Idearc Media Corp. (formerly Verizon SuperPages) and DirectoryM last week announced a distribution agreement that enables Idearc to place its Superpages.com advertisers' content on DirectoryM's online advertising network. Superpages.com advertisers will now benefit from inclusion in the DirectoryM directory, which is distributed through a variety of prominent Internet sites such as Newsweek, PC World Inc., The Financial Times and the 42 regional business journals published by American City Business Journals.
Idearc noted that this alliance will enable Superpages.com to expand its distribution and provide better search campaigns for both local and national advertisers. DirectoryM boasts a very targeted online audience of well-educated and well-paid individuals. Idearc offers several advertising solutions, including Verizon Yellow Pages, Verizon White Pages, smaller-sized portable Verizon Yellow Pages Companion Directories and Superpages Mobile.
It's interesting that Idearc, which represents such popular brands, would partner with such a small player in the directory space like DirectoryM. This alliance certainly puts the value of the big online yellow pages sites into question. It's interesting that Idearc would want to partner with DirectoryM instead partner with a larger player with big-time name recognition. Perhaps Idearc feels that a small company like DirectoryM will be able to help them build better relationships with their advertisers than a larger yellow pages-type service. While DirectoryM is a small presence in the directory space, it does have some prominent names affiliated with its network and it continues to grow. If this alliance is a success, what does this mean for the future of those yellow pages sites?