{{short description|UK marketing and directory company}} {{Use British English|date=May 2026}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox company | name = Yell Group Limited | logo = Yell Logo 2016.png | former_name = Hibu Group Limited | industry = Online Marketing | fate = | predecessor = British Telecom | successor = <!-- or: | successors = --> | founded = {{start date|1966}} | founder = | defunct = <!-- {{End date|YYYY|MM|DD}} --> | hq_location_city = Reading | hq_location_country = Berkshire, United Kingdom | area_served = United Kingdom | key_people = Mark Clisby (Co-CEO)<br> Luke Taylor (Co-CEO) | products = Yellow Pages (1966–2019)<br>Yell.com (1996–present)<br>Website design<br>Google PPC<br>Online advertising | owner = | num_employees = | num_employees_year = <!-- Year of num_employees data (if known) --> | website = {{URL|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 more than 110,000 websites and managed 90,000 pay per click campaigns for customers in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://business.yell.com/websites/|title=Websites|publisher=Yell Business|access-date=11 November 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=https://business.yell.com/ppc/| title=Pay-Per-Click|publisher=Yell Business|access-date=11 November 2016}}</ref> 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.<ref name=po>{{cite book| title=Classified Directory Advertising Services Market Investigation|publisher=The Stationery Office|date=29 June 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.thephonebook.bt.com/media/pdf/dpa_sustainable_directories.pdf| title=Delivering Sustainable Directories| date=June 13, 2008| publisher=Data Publishers Association| access-date=11 November 2016| archive-date=18 June 2013| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130618134358/http://www.thephonebook.bt.com/media/pdf/DPA_Sustainable_Directories.pdf| url-status=dead}}</ref>
Yell.com was first launched in January 1996 as the local search engine for businesses in the UK.<ref name=google/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2010/may/18/yell-boss-retires|title=City shocked as Yell boss Condron announced his retirement|date=May 18, 2010|author=Richard Wray|work=The Guardian|access-date=11 November 2016}}</ref> In January 2001, Yell announced a demerger from its parent company, BT (the GPO's post-privatisation successor), abandoning a proposed stock market flotation.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/4479729/BT-abandons-Yell-float-in-favour-of-demerger.html|title=BT abandons Yell float in favour of demerger|website=telegraph.co.uk|date=28 January 2001|access-date=29 January 2021}}</ref> In May 2001, Yell was sold to venture capitalists Apax Partners and Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst for £2.1 billion in May 2001.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.investegate.co.uk/british-telecom-plc--bt-a-/rns/restructure-proposals/200105100701563728D/|title=British Telecom PLC (BTA)|website=investegate.co.uk|date=10 May 2001|access-date=29 January 2021|archive-date=3 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210203013327/https://www.investegate.co.uk/british-telecom-plc--bt-a-/rns/restructure-proposals/200105100701563728D/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
It was announced in April 2005 that Yell was partnering with Google to make local classified content available through Google's search engine.<ref name=google>{{cite web| url=http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/510256/yellcom-joins-forces-google-uk-local-classifed-offering#| title=Yell.com joins forces with Google for UK local classified offering|date=April 19, 2005|publisher=Campaign|access-date=11 November 2016}}</ref> Yell integrated Apttus technology into its search engine to broaden its search capacity and enhance site development.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.ideon.se/pressrum/pressmeddelanden/artiklar/artikel/uks-local-search-engine-yellcom-chooses-apptus-technology-for-future-development/| title=UK's local search engine Yell.com chooses Apptus' technology for future development| date=January 11, 2008| publisher=Ideon| access-date=11 November 2016}}{{Dead link|date=September 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Yell also expanded its offerings in 2009 to include Google Ads.<ref name=google2>{{cite web| url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/pda/2009/may/14/yell-gives-up-google-competition-adwords| title=Yell.com stops competing with Google, sells its adWords instead|date=May 14, 2009|author=Robert Andrews|work=The Guardian|access-date=11 November 2016}}</ref>
In 2006, Yell threatened Yellowikis with legal action, claiming that consumers would confuse the two organisations.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/5169674.stm| title=Legal threat to wiki listing site|date=July 12, 2006|publisher=BBC News|access-date=11 November 2016}}</ref>
A Yell.com app was launched on the iPhone app store in 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.totaltele.com/view.aspx?ID=449513|title=Yell.com App now available on App store|date=October 5, 2009|publisher=Total Telecom| access-date=11 November 2016}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.letsrecycle.com/news/latest-news/news-in-brief-480/|title=Yellow Pages targets reduced waste with smaller directory|date=February 16, 2010|publisher=Lets Recycle|access-date=11 November 2016}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/business/yells-new-building-something-shout-4221454|title=Yell's new building is something to shout about| author=David Millward|date=October 21, 2010| publisher=Get Reading|access-date=11 November 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thebusinessdesk.com/northwest/richard-hanscott-appointed-ceo-of-yell-uk.html|title=Richard Hanscott appointed CEO of Yell UK|date=June 29, 2011|publisher=he Business Desk|access-date=11 November 2016|archive-date=12 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161112014323/http://www.thebusinessdesk.com/northwest/richard-hanscott-appointed-ceo-of-yell-uk.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Yell’s parent company, Yell Group, announced in 2012 that it was changing its name to Hibu UK.<ref name=hibu/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/365272/08851040.pdf|title=Company Names Tribunal: Signed Order 08851040|publisher=assets.publishing.service.gov.uk|date=13 August 2014|accessdate=30 June 2021}}</ref> The company acquired Moonfruit, a DIY website company, purchased in May 2012 for £18m.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Solon |first=Olivia |title=Yell snaps up DIY website and shop builder Moonfruit for £18m |url=https://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2012-05/16/moonfruit-acquired-by-yell |magazine=Wired |access-date=23 May 2012 |date=16 May 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120519063049/http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2012-05/16/moonfruit-acquired-by-yell |archive-date=19 May 2012 }}</ref> On 18 August 2014,<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/yellow-pages-in-uturn-over-hibu-brand-9543137.html | location=London | work=The Independent | first=Gideon | last=Spanier | title=Yellow Pages in u-turn over Hibu brand | date=17 June 2014}}</ref> Hibu UK changed their customer-facing brand back to Yell. They re-launched with an updated range of products including websites, pay-per-click and display advertising. As of June 2015, Yell has created over 54,000 websites<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://business.yell.com/websites/ | title=Websites | date=9 October 2024 }}</ref> and managed 20,000 PPC campaigns<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://business.yell.com/ppc/|title=Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising}}</ref> for customers in the UK.
The company relaunched with updated websites, pay-per-click advertising and a new display advertising proposition.<ref name=hibu>{{cite web| url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/yellow-pages-in-u-turn-over-hibu-brand-9543137.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220507/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/yellow-pages-in-u-turn-over-hibu-brand-9543137.html |archive-date=7 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Yellow Pages in u-turn over Hibu brand| author=Gideon Spanier| date=June 17, 2014| publisher=Independent| access-date=11 November 2016}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Glassdoor named Richard Hanscott in November 2016 to its list of “Highest Rated CEOs in the United Kingdom”.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.glassdoor.com/Award/Highest-Rated-CEOs-UK-2015-LST_KQ0,26.htm|title=Highest Rated CEOs - UK|publisher=Glassdoor|access-date=11 November 2016}}</ref> In 2017, the company announced that the publishing of Yellow Pages on paper would cease.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-41125865|title=Yellow Pages to stop printing directory after 51-year run|publisher=BBC News|date=1 September 2017}}</ref> The final edition was published in January 2019 for Brighton.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://business.yell.com/media-centre/yell-becomes-purely-digital-business-final-publication-yellow-pages/|title=Yell to become a purely digital business with the announcement of the final publication of Yellow Pages|website=business.yell.com|date=1 September 2017|access-date=26 January 2021}}</ref>
Claire Miles, (formerly of Centrica), was announced as the new CEO in 2019.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.energylivenews.com/2019/08/01/centricas-smart-home-executive-to-step-down/|title= Centrica's smart home boss to step down|publisher=Energy Live News|date=1 August 2019}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210326005230/en/H.I.G.-Capital-Signs-Definitive-Agreement-to-Acquire-Hibu|title= H.I.G. Capital Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire Hibu |publisher=Business Wire|date=26 March 2021}}</ref>
In January 2023, Mark Clisby and Luke Taylor become Co-CEOs of Yell following Claire Mile's decision to step away from the company. <ref>{{cite news|url=https://bmmagazine.co.uk/in-business/almost-1m-uk-businesses-have-1000-or-less-in-savings/|title= News article referencing Mark Clisby |publisher=Business Matters|date=15 March 2023}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://yell.com Official website]
Category:Telephone directory publishing companies Category:1966 establishments in England Category:British companies established in 1966 Category:Publishing companies of the United Kingdom Category:Publishing companies established in 1966 Category:Telecommunications companies established in 1966 Category:Telecommunications companies of the United Kingdom Category:Marketing companies of the United Kingdom Category:Marketing companies established in 1966 Category:Companies based in Reading, Berkshire Category:Apax Partners companies