More on Local Online Video

Bambi Francisco wrote a column today weighing in on the notion of online video ads for local merchants. She recalls the launch, seven years ago, of VYP.com, a site devoted to video ads for plumbers, carpet cleaners and the like. VYP.com, like so many Web start-ups, may have been ahead of its time.

Last week, our Michael Taylor blogged on this topic, suggesting the stars might be aligning for a push into video in the online Yellow Pages space. Certainly, most if not all of the major IYPs are at the very least considering video as part of their portfolio. In Italy, Seat PG has made video a key piece of its ambitious Pagine Gialle Visual effort.

Many questions remain, including how the ads can be produced efficiently, whether local sales will embrace it, and ultimately, whether users will make a buying decision based on viewing a 30-second ad for Barry’s Bail Bonds in Bakersfield.