Do we care about Yahoo Local and MapQuest?

[Eoghan_Aircam]

I've been trying to weigh up breaking Yext's exclusive hold on direct, API powered Yahoo and MapQuest listing management. And...by doing so, I'd enable the entire Local SEO / Listing Management community to manage listings on there for a very low cost (like <$5 a year). No big network bundle you need to sign up to. No requirement to use our platform in any other capacity.

While nowhere near Google, there's still an argument (and belief in some of our direct client's eyes) that these publishers have influence. Some clients have even churned on us over it which has helped build the business case for me to pursue this.

• Comscore still reports Yahoo getting hundreds of millions of visits a month
• According to direct reports (backed up by what I see in SimilarWeb, SEMRush and others) MapQuest has held steady at 30-40M monthly visits for the last few years.
• MQ app downloads are 10M+ on Google Play store
• Both platforms domain authority is in the 90s or high 80s depending on which tool you use

So....from a traffic and SEO POV, they're at least more compelling than many other directories folks are paying for today like ELocal.com, YP or the aggregators! There's also the added benefit of taking some wind out of the sails of the market leaders salesforce forcing them to try to differentiate elsewhere which in turn helps to better protecting your client roster against them or their partners.

Would love to hear the community's thoughts!

TLDR: Are Yahoo and MapQuest worth $5 each?

 

[JoyHawkins]

100%. I recently did an analysis on a Yext account I signed up for. I signed up one of our clients in the legal/lawyer space and looked back to see the impact for the last 6 months. Yext likes to hide where the traffic is coming from (it all shows up as "Yext" in Google Analytics) but I found, thanks to call tracking, that there were actually conversions coming from Yahoo. I plan on covering this at a future LocalU event.

But in summary, yes, I think Yahoo is worth $5 a year.

 

[Eoghan_Aircam]

100%. I recently did an analysis on a Yext account I signed up for. I signed up one of our clients in the legal/lawyer space and looked back to see the impact for the last 6 months. Yext likes to hide where the traffic is coming from (it all shows up as "Yext" in Google Analytics) but I found, thanks to call tracking, that there were actually conversions coming from Yahoo. I plan on covering this at a future LocalU event.

But in summary, yes, I think Yahoo is worth $5 a year.

Thanks Joy - great insight as always.

Any thoughts to share on MapQuest?

 

[JoyHawkins]

I can't recall the last time I saw any referral traffic from MapQuest but I'll ask the rest of my team.

 

[Eoghan_Aircam]

Be interesting to hear! I don't know if much of your clients are 'store visit' heavy but I wonder if it's worth the $5 anyways given MQ's utility is primarily navigation / near me search All it needs to do is drive 1 new order a year to pay for itself really...

They claim they're still popular with older demo and Google trends is pointing to it still having a decent level of interest in some key states here in the US.

 

[Contractor]

I am a little confused on the $5 thing. What costs $5?

 

[Eoghan_Aircam]

I am a little confused on the $5 thing. What costs $5?

To manage your listings on each publisher for a year. Unlimited updates, reporting, etc.

 

[hajnasiewicz]

Mapquest remains relevant for Grocery and Food related businesses.

 

[Contractor]

To manage your listings on each publisher for a year. Unlimited updates, reporting, etc.

So if I understand this correctly, you’re saying that for five dollars a year your service would provide the same service for yahoo local as Yext currently does now?

 

[JoyHawkins]

I have always assumed Yext has an exclusive deal with Yahoo. If they didn't, I can't believe some of the other major citation/aggregator companies wouldn't have included them.

 

[Eoghan_Aircam]

So if I understand this correctly, you’re saying that for five dollars a year your service would provide the same service for yahoo local as Yext currently does now?

Yes, and the same on MapQuest. No bundle / broader platform requirement.

To be clear this isn't available yet, I'm just trying to get a sense on whether there's still market demand to help me decide whether or not to invest in the partnerships.

 

[Eoghan_Aircam]

I have always assumed Yext has an exclusive deal with Yahoo. If they didn't, I can't believe some of the other major citation/aggregator companies wouldn't have included them.

You will be amazed to hear they don't (or at least, not anymore). Both publishers have just been extremely hard to convince to prioritize listings/local over their core SEM/display ads business.

 

[Eoghan_Aircam]

Mapquest remains relevant for Grocery and Food related businesses.

Thanks, Carolyn!

 

[JoshuaMackens]

I'd do it. Would be a no brainer honestly.

 

[DmitryC]

I am not near as experienced as others on this forum but for $5/yr I'd do it too. What can $5 buy you today? If nothing else then my conscientiousness will be happy!

 

[billenross]

I'd be interested in this as well, thank you.

 

[Eoghan_Aircam]

Thanks for the feedback guys! More to come on this soon.