[ press Release ]

CONSUMERS COMBINE INTERNET, MOBILE, PRINT IN SEARCHING FOR BUSINESS INFORMATION

Knowledge Networks study reveals use of emerging media platforms is supplementing, not replacing, traditional print resources

Menlo Park, CA; December 16, 2008: A new study from Knowledge Networks shows that consumers are now bringing their multiplatform media habits – from mobile media to GPS to Internet browsers – to the search for a dentist, lawyer, pizza parlor, or other business. The Y Advantage: Landscape 2008 provides the first scientific look across eight key platforms at how consumers are expanding beyond print forms such as Yellow Pages when researching a business's products and services.

Nearly half (48%) of consumers report print Yellow Pages as the resource they turn to most often for information on a business or service, and more than three-quarters (77%) use the print Yellow Pages overall. Search engines (49%) are the second most-turned-to source, followed by Internet Yellow Pages (36%), and free or fee-based 411 (30%).

Source Usage - Total Respondents

graph

Conducted among 3,573 respondents ages 13+ nationwide, the study covers search engines, print Yellow Pages, Internet Yellow Pages, mobile search, GPS and similar services, vertical sites, 411, and social networks. The report shows that

When looking for information on a business or service, those under 35 years old index higher than the general population (age 13+) in use of search engines (157), while those over 35 skew to print Yellow Pages (113)

Source Most Often Used for Business Information, by Age Group

	Total Respondents	13–17	18–34	35+
Source Used Most Often	(n=3,573)	(n=462)	(n=615)	(n=2,496)
Print Yellow Pages	48%	36%	29%	54%
Search Engines	21%	27%	36%	17%
Internet Yellow Pages	13%	13%	15%	12%
Free or fee-based 411	8%	8%	10%	7%

The study further shows that, when searching for information or a phone number for a business or service:

47% of consumers have used a search engine in the past 30 days, compared with 64% for print Yellow Pages
Teens are almost equally likely to have used a search engine (52%) or the print Yellow Pages (47%) in the past 30 days
Search engines were deemed the "most useful" of the eight key platforms tested; they rated highest in satisfaction for being a free service, providing the right amount of information quickly, acting as a trusted resource, and providing relevant results
Users of mobile search – as compared with the other platforms – were most likely to see themselves as "opinion leaders" in their social groups (55%) and as early adopters of technologies (51%)

For marketers, advertisers, and platform stakeholders alike, The Y Advantage: Landscape 2008 identifies

Opportunities within and across platforms
- Complementary, substitutable and incremental views of platform use
Motivations for use that can drive tactics
Characteristics and features important for planning
- How these drive usage
Targeting possibilities
Likes and dislikes
Actions taken after use to quantify value

The study was conducted on KnowledgePanel®, the only online consumer panel based on a scientifically valid sample of the U.S. population. Data includes reach (awareness, ownership, usage, etc.), frequency of and reasons for usage, actions taken, cross-platform behaviors and attitudes, and features and characteristics that drive use of a given platform.

Knowledge Networks specializes in solving complex, high-impact problems, providing extraordinary quality and service to leaders in business, government and academia. We work closely with clients to create healthy consumer-brand connections, effective marketing and advertising, sound public policies, and accurate social science research. We have established respected practices in media, marketing, advertising, and government & academic studies. KN excels in study design, analytics, and custom panel creation; we deliver affordable, statistically valid online research through KnowledgePanel® – the only available probability selected, nationally representative Internet panel.