Dex One announced today that it has signed an agreement with Google to serve as a Google AdWords “Certified Partner.” Dex One is making this deal a pillar of its announced goal of reaching 30 percent of revenues from digital by 2012. In 2010, Dex One reported that it generated just 10 percent of revenues from digital sources. Dex One leaders made this pledge at its investor day briefing in New York in February.
Assuming a 20 percent annual decline in print, BIA/Kelsey estimates that Dex One will need to grow digital revenues at somewhere in the range of 50 percent in each of the next two years to approach the 30 percent figure. This deal with Google is certainly an important step in this direction.
Of course a more stable print picture would make achieving the 30 percent level more challenging. In any event, hitting that number will require a significant commitment to new products and partnerships. Dex One may even find itself contemplating whether to actively steer some customers away from print and into more digital products where it makes sense.
Here is what Dex One CEO Alfred Mockett says about the deal in today’s news release:
“This powerful combination of technology and customer access leverages the Google AdWords platform and delivers it to local businesses through our network of 1,500 local marketing professionals and brings our ever-increasing suite of digital products to the next level,” said Dex One Chief Executive Officer Alfred Mockett. “Success in today’s marketplace requires a simple, yet highly effective way to navigate increasingly complex and fragmented digital possibilities. We fully expect this partnership will meet and exceed these needs.”
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Dex had been a certified partner with Google 2 years ago (and for a few years before that) and it didn’t do them any good. 50% per year is laughable when they’ve been unable to hit more than about 10% growth on digital the last few years and the sales teams and processes are all the same…
Clearly they need to do more than just add products to achieve this goal. The 50% figure is an estimate based on 10% digital in 2010, which is what they revealed in February at the investor day. It seems like a tall order, but they did put themselves on the line to hit that mark. It is an objective for which they will be held accountable by investors.
Why did dex announce they were shutting down the Chicago office, the once heart of the directional industry?
Verne where’s the dex shut down announcement for Chicago? Are you sure they aren’t just moving ops to the suburbs?
The digital product offering from Dex is bringing a return on investment unlike any other provider. When you combine traditional print with the online abilites of Dex you have a poweful combination of advertising that is the best cost per customer available in the market today.
Brady,
How’s that sales job for Dex going? That’s the only person that would make an utterly rediculous comment like that: “…best cost per customer available in the market today.” Wow. That’s laughable.
Hey Jon & Billy Bob,
Where do you work? YP.com or Superpages… or worse yet Reach Local!!
Dex is proving their systems work great for the customers…