Frequently Asked Questions

 

About Yellowbook

 

About Yellowbook Careers

 

About Yellowbook Advertising Options

 

About Yellowbook Video Advertising Options

 

About Yellowbook Print Directories

 

About Yellowbook Free Listings

 

About Yellowbook.com

 

Yellowbook Search Engine Marketing (SEM) & Optimization (SEO)

 

Other Yellowbook Questions & Answers

 

What is Yellowbook?

Yellowbook is a leading national yellow pages and online local search company that connects buyers with sellers. Yellowbook provides consistent, reliable, easy-to-use local business and key community information free to consumers across the country. For advertisers, Yellowbook provides low-cost leads through Yellowbook print directories, yellowbook.com, and WebReach, Yellowbook's search engine advertising program.

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Where is Yellowbook located?

There are approximately 400 Yellowbook local offices throughout the United States. Yellowbook is headquartered in Uniondale, New York, and regional offices are located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, just outside Philadelphia.

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Where does Yellowbook do business?

Yellowbook operates in 48 states, plus the District of Columbia.

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Who is Yellowbook's Senior Leadership Team?

At the helm of Yellowbook's leadership team is Joe Walsh, a well-known veteran of the yellow pages industry and a visionary for Yellowbook's future. As president and CEO of Yellowbook, Joe credits much of the success of Yellowbook to his experienced leadership team.

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What is the ownership structure of Yellowbook?

Yellowbook is owned by the Yell Group. Based in the United Kingdom, Yell Group is a leading international directories business operating in the classified advertising market.

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What is the culture like at Yellowbook?

At Yellowbook, our core values drive everything we do. We believe that if you can help enough people get what they want, you will get what you want. This holds true for the way we approach our customers as well as the way we treat our valued Yellowbook team members.

Yellowbook provides an environment that embraces individuals and their strengths, and rewards them for their contributions. We work hard (and smart) to achieve our goals, and we also know how to celebrate our victories.

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What types of career opportunities are available?

Yellowbook offers exciting job opportunities and career growth. From sales to internet technology, from the east coast to the west (including Hawaii), Yellowbook is always searching for talented individuals. Check out the latest job openings at Yellowbook.

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What type of career development does Yellowbook offer?

Each year, Yellowbook makes a large investment in training and developing employees--for both sales and corporate employees. Training includes initial and ongoing sales training, product and industry training, management courses and seminars, online training and much more. We even keep a large library of helpful books on hand for employees interested in self improvement.

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What are the steps in the recruitment process?

To apply for an open position at Yellowbook, we ask that you complete an application online. If your qualifications match the open position, you will be contacted by a Yellowbook Human Resources recruiter for an interview.

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What types of benefits does Yellowbook offer?

Yellowbook provides a long list of employee benefits, including health insurance and a 401K plan.

In addition to general benefits, Yellowbook also offers educational reimbursement, opportunities for career advancement, ongoing sales, product and industry training, a fun, energetic work environment and abundant recognition programs, including the President's Achievement Club, a distinguished honor awarded to those who go above and beyond to make Yellowbook a highly successful company.

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What advertising options does Yellowbook offer?

Yellowbook creates a cost-efficient link, in print and online, between buyers and sellers, generating maximum exposure and benefits for advertisers. Businesses have the option to advertise in Yellowbook's print directories, on yellowbook.com and across the internet with WebReach, Yellowbook's search engine advertising program. Yellowbook's knowledgeable media consultants work with businesses to develop a tailored advertising approach that will provide the best reach and return on investment. At Yellowbook, we call this "leads for less."

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How does Yellowbook reach consumers?

Yellowbook has a print directory circulation of 123 million, reaching residents and businesses nationwide-in 48 states, plus the District of Columbia. Yellowbook.com is the nation's fastest growing internet yellow pages network1 with millions of visitors coming to the site every month to search for businesses and buying information. WebReach brings consumers to you through popular search engines advertising vehicles like Google AdWords and Yahoo!

1Source: comScore 2007

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How do I advertise with Yellowbook?

Call 1-800-YB-YELLOW (1-800-929-3556), Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., to set up a no-obligation appointment with a dedicated Yellowbook media consultant. You may also submit your request online.

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How will the video ad be integrated into my yellowbook.com ad?

The video ad will be added to the yellowbook.com premium placement product (Silver, Gold, or Top Placement) that you purchase. There will be a video thumbnail link added to your listing on the results page as well as on your business profile page.

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How will my customers find my video on yellowbook.com?

A video thumbnail image is added to your listing on both the results and your business profile pages. When a customer clicks the thumbnail, your video opens and begins to play.

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What is the first thing I need to do when purchasing a custom video ad?

Preparation is key to achieve the greatest results. To help you prepare, a video questionnaire is provided in your Welcome Package. Completion of this questionnaire prior to your video shoot is the most important step in creating a quality, customized video ad for your business.

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What happens on the day of the shoot for a custom video?

The professional videographer will arrive at your location and set up for the shoot.

The first 15 minutes are spent walking through your place of business, deciding how to shoot, what to shoot, and getting you comfortable in front of the camera.

The videographer and team will spend approximately one to two hours at your business to obtain required footage needed to create your :30 or :60 second video ad.

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How do I know what to say or wear for my custom video shoot?

We will provide you with a Welcome Package that includes hints and tips on what to wear and common questions that customers have about businesses. Before the day of the shoot, be sure to read through all the information contained within that package. The videographer will help you on the day of the shoot with the best ways to communicate your message to your customers.

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Who will select the music for my custom video?

The videographer will select the appropriate background music to best fit your video. The video producers were hired for their professional video experience and their artistic and creative talents. They select the music that fits your video based on style, tempo, and creative treatment.

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Do I get to see my video before it goes live on yellowbook.com?

Once the video is finished, an email with a link to your video is sent to you for preview. You will have five days to review your video and to report factual errors only prior to it going live on yellowbook.com

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Can I use my video elsewhere?

Upon request, a link of your completed video will be provided so you can place it on your business website. The video will continue to be hosted by yellowbook.com in your premium ad.

At the end of the twelve-month contract, you will obtain ownership of the finished video. Such ownership includes a royalty free license to the video background music (solely for use in the video). However, Yellowbook will retain a permanent license of the video. This license will permit Yellowbook's use of all, or a portion, of the video in its business. There will be additional charges for an encoded copy of the video or uncompressed high-quality copy of the video.

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How many print directories does Yellowbook publish?

Yellowbook currently publishes nearly 1,000 directories for regions and towns across the country.

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Where are the print directories distributed?

Yellowbook's directories are distributed to residents and businesses in 48 states, plus the District of Columbia.

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How many consumers use Yellowbook print directories?

According to Knowledge Networks/SRI (KN/SRI), print yellow pages directories generated 13.4 BILLION references in 2007. To measure usage of Yellowbook directories, Yellowbook, along with other yellow pages publishers, work with KN/SRI to conduct an unbiased syndicated usage report in various markets throughout the country.

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What advertising options are available in Yellowbook directories?

There are a number of specific advertising options to gain the attention of buyers in Yellowbook directories, including a variety of display ads, coupons, menus, color choices and the highly visible cover ads.

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Don't consumers use the internet to search for buying information?

Consumers do use the internet to search for buying information -- in fact 3.8 billion did so in 2007. But with more than 13.4 billion references in print yellow pages directories in 2007, it is clear that the majority of consumers turn to print directories when they are ready to buy.

Sources: comScore 2007; KN/SRI 2007.

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How do I advertise my business in a Yellowbook print directory?

Call 1-800-YB-YELLOW (1-800-929-3556), Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., to set up a no-obligation appointment with a dedicated Yellowbook media consultant. You may also submit your request online.

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What else could Yellowbook do for my business?

Yellowbook offers a variety of advertising options to suit every need. From local print directories to online yellow pages and advertising on search engines like Google and Yahoo!, Yellowbook provides services to get your business noticed. To request a free no-obligation consultation, call 1-800-YB-YELLOW (1-800-929-3556), Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. You may also submit your request online.

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How do I request a free listing on yellowbook.com?

You may call 1-800-YB-YELLOW (1-800-929-3556). Representatives are available 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (EST) Monday through Friday.

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What information can I expect to see on yellowbook.com with a free listing?

You will see the name of your business, business phone number and business address.

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Where will my business information be shown?

Free listings appear below paid advertising placements, which include Banner Placement Ads, Top Placement Ads, Gold Placement Ads and Internet Placement Ads.

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When will I see my ad appear?

You will begin to see your free listing appear on yellowbook.com within 7 to 10 business days.

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What else can Yellowbook do for my business?

Yellowbook offers a variety of advertising options to suit every need. From local print directories to online yellow pages and advertising on search engines like Google and Yahoo! ,Yellowbook provides services to get your business noticed. To request a free no-obligation consultation, call 1-800-YB-YELLOW (1-800-929-3556), Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. You may also submit your request online.

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How many people search internet yellow pages for buying information?

According to comScore, a leader in measuring the digital world, 3.8 billion internet yellow page search queries were conducted in 2007.

Source: comScore 2007

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How many people search yellowbook.com?

According to comScore, the Yellowbook Network, anchored by yellowbook.com, was the top gaining site in the United States for March 2008.

Source: comScore

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What are the advertising options on yellowbook.com?

There are a variety of advertising options on yellowbook.com. From top-of-page Banner Placement ads to Gold Placement ads with links to your website, a coupon option, driving directions to your business and much more.

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Where will my business information be shown?

Prominent placement allows you to stand out from your competition by placing your business information above free listings. Your business information will appear when a visitor searches for your business category in your geographical area. Learn more about the available placement options.

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What methods of payment are available?

A 12-month contract is required and can be paid in monthly installments. Flexible payment options allow you to pay by check or credit card. If you elect to pay in advance, discounts may apply. Speak with your Yellowbook Media Consultant about options.

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How do I get my ad placed on yellowbook.com?

Call 1-800-YB-YELLOW (1-800-929-3556), Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., to set up a no-obligation appointment with a dedicated Yellowbook Media Consultant. You may also submit your request online.

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How do I make changes to my ad?

Depending upon the product purchased, monthly changes may be allowed to your online ad. Simply contact your representative or call a Yellowbook customer service representative at 1-800-YB-YELLOW (1-800-929-3556) to request changes.

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What else can Yellowbook do for my business?

Yellowbook offers a variety of advertising options to suit every need. From local print directories to online yellow pages and advertising on search engines like Google and Yahoo!, Yellowbook provides services to get your business noticed. To request a free no-obligation consultation, call 1-800-YB-YELLOW (1-800-929-3556), Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. You may also submit your request online.

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How does search engine advertising work?

Potential customers searching for your products or services could see your ad on search engines like Google or Yahoo!, click your ad (which appears to the right and sometimes above relevant search results), and be directed to your website where they find critical buying information about your business, products or services. You set a monthly budget that is spent when potential customers click on your ad.

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Where will my business information be shown?

Your business information will be shown on popular search engine networks, like Google and Yahoo! with other paid advertisers in the sponsored links section. See a sample search engine results page.

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What methods of payment are available?

WebReach, Yellowbook's fully managed search engine advertising product is available at a range of price points to suit your budget. Flexible payment options allow you to pay by check or credit card. See your Yellowbook Media Consultant for details.

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How do I get started?

Call 1-800-YB-YELLOW (1-800-929-3556), Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., to set up a no-obligation appointment with a dedicated Yellowbook media consultant. You may also submit your request online.

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How do I make changes to my campaign?

Before your campaign is published on the search engines, a Yellowbook campaign analyst will call you to explain how your advertising campaign will work.

Should you wish to make changes after your campaign has started, you can reach Yellowbook's WebReach customer service team by dialing 1-888-672-8990. Select option #1 to make changes to your existing WebReach campaign. Select option #2 to make changes to your Yellowbook created website. Representatives are available 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. CST.

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What else can Yellowbook do for my business?

Yellowbook offers a variety of advertising options to suit every need. From local print directories to online yellow pages and advertising on search engines like Google and Yahoo!, Yellowbook provides services to get your business noticed. To request a free no-obligation consultation, call 1-800-YB-YELLOW (1-800-929-3556), Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. You may also submit your request online.

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What is an Xtreme Bundle?

An Xtreme Bundle is a package that offers print, decoupled ads, and may include a website in one rate. For most customers, we are offering more advertising for a little more than what they were paying last year. Two unique characteristics that make Xtreme Bundles so Xtreme is that the decoupled products in the bundle do not auto-renew and they bill with the print product!

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Do the yellowbook.com products and website in the bundle bill with print?

The beauty of Xtreme Bundles is that the customer will receive one bill from the bundles and it will start with the print directory.

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Do the yellowbook.com products and website in the bundle auto-renew?

No, the "B" on the end of the UDAC designates it as a bundle product and will not auto-renew and will bill with the print product. Keep in mind that only the NGPs, PhotoMotion, and a Foundation website are in the bundle.

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If billing starts with the print book, does the decoupled portion go online right away?

Yes, the decoupled items will go online when ready and run through the last bill of the print product.

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If a customer currently has an NGP or PhotoMotion, what goes online when?

If an advertiser has an NGP, the Xtreme Bundle NGPB will go online right away when ready. The decoupled NGP continues billing until the bundle begins billing. Keep in mind that the existing NGP must have the same book coverage and heading as the bundle NGPB, otherwise the existing NGP will have to be canceled. If they do not have an NGP on yellowbook.com, the NGPB will go online when it’s ready. The PhotoMotion will work with the same logic. If the customer has a PhotoMotion already, the Xtreme Bundle PhotoMotion will replace the existing PhotoMotion. If the customer does not have a PhotoMotion previously, the bundle PhotoMotion will go online when ready. The PhotoMotion will not attach to other placement items sold outside its specific bundle. There is, however, a manual work-around to attach the PhotoMotion to a Top Placement ad.

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If a customer currently has an NGP, do I need to supply a new copy sheet?

Yes.

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If a customer currently has an NSP, when does it go online?

If an advertiser has an NSP currently and purchases an Xtreme Bundle, the NGPB from the bundle will replace the NSP and continue billing the NSP. This happens until the print product begins billing and the Xtreme Bundle rate takes effect. The benefit to the advertiser is they will receive a few months of the NGPB for the rate of the NSP!

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Will we receive a chargeback for selling the bundle?

If a bundle sold supercedes an existing yellowbook.com sale, resulting in a cancellation of some or all portions of the existing sale, normal upsell/downsell rules will take effect. The new sales commissions will be adjusted accordingly. No chargebacks will be applied to the original sale.

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Can I add limited inventory items such as Top Placement or Banners to a bundle?

Yes, you may sell Banners and Top Placement along with a bundle, but these ads do not become part of the bundle package. These limited inventory ads, however, will begin to bill once they go live. They will continue to bill when the print directory begins billing. In MediaPro, limited inventory items are added in the decoupled section of Contract Editor.

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Will the PhotoMotion in the bundle attach to the Top Placement?

Yes. There is a manual work-around to allow the PhotoMotion to attach to the Top Placement ad.

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May I purchase a 30 or 60 second video a la carte bundle and will it attach to my bundle NGPs?

No. Currently 60 or 30 second videos are not supported within bundles. 60 or 30 second videos must be sold with a la carte placement products.

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Can I sell other print products with the bundles?

Yes, you may sell additional products at the rate provided on the rate card, but items can’t be added to the bundle itself.

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Can I split the bundle between two different directories?

The Xtreme Bundle is intended to be a single directory package. This also means that the print scope and net coverage must be the same in the bundle.

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Why are Coupons not in bundles?

We spent time thinking of what would a majority of our advertisers want in a bundle and coupons are not for every business. For that reason, we kept them out of the bundles. If an advertiser does want a coupon, it can be sold a la carte outside of the bundle at the rate provided on the rate card.

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Can I use Gold Club or Platinum Club on the bundle rate?

No, we took this into account for you. Platinum and Gold Club have already been adjusted into the bundle rate to give the best possible rate to our advertiser. The bundle can be used to make an advertiser eligible for Platinum or Gold Club so they can save on any additional products they add alongside the bundle.

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How do bundles work in MediaPro?

Package Editor contains all of your bundle packages. Simply click on the bundle that you want, select the pieces that suit the customer, and click add. You will see the package is now located within the Contract Editor for that customer.

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How come after I add the package I cannot delete a UDAC?

The bundle was designed to be just that - a bundle. If a piece is left out or a portion is later decided to be not needed, the entire bundle must be removed and replaced with a new bundle from the Bundle Editor.

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How do I split a bonus unit or use buy-up on my bonus unit?

Within bundle editor in MediaPro, a drop-down list will contain available ad sizes to choose from. This will give you the available ad choices until the QCE’s are exhausted. Buy-up cannot be used at this time with the bundles.

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Can an advertiser reduce spending to get a bundle?

Unfortunately, no. The bundles are a great way to offer more to a customer without them spending a lot more, but we do ask them to maintain their dollars.

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Can I sell multiple bundles in a directory to one customer?

Yes, a customer may buy additional bundles for the bundle rate.

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Can I use one metered RCF number through all of the pieces of the bundle?

Yes, you may use one metered number to appear in the print book, on yellowbook.com, and on their Foundation website.

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Can an advertiser cancel a bundle?

The advertiser can cancel the bundle up until the sales close date for the print market. Partial cancellations of bundles are not allowed. If the customer wishes to keep any items from the bundle the customer would need to sign a superceding contract for the items at the a la carte pricing. The bundles cannot be canceled after the print sales close date. If the bundle is canceled, the rep would have a chargeback on commissions.

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If all the revenue is going on the print directory, is the yellowbook.com revenue going to always be zero?

No. The revenue will be divided proportionally between print and yellowbook.com. This has no impact on the advertiser.

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PhotoMotion Videos:

 

Will a PhotoMotion in a bundle attach to placement ads sold outside a bundle?

No. Currently bundles are stand-alone packages where the video inside the bundle will only attach to the NGPs within the bundle. Top Placement ads are an exception to this whereas they will have the PhotoMotion from a bundle attach to it.

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Will a video sold outside a bundle attach to placement ads within a bundle?

A bundle is a stand-alone package and will not have PhotoMotion ads from outside the bundle attach to it.

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Would a PhotoMotion sold in one bundle link to an NGP sold within a different bundle?

Since bundles are stand-alone packages, only the PhotoMotion sold within a specific bundle will appear with those NGPs. It will not appear within listings for a different bundle.

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Can a Foundation website be sold to an existing website owner?

Yes. Even though a business may already have a website, a Foundation page can provide value by being customized to a specific area and/or specific trade for that business potentially making the Foundation page a better fit for a specific search than their website would fulfill.

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Websites:

 

Can the Foundation website be changed?

Like Yellowbook.com placement items such as NGPs and NSPs, it can have limited modifications.

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How many links can the Foundation website have?

A Foundation website may have two links which can be links to another website or to a PDF which must be supplied to Adworks with the copy sheet.

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Will the PhotoMotion video in the bundle appear on the website?

Yes. The PhotoMotion video will be connected to the Foundation website.

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Does the Foundation website include statistics?

Yes. The Foundation website does include statistical reporting. A password and location will be emailed to the advertiser.

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Can the advertiser transfer a domain name to a Foundation website?

No. An existing domain name/web address not supplied by Yellowbook cannot be transferred to a Foundation website. All Foundation websites must have new domain names/web addresses. For an upgrade to a 5-page website, an advertiser does have the option to transfer an existing domain name/web address.

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Can an advertiser take ownership of the URL from a Foundation page after a year?

Yes. A domain name transfer can be done for $30.

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If an advertiser upgrades to a 5-page website within a bundle, do they pay a set-up fee?

No. The set-up fee will be waived when upgrading to a 5-page website. All other website purchases will still have the set-up fee.

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Xtra Information

Yellowbook is striving to create the best products, pricing, and promotions to allow our sales force the tools to give advertisers leads for less. Currently, there are some limits of Xtreme Bundles’ yellowbook.com portion communicating with other yellowbook.com products.

  • A customer may not use any other discount with a bundle. Example: Platinum/Gold Club, Cable, and Employee Discounts.
  • Xtreme Bundles’ PhotoMotion will not attach to NGPs or NSPs sold outside the Xtreme Bundle. Solution: Another PhotoMotion needs to be sold outside of the bundle. It can be a replica of the bundled PhotoMotion and can be no charge. Use the udac of NPM and the discount code of X.
  • The PhotoMotion in an Xtreme Bundle will attach to a Top Placement product outside of the bundle.
  • A PhotoMotion outside a bundle will not attach to items in an Xtreme Bundle; that bundle will need its own PhotoMotion product.
  • If a Foundation website is sold in a bundle, additional Foundation websites are not needed in subsequent bundles unless the customer wants a different foundation website. If one Foundation website will suffice, only one bundle should include it.
  • Profile bundles (NPP bundles) act as an appointment tool that helps build relationships. Once a free profile bundle is submitted and placed on yellowbook.com, a spec Foundation website is automatically generated and emailed to the media consultant. The spec websites are built based off the general heading of the free profile page and will not be a custom website. The spec website will be built as close to the business's category as possible. The spec website is intended to be used as a sample to show the customer on the next appointment. It is not a finished sellable product, but an example to use to assist in selling a one page or multiple page website. The spec should be used to help generate conversation about how Yellowbook can help the customer gain leads through a website and other various Yellowbook products that are all included in our bundle programs. In some instances, the spec website can serve as the copy sheet for the one page website.
    Note: Please remember that the spec website is only generated for the free profile bundles (NPP bundles). They are not generated with other profile products such as NGPs or NSPs.

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