Will Online Advertising make Print Advertising Obsolete?

A perception some more tech savvy people have is that the internet is making print advertising obsolete. Is this perception the reality? The good news is that the Knowledge Network conducted a study to find out. However, before I spill the beans let's look at the question for ourselves.

The personal computer has become a household necessity and lots of homes have more than one computer. Almost every business has a computer and now with the iphone and blackberry we have the internet at our finger tips wherever we are. Facebook has changed the way we network and interact with each other. Instant messenger and skype change the way we talk to each other. MP3s and satellite radio change how we buy and listen to music. Online stores have changed how we buy stuff. The internet has impacted our lives but is it making print advertising obsolete? Consider each point here, have you really changed the way your interact with people and make purchases? or has the internet just created an additional tool to enhance the way you already interact and make purchases?

Directories are now available in both print and online, making it easier to answer the question - Will the internet make print advertising obsolete? In Canada the Yellow Pages' online directory gets approx 11 million business searches nationally a month. Canpages' online business directory gets approx 7 million business searches nationally a month. Sounds like a lot of searches a month - but are their print directories becoming obsolete? I'll answer that in a moment, for now let's look at other innovations that were suppose to make print advertising obsolete.


How did people advertise in the past? The first method would have been word of mouth and signs with pictures. Then came the printing press and that changed how information was spread. Then the radio was invented and once again this changed how information was spread. Then came the television and the spread of information changed yet again. Then the computer was invented and the personal computer was developed promising an end to the necessity for paper. Lastly, the internet was developed and for the last 20 or so years has evolved into what it is today.

So did the printing press make sign advertising obsolete?
Did the radio make sign and print advertising obsolete?
Did the television make sign, print and radio advertising obsolete?
Did the computer decrease the amount of paper used?

Today I can find advertising in the form of signs, print, radio, and television.

So back to the question will the internet make print advertising obsolete? According to the study conducted by the Knowledge Network, not today. When looking for information on a business or service:

48% of people will pick up a phone directory like Yellow Pages or Canpages.
21% of people will use a search engine like Google.
13% will use an online directory like yellow pages.ca or canpages.ca
8% will use 411 directory, free or for fee.
2% will go to the newspaper classifieds.
1% mobile Search

I don't have a crystal ball, I can't say if print advertising will become obsolete but if pressed I'd have to say NO - history has proven new types of media only add to our options.