Is Yellow Pages Business Advertising Worth The Investment?
Last Updated on 3 October 2025 by Dorian Menard
As the founder of Search Scope, a Perth-based SEO agency, I’ve had many local business owners ask me if Yellow Pages advertising is still a worthwhile investment. The short answer, in my experience, is almost always no. The landscape has shifted so dramatically that the high costs associated with Yellow Pages business listings rarely deliver a return compared to more modern, measurable digital strategies.
This article is for Australian business owners who need to make smart decisions with their marketing budget. I’ll give you a clear, data-driven breakdown of where Yellow Pages sits in today’s market, helping you avoid costly traps and focus your spending where it will generate real growth.
- The Verdict: For most businesses, paid Yellow Pages advertising is no longer a sound investment due to high costs and diminishing audience.
- The Exception: A free listing can still provide a valuable “citation” for local SEO, helping Google verify your business details. Getting a paid listing can also be valuable if the Yellow Pages listing ranks on page 1 for your target keyword (which only happens for low to mid-level competition keywords.
- The Superior Alternative: A fully optimised Google Business Profile is free and vastly more effective for attracting local customers.
- The Bottom Line: Your marketing budget delivers a significantly higher ROI when invested in channels like Google Ads and targeted local SEO.
The Evolution of Yellow Pages Advertising
Once, the big yellow book was the undisputed champion for any local Aussie business wanting to be found. The first Yellow Pages directory was launched in Australia in 1975, and for decades, it was the primary tool customers used to find everything from plumbers to florists.
The company made a pioneering move online in 1994, but the real shift occurred with the explosion of the internet and search engines. The Magazine and Directory Publishing industry in Australia has been in steep decline, shrinking at an annual rate of 10.3% between 2019 and 2024 as consumers moved online.
Today, the landscape is completely different. In 2021, Sensis, the owner of Yellow Pages, was acquired by the US software company Thryv Holdings and rebranded as Thryv Australia. This move signalled a shift from a directory-focused model to selling a suite of business management software.
While the brand name persists, its competition is no longer other directories. It’s now Google, which holds a staggering 94% of the search market share in Australia. This dominance has fundamentally changed how customers find local businesses.
The (Limited) Benefits of a Yellow Pages Business Listing
While I rarely recommend paid Yellow Pages advertising, a listing can still offer a couple of specific, limited benefits for your business.
The most significant advantage is its role in local search engine optimisation. A free Yellow Pages listing acts as a foundational “citation,” which is an online mention of your business’s Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP). Consistent NAP information across credible directories like Yellow Pages helps search engines like Google verify that your business is legitimate and located where you say it is.
This can subtly support your Google Business Profile and rankings in local map searches. Additionally, for businesses targeting an older demographic, the print directory might still hold some relevance, though data shows this audience is also rapidly moving online.
Think of a free Yellow Pages listing as a single brick in your digital foundation, not the whole house.
Essentially, securing your free listing is a worthwhile, one-off task for NAP consistency. Beyond that, the tangible benefits of paid advertising are difficult to justify.
The Drawbacks of Yellow Pages Advertising
The downsides of investing in paid Yellow Pages marketing are significant and, for most businesses, decisive.
The primary issue is the high cost relative to the return on investment. With paid plans running from basic listings to packages costing thousands per month, it’s a major expense for a platform with a shrinking user base. The opportunity cost is immense; that same budget could fund a highly targeted Google Ads campaign that provides detailed, real-time performance data.
This leads to the second major drawback: a lack of meaningful analytics. Unlike modern digital platforms, Yellow Pages offers very limited data on how users interact with your ad, making it nearly impossible to calculate a true ROI. You are essentially spending money without knowing what works.
Finally, the business model of its parent company, Thryv, often involves aggressive upselling and long-term contracts that can be difficult to exit. Many business owners report being pushed into expensive software suites or digital marketing services that underdeliver on their promises, a sentiment echoed in numerous online reviews.
Yellow Pages Versus Superior Digital Advertising Options
When you compare Yellow Pages to today’s leading digital marketing tools, it becomes clear why the old directory is no longer a strategic choice for growth.
Yellow Pages vs. Google Business Profile
Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is arguably the most powerful free tool for local marketing. Research shows that 98% of consumers used the internet to find information about local businesses in recent years. A well-managed GBP appears in Google Search and Maps, provides rich information like reviews and photos, and drives direct actions like calls and website visits—all for free.
In contrast, a basic Yellow Pages listing offers minimal information, and achieving any real visibility requires a significant monthly payment.
Yellow Pages Compared to Google Ads
The difference in capability between Yellow Pages and a platform like Google Ads is vast. Here is a direct comparison of the features that matter most to a local business.
| Feature | Yellow Pages Advertising | Google Ads |
|---|---|---|
| Audience Reach | Limited to users of its own directory, a declining audience. | Access to over 94% of Australia’s search engine users. |
| Targeting Options | Basic categorisation by industry and location. | Hyper-specific targeting by keyword, location, demographic, user interest, and online behaviour. |
| Cost Structure | Fixed monthly or annual fee, regardless of performance. | Pay-per-click (PPC) or pay-per-impression model; you only pay for engagement. |
| Measurability | Very limited analytics, making ROI calculation difficult. | Comprehensive, real-time data on clicks, conversions, cost-per-lead, and full ROI tracking. |
| Flexibility | Often requires long-term contracts with limited ability to adjust campaigns. | Campaigns can be paused, adjusted, or stopped at any time, in real-time. |
If you search for almost any local service in Perth, you will struggle to find Yellow Pages ranking on the first page of Google. This means you’d be paying for an ad on a platform that very few of your potential customers will ever see.
Assessing the Current Effectiveness of Yellow Pages in 2025
In today’s market, the effectiveness of Yellow Pages advertising has severely diminished. Local businesses are finding that the high costs simply don’t deliver justifiable results. A basic online ad can start around $59 per month, while more comprehensive “platinum” plans can exceed $200, with larger packages running into the thousands.
This is a steep price for what amounts to a listing on a single web directory. Especially when you consider that a free, well-optimised Google Business Profile can generate more calls and website visits.
Digital-first platforms like Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and even local SEO offer far more sophisticated ways to connect with your target audience. They are not only more cost-effective but also provide the transparency and data needed to refine your strategy and maximise your marketing spend.
Yellow Pages simply cannot compete with the targeting precision and analytical depth offered by these modern advertising tools.
Additional Insights on Using Yellow Pages
If you do decide to maintain a Yellow Pages presence, it is vital to approach it strategically to avoid common pitfalls and extract any small amount of value possible.
Avoiding Common Pitfalls
Many businesses make predictable mistakes when dealing with Yellow Pages. Here are the most common traps and how to steer clear of them.
| Pitfall | How to Avoid It |
|---|---|
| Signing Long-Term Contracts | Avoid getting locked into 12-month or longer agreements. Opt for month-to-month options if possible, or stick with the free listing. |
| Falling for Upsells | Be wary of high-pressure sales tactics for expensive add-ons like website design or bundled SEO services, which are often overpriced and under-resourced. |
| Ignoring Your NAP Consistency | Ensure the Name, Address, and Phone number on your Yellow Pages listing exactly matches your Google Business Profile and website. |
| Relying on It as a Primary Channel | Use it only as a supplementary citation source. Never allocate a significant portion of your marketing budget to it. |
| Forgetting to Track | If you do pay for a listing, use a unique call-tracking phone number to measure if it generates any calls at all. |
Strategies to Maximise Value
To get the most out of your free listing, focus on optimising it for its primary purpose: serving as a reliable business citation.
| Strategy | Actionable Step |
|---|---|
| Claim & Complete Your Free Listing | Ensure you have claimed your business and filled out every available field accurately. This is a one-time setup. |
| Prioritise NAP Accuracy | Double-check that your business name, address, and phone number are identical to your other core online profiles. |
| Link to Your Website | Include a direct link to your website’s homepage. This provides a small but helpful backlink. |
| Select the Right Categories | Choose the most relevant business categories to help both users and search engines understand what you do. |
| Encourage Reviews (Sparingly) | While Google reviews are far more important, having a few positive reviews on YP.com can’t hurt. You can direct satisfied customers to your listing via a link. Positive feedback helps build trust. |
Thryv (Sensis) and Its Struggles with Small Businesses
Sensis, now operating as Thryv Australia since its acquisition in 2021, has faced mounting criticism from the small business community it claims to serve. The company’s business model, which pivots from directory listings to selling an all-in-one software solution, has created significant friction.
Many business owners report feeling trapped by auto-renewing contracts, unclear billing practices, and aggressive sales tactics. Customer service is frequently cited as a major pain point, with users complaining about slow response times and difficulty making simple updates to their listings.
You only need to look at public review platforms and forums to see a pattern of dissatisfaction:
https://www.productreview.com.au/listings/sensis
https://www.reddit.com/r/smallbusiness/comments/193erar/has_anyone_been_approached_by_thryv_are_they_good/
https://www.reddit.com/r/smallbusiness/comments/u1r3j0/is_thryv_worth_the_money/
For small businesses operating on tight margins, the high cost of Thryv’s digital marketing services often fails to deliver the promised results. Instead of being a growth partner, many find the platform to be a financial drain that is stuck in an outdated mindset, unable to compete with more agile and transparent modern marketing solutions.
Yellow Pages for Perth Businesses: A Strategic Perspective
From my perspective as a consultant focused on the Perth market, the value proposition of paid Yellow Pages advertising is particularly weak. Perth has a dynamic and competitive digital landscape, and your marketing dollars need to work efficiently to get results.
While a paid listing might generate a handful of leads for certain trade-based businesses that serve an older clientele, the investment simply doesn’t stack up against alternatives. The budget for a premium Yellow Pages ad could instead fund a targeted local SEO campaign or a Google Ads strategy focused specifically on Perth suburbs, delivering far more measurable outcomes.
The best use of Yellow Pages for a Perth business is to secure your free listing. Use it to create one strong, consistent citation that helps solidify your location for Google Maps. This action supports your overall Google Maps SEO strategy, which is where the real local customer engagement happens.
Ultimately, your business goals should dictate your strategy. If you are serious about growing your presence in Perth, your focus and budget should be directed towards proven digital channels. You can learn more about our ROI-focused approach on our SEO services for Perth businesses page.
Final Thoughts
While Yellow Pages was once a vital tool for local advertising, it is no longer a strategic or cost-effective option for Australian businesses aiming for growth. The platform’s high costs, outdated model, and lack of transparent results make it a poor investment in a digital-first world.
The value it provides today is limited to a free listing, which serves as a simple citation to support your more important online assets. Your focus and marketing budget are better allocated to powerful, measurable platforms like a Google Business Profile, targeted local SEO, and Google Ads.
The message is clear. To make your advertising dollars work for you, you need to invest in strategies designed for today’s customers, not yesterday’s.
Dorian Menard
https://searchscope.com.auI’m Dorian, founder of Search Scope and an SEO obsessed with ROI and lead generation. After a decade in the trenches, I’ve built and ranked digital assets for businesses across the world. I cut through the noise with data, automation, and strategies that actually convert. When I’m not scaling rankings, you’ll find me on a motorbike or setting chess traps — always planning three moves ahead.