term called "backlinks," increases the value of your site even more. Small contractors may have the know-how and skill in their specialty trade, but being recognized for that trade on the internet is a crucial part of a successful business.
Contractors should take the opportunity to talk about their construction work, their completed construction projects, trade references, and qualifications on their websites. One of the best advantages to the online movement is that you are no longer limited to a business card sized ad to showcase your business; you have limitless virtualpages to talk about your business.
At Elite, we not only provide continous project opportunities for our subcontractors, but also we provide an online presence for every subcontractor. They give us the information and we use our marketing tools to help them grow and sustain their business.
For more information on becoming an Elite member, contact us today at 877-656-4706 or email us.
