The latest issue of a yellow pages book arrived to my house, and when I browsed the attorney section - I was surprised at the many blank spots - quarter page and larger. Maybe I never noticed that this is common (since having internet access over the last 15 yrs, I've always thrown phone books into the recycling) or maybe it is a sign of the times.

A few questions and my best guesses in parenthesis. Any one with experience care to comment?

• Are law firms pulling out of the yellow pages? (yes)
• Are law firms waiting until the last minute to renew their ads, and when no renewal happens the books don't have time or can't afford to re-do the layout?
• Are open spaces left as as placeholders for selling the ads? Do they want so many open?(probably not)
  

The answers are pretty obvious - and the direction is clear, yellow pages will continue the decline that has been happening. Content just isn't there- consumers what information, not just a listing.

Where do they go? To the search engines!