BIA/Kelsey to Present Latest YP Forecast and Pay-Per-Call Research at LSA's 'Search Starts Here' Conference, April 21-24, in Boca Raton

CHANTILLY, Va., and BERKELEY HEIGHTS, N.J., Feb. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- BIA/Kelsey, which pegged 2011 global Yellow Pages revenues at $23.4 billion, will present highlights from its latest forecast to attendees of the April 21-24 "Search Starts Here" conference in Boca Raton, Florida. Coproduced by the Local Search Association and BIA/Kelsey, the agenda is rich with original research, providing valuable context for the annual gathering of the local search and directory publishing industry.

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"In a shifting and dynamic industry like local search, it's critical to remain informed of the latest trends and emerging players," said Neg Norton, president, Local Search Association. "That's why we've anchored the conference program with real-world data and insightful analysis that will keep us all engaged in moving the industry forward."

"The breadth of original research woven into the agenda makes this year's event one not to be missed," said Charles Laughlin, senior vice president and program director, BIA/Kelsey. "Attendees can expect to come away with a deeper understanding of where the local search industry is heading and the kinds of strategies they should be considering to remain competitive."

Featured Data and Research

In a session titled, "BIA/Kelsey's Global Yellow Pages Outlook and Forecast," BIA/Kelsey's Laughlin and colleague Matt Booth will provide insight on the projected path for revenues and margins in the global directories and local search industry.

"The View From the Trenches — Sales Associate Research Project," will serve up findings from a series of in-depth conversations conducted by BIA/Kelsey and Hawthorne Search with sales associates across the local media spectrum, including Yellow Pages, broadcast and local search professionals. This session will offer some deep insights into the sales rep's psyche.

In "The Evolution of Pay per Call," BIA/Kelsey's Booth will present highlights from the firm's outlook for pay per call. The session will take a wide-ranging view of how pay per call is transforming the directories and local search space, with a reality-based discussion of the pros and cons of the myriad flavors of performance media.

In a special session for BIA/Kelsey advisory services clients and international attendees, vSplash will present findings from its SMB DigitalScape study, featuring analysis of 78 digital presence and performance criteria for nearly one million SMB websites, across 11 countries. SMB DigitalScape's empirical data will be used to illustrate the global market opportunity and the potential for delivering digital services and solutions to SMBs.

During the "Industry Research Update" session, LSA will unveil preliminary results from its annual Local Media Tracking Study. Conducted by Burke Research and analyzed by LSA's research team, led by Natalie Wuchenich, the study provides a comprehensive look at the habits of consumers searching for local business information across various local media.

About Search Starts Here

Search Starts Here, coproduced by LSA and BIA/Kelsey, will examine the latest developments in print, digital, mobile and social media. The agenda features more than 20 speakers from across the local search arena, including headliners Mary Boysman, vice president brand marketing and advertising, Aspen Dental, and Ursula Worth, head of directories and Web hosting partnerships, Google.

Conference sponsors include CRM Associates, Directory Distributing Associates, Product Development Corp., Telmetrics, vSplash, WillowTree Apps and Yellowbook.

Visit http://www.localsearchassociation.org for details on the agenda, featured speakers, venue, sponsorship opportunities and conference registration.

About the Local Search Association

Formerly the Yellow Pages Association, the Local Search Association (www.LocalSearchAssociation.org) is the largest trade organization of print, digital, mobile and social media that help local businesses get found and selected by ready-to-buy consumers. Association members include U.S. and international directory publishers, search engine marketers, online listings and review sites, digital advertising agencies and mobile search providers. The association has members in 29 countries. Read the Local Search Association blog at www.LocalSearchInsider.com and follow @LocalSearchAssn on Twitter. To learn more about Yellow Pages advertising, visit www.BuyYellow.com. To choose which phone books you receive or stop delivery of all directories, visit www.YellowPagesOptOut.com.  

About BIA/Kelsey

BIA/Kelsey advises companies in the local media space through consulting and valuation services, research, Continuous Advisory Services and conferences. Since 1983 BIA/Kelsey has been a resource to the media, mobile advertising, telecommunications, Yellow Pages and electronic directory markets, as well as to government agencies, law firms and investment companies looking to understand trends and revenue drivers. BIA/Kelsey's annual conferences draw executives from across industries seeking expert guidance on how companies are finding innovative ways to grow. Additional information is available at http://www.biakelsey.com, on the company's Local Media Watch blog, Twitter (http://twitter.com/BIAKelsey) and Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/biakelsey).

SOURCE BIA/Kelsey