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

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.