R.H. Donnelley Buys Local Search Consultant
Directories publisher R.H. Donnelley Corp. has purchased Chicago-based search marketing consulting firm LocalLaunch! for an undisclosed sum.
The acquisition should bulk up Donnelley’s local search capabilities, particularly since LocalLaunch! has specialized in offering search products, platforms and solutions to small and mid-sized businesses. Many of these either have minimal Web sites or no sites at all and as a result are often reliant on local directories for promotion.
“This transaction accomplishes two objectives,” said Donnelley chairman and CEO David Swanson in a release. “It supports the expansion of our current online search offerings which help businesses reach ready-to-buy consumers. And it also gives us new, innovative solutions that we believe will appeal to an even broader range of businesses that might not currently employ our online and print yellow pages products.”
Earlier this year, Donnelley bought Yellow Pages directories company Dex Media for $4.2 billion. The comp[any now published the print and online directories under the AT&T Yellow Pages, DEX Yellow Pages and EMBARQ Yellow Pages brands.
Privately-held LocalLaunch! will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the company, with founder Justin Sanger staying on as president.
