Comments on: Yell Announces iPhone App in the U.K.

By: David Pearce

David Pearce — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 10:52:49 +0000

It’s relatively early days, but we’re still seeing a disproportionate amount of our mobile search traffic coming from iPhone. The point I tried to make earlier is that I see the same trend continuing when other ‘iPhone like’ devices come to market in volume in the UK. Future growth is not necessarily from iPhone per se, but from the iPhone ‘concept’.

Agree with the point that some classifications have been tough to monetize in the past. My taxi example is to illustrate that we *may* be able to monitize the $20 transaction as the 2am mobile search means that this is likely to happen, whereas the 2pm $200 transaction may not (as people decide to use a less expensive mode of transportation).

By: JC

JC — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 07:25:49 +0000

Robert has a point in questioning the underlying strategy, versus tactical elements that we see from Yell. In the US a high percentage of mobile traffic too comes from iPhone users, very little of that is, or is likely to be, linked to classified search. We know these guys are very service transient as many have up to 50 apps installed but only use a handful frequently.

The top ten searches that you display for mobile have historically been pretty tough for the Yellow publisher to monitize – in mobile are you making money from these sectors in the UK?

Calls conversion ratio on mobile obvious. Not sure I get your point on cabs one ride is worth $20 the other could be $200?

By: David Pearce

David Pearce — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:33:16 +0000

Oh, and one more thing (copyright Steve Jobs), I did make the point in my presentation that mobile searches may be inherently more valuable at particular times and in particular contexts. A search for a taxi from a mobile at 2am (when the consumer is likely to ‘buy’ immediately, the ‘I want it now’ need for immediate gratification) would seem to me to have more value than a desktop search at 2pm (when the consumer may just be looking to compare prices for an airport transfer in a few weeks time). We’re working on this.

By: David Pearce

David Pearce — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:13:25 +0000

I explained in my presentation that our focus isn’t on iPhone only, but iPhone produces a disproportunate amount of mobile searches. We’ve had services for Nokia et al for the past few years, but the ‘niche’ iPhone is currently producing in excess of 50% of mobile Internet usage in the UK. When more ‘smart’ phones (I prefer to refer to them as just the next generation of mobile devices) hit the market at lower prices (I’m thinking Chinese manufacture/Android, and soon), I believe we’ll see this usage pattern take off amongst a wider base of users.

To the second point, Yell is not looking to compete at a map level. We compete by focusing on our core competence, local search advertising. Display of results on a map is just one option.

By: Robert

Robert — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 08:52:49 +0000

For a leading publisher like Yell it would be interesting to understand the strategy behind mobile. This appears to suggest is that there are some nice tactical elements but no real direction to establishing the channel. The iPhone is a niche device (3% of marketshare of top 100 devices) yet takes a disproportial amount of focus – Nokia have well over 30%.

Also why are they looking to compete at a map level when their core competencies are around the listings they have? They will never be able to compete on that basis due to the investment being made by the likes of Google and Nokia.