Over 14,000,000 local and national businesses rely on the Yellow Pages medium to reach these households. Unfortunately for the majority of these advertisers their unique trading areas do not conform to the geographic definitions of the directories distributed in their markets. Advertisers need a means to rate competitive directories' ability to deliver their message to their potential customers.

Yes, it's true that advertisers cannot buy a limited portion of a directory but they can determine the number of consumers that are found both in their unique market area and in the portion of a directory that is distributed specifically in that area. Thus, advertisers can decide to place ads based on an objective assessment of the relationship between the cost to advertise and the number of potential customers using each directory.

It is for this very reason that Directory Share Ratings provides usage data for each of the 32,000+ residential ZIP Codes in every area of the nation. Only by identifying and combining specifically those ZIP Codes within an advertisers market and matching them with ZIP Codes in each directory’s distribution area can the advertiser equitably compare multiple directories’ ability to deliver real consumer household reach.       

DSR methodology does not require the advertiser to assume that all households within a directory distribution area use a directory equally. Indeed, DSR identifies the strengths and weaknesses of directory usage promoting more efficient advertising placements. This distinction is especially important where directories serving the same market have different distribution areas. Learn more details.