Yell (company) explained

Yell Group Limited
Former Name:Hibu Group Limited
Industry:Online Marketing
Predecessor:British Telecom
Successors:-->
Hq Location City:Reading
Hq Location Country:Berkshire, United Kingdom
Area Served:United Kingdom
Key People:Mark Clisby (Co-CEO)
Luke Taylor (Co-CEO)
Products:Yellow Pages (1966–2019)
Yell.com (1996–present)
Website design
Google PPC
Online advertising
Website:https://about.yell.com/

Yell Group Limited, also known as Yell UK, is a digital marketing and online directory business in the United Kingdom. Yell has created over 110,000 websites and managed 90,000 pay per click campaigns for customers in the United Kingdom.[1] [2] Yell published Yellow Pages from 1966, originally as part of the General Post Office (GPO) telephone directory, and launched its Yell.com website in 1996.

History

The GPO first included Yellow Pages in its telephone directory for Brighton in 1966, expanding it throughout the UK from 1973.[3] [4]

Yell.com was first launched in January 1996 as the local search engine for businesses in the UK.[5] In January 2001, Yell announced a demerger from its parent company, BT (the GPO's post-privatisation successor), abandoning a proposed stock market flotation.[6] In May 2001, Yell was sold to venture capitalists Apax Partners and Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst for £2.1 billion in May 2001.[7]

It was announced in April 2005 that Yell was partnering with Google to make local classified content available through Google's search engine.[8] Yell integrated Apttus technology into its search engine to broaden its search capacity and enhance site development.[9] Yell also expanded its offerings in 2009 to include Google Ads.[10]

In 2006, Yell threatened Yellowikis with legal action, claiming that consumers would confuse the two organisations.[11]

A Yell.com app was launched on the iPhone app store in 2009.[12] The following year, Yell UK announced that it was changing its traditional Yellow Pages A4 format to a smaller size to improve usage of the directory. At that time, the directories contained an average of 54 per cent recycled fibre content.[13]

Yell moved into their new headquarters in Reading, Berkshire, in October and Richard Hanscott was named as the company's new CEO the following year.[14] [15] Yell’s parent company, Yell Group, announced in 2012 that it was changing its name to Hibu, but reverted to Yell in 2014.[16]

The company relaunched with updated websites, pay-per-click advertising and a new display advertising proposition.[17] Glassdoor named Richard Hanscott in November 2016 to its list of “Highest Rated CEOs in the United Kingdom”.[18] In 2017, the company announced that the publishing of Yellow Pages on paper would cease.[19] The final edition was published in January 2019 for Brighton.[20]

Claire Miles, (formerly of Centrica), was announced as the new CEO in 2019.[21] Florida-based private equity investment firm H.I.G. Capital acquired Yell’s sister company Hibu on 29 March 2021, including their US-based business assets.[22]

In January 2023, Mark Clisby and Luke Taylor become Co-CEOs of Yell following Claire Mile's decision to step away from the company. [23]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Websites. Yell Business. 11 November 2016.
  2. Web site: Pay-Per-Click. Yell Business. 11 November 2016.
  3. Book: Classified Directory Advertising Services Market Investigation. The Stationery Office. 29 June 2006.
  4. Web site: Delivering Sustainable Directories. June 13, 2008. Data Publishers Association. 11 November 2016.
  5. Web site: City shocked as Yell boss Condron announced his retirement. May 18, 2010. Richard Wray. The Guardian. 11 November 2016.
  6. News: BT abandons Yell float in favour of demerger. telegraph.co.uk. 28 January 2001. 29 January 2021.
  7. News: British Telecom PLC (BTA). investegate.co.uk. 10 May 2001. 29 January 2021.
  8. Web site: Yell.com joins forces with Google for UK local classified offering. April 19, 2005. Campaign. 11 November 2016.
  9. Web site: UK's local search engine Yell.com chooses Apptus' technology for future development. January 11, 2008. Ideon. 11 November 2016.
  10. Web site: Yell.com stops competing with Google, sells its adWords instead. May 14, 2009. Robert Andrews. The Guardian. 11 November 2016.
  11. Web site: Legal threat to wiki listing site. July 12, 2006. BBC News. 11 November 2016.
  12. Web site: Yell.com App now available on App store. October 5, 2009. Total Telecom. 11 November 2016.
  13. Web site: Yellow Pages targets reduced waste with smaller directory. February 16, 2010. Lets Recycle. 11 November 2016.
  14. Web site: Yell's new building is something to shout about. David Millward. October 21, 2010. Get Reading. 11 November 2016.
  15. Web site: Richard Hanscott appointed CEO of Yell UK. June 29, 2011. he Business Desk. 11 November 2016.
  16. News: Company Names Tribunal: Signed Order 08851040. assets.publishing.service.gov.uk. 13 August 2014. 30 June 2021.
  17. Web site: Yellow Pages in u-turn over Hibu brand. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220507/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/yellow-pages-in-u-turn-over-hibu-brand-9543137.html . 7 May 2022 . subscription . live. Gideon Spanier. June 17, 2014. Independent. 11 November 2016.
  18. Web site: Highest Rated CEOs - UK. Glassdoor. 11 November 2016.
  19. News: Yellow Pages to stop printing directory after 51-year run. BBC News. 1 September 2017.
  20. News: Yell to become a purely digital business with the announcement of the final publication of Yellow Pages. business.yell.com. 1 September 2017. 26 January 2021.
  21. News: Centrica's smart home boss to step down. Energy Live News. 1 August 2019.
  22. News: H.I.G. Capital Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire Hibu . Business Wire. 26 March 2021.
  23. News: News article referencing Mark Clisby . Business Matters. 15 March 2023.