Yes, the Yellow Pages industry has weathered all sorts of business climates in the past, but it has always managed not only to survive, but also evolve to meet current and future needs.

That is not a biased statement, by any account. Recent research data from the 2008 Yellow Pages Association Industry Usage Study conducted by Knowledge Networks/Statistical Research, Inc. (KN/SRI) actually confirms this.

According to the Usage Study, overall Yellow Pages usage is on the rise the combination of print and online references rose to 17.2 billion in 2007, up from 16.7 billion in 2006.

The breakdown demonstrates the power of our multiplatform medium. Internet Yellow Pages usage has experienced double-digit growth, climbing to 3.8 billion references in 2007 (comScore 2007), and print directory usage remains stable with 13.4 billion annual references.

The KN/SRI study also revealed that the Yellow Pages reach consumers who are ready and able to make purchases. 86% of those surveyed made a purchase or were likely to do so after referencing the print Yellow Pages. Among those making a purchase after referencing the Internet Yellow Pages, 51% were new customers to the business they chose. For print Yellow Pages, 39% were new customers to the business they selected.

Regarding the demographic profile of Internet Yellow Pages users, the study found that 80% have some level of college education and 62% earn a household income of $60,000 or more annually. The results also showed that 75% live in counties with a population of 150,000 or more and 70% are married. This sophisticated demographic profile is, in fact, one that many businesses target.

The study also found that many of the top U.S. DMA markets have a very large population of print Yellow Pages users. In fact, more people in cities including Charlotte, N.C., Portland, Ore., Salt Lake City, and Seattle reference the print Yellow Pages per week than the national average.

It is evident from the just-released KN/SRI Yellow Pages usage study results that our medium is one that has successfully evolved to consistently provide the directory products and services that meet and exceed the needs of users and advertisers alike, shared Larry Small, Director of Research for the Yellow Pages Association. The proof is in the numbers no spin necessary.