What Gelbe Seiten does

Gelbe Seiten is Germany’s leading online business directory, operated by DTM Deutsche Tele Medien GmbH (Frankfurt am Main) through a network of approximately 14 regional partner publishers (Partnerverlage) covering every German state. The platform serves two sides: German consumers searching for local businesses, tradespeople, healthcare providers, and professional services, and SMBs seeking online visibility. It is accessible via web, native iOS and Android apps, an Amazon Alexa Skill, and chatbot integrations on WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Apple Messages for Business, and the website. Beyond core directory listings, the platform integrates reviews (GoLocal, Meinungsmeister, TripAdvisor), accessibility mapping (Wheelmap), price comparison (billiger.de), restaurant reservations (resmio, speisekarte.de), digital flyers (Marktjagd/Offerista), and doctor appointment booking (Doctena). Content publishing includes Ratgeber advisory guides on health, home and garden, and legal topics, plus city-specific portals for major German cities.

The core technology stack is a centralized online directory with geolocation-enabled search, cross-platform messenging chatbots, and integrations managed through named service providers (Yext for knowledge management, C4all for telephony, Map & Route for navigation, Google Cloud for chat storage). The platform is compliant with GDPR, WCAG 2.2 accessibility standards, and the EU Digital Service Act (Article 16 content reporting). Map and route functionality is delivered under a portfolio of licensed patents (US 7,555,725; US 8,468,464; EP 1 433 132; EP 2 336 970; JP 5102124, among others).

The business model is freemium: businesses register for free basic listings (Grundeintrag), with SEO indexing and telephone consultation included. Premium paid entries (Kostenpflichtiger Unternehmenseintrag) cost EUR 358.80 per year (plus VAT) with a 3-month free trial, 12-month minimum term, and auto-renewal, offering up to five search keywords, improved ranking, ad-free display, and additional advertising reach. A custom premium tier (Individueller Premium Eintrag) provides tailored packages with non-binding consultation. Online advertising and partnerships with regional publishers supplement revenue. The platform reported more than 500 million accesses in the 12 months ending January 2024.

Name

Gelbe Seiten

Legal name

DTM Deutsche Tele Medien GmbH

Website

https://gelbeseiten.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Gelbe Seiten is Germany’s leading online business directory, operated by DTM Deutsche Tele Medien GmbH and a network of regional partner publishers, serving German consumers searching for local businesses and SMBs seeking online visibility. The platform combines web, mobile, voice, and messaging interfaces with freemium listings and premium subscriptions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Business Directory

NAICS

Web Search Portals and All Other Information Services (51929)

SIC

Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Search & Business Directories (BPAMAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Local & Location-Based Performance Advertising (Local Search/Maps, Geo-targeting) (BPAFACAL)

Keywords

• Online business directory
• Local search platform
• Business listing services
• Digital advertising solutions
• Local business marketing

Headquarters

HQ city

Frankfurt

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Premium Business Listings: Paid subscription for enhanced business directory entries with better ranking, ad-free display, keyword targeting (up to 5 search terms), and additional visibility through advertising. 12-month minimum contract with automatic renewal.
2. Free Basic Listings: Free directory entries for businesses including SEO indexing and telephone consultation. Serves as acquisition funnel for premium conversions.
3. Advertising: Online advertising solutions offered to businesses to increase visibility on the platform

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Gelbe Seiten is Germany's leading business directory platform that helps consumers find local businesses, service providers, and professionals across multiple industries. It offers free basic business listings and premium paid entries with enhanced visibility, accessible via web, mobile apps, voice assistants, and messaging platforms. The platform is jointly published by DTM Deutsche Tele Medien GmbH and regional partner publishers.

Product overview

Gelbe Seiten is Germany's leading business directory platform operated by DTM Deutsche Tele Medien GmbH and partner publishers. The offering consists of a core online directory platform accessible via web and native mobile apps (iOS/Android), complemented by voice search via Amazon Alexa Skill and messaging chatbots across WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Apple Messages for Business. Business listing products include a free Grundeintrag (Basic Entry) with fundamental company data and SEO release, a paid Kostenpflichtiger Unternehmenseintrag (Premium Business Entry) with enhanced keywords, ranking, and advertising features, and an Individueller Premium Eintrag (Custom Premium Entry) with tailored service packages. Additional product features include Doctena appointment booking for healthcare providers, free calling via C4all, GoLocal user reviews with social login, Local Tops personalized search results, and Wheelmap accessibility mapping. The platform reaches over 500 million annual accesses and covers comprehensive industry categories including healthcare, legal, trade, real estate, and specialty services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Premium Business Listing (Premiumeintrag) Paid premium business listing for SMBs that includes Premium Orange highlighting, premium counter, ranking block placement in the industry result list, free website creation, free photo service, SEAL of Quality certification, and an online appointment scheduler / booking tool. Priced at EUR 358.80/year plus VAT, with 3 months free for new premium customers. Targeted at local businesses seeking enhanced visibility and customer acquisition.
• Free Basic Business Listing (Grundeintrag) Free basic listing that lets any business appear in the Gelbe Seiten directory with company name, address, contact information, and category. Available at no cost to all businesses and serves as the entry point to the premium offering.
• Gelbe Seiten Mobile Apps (iOS and Android) Native iOS and Android applications that allow consumers to search the Gelbe Seiten directory from mobile devices, finding local businesses, contact details, and routing information. Designed for end consumers seeking local services on the go.
• Gelbe Seiten Voice Search via Amazon Alexa Amazon Alexa skill that lets users search for local businesses and services via voice commands, returning contact details and addresses from the Gelbe Seiten directory. Targeted at consumers using voice assistants.
• Business Messaging Service (WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Apple Messages for Business) Channel through which listed businesses can be contacted by consumers via WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Apple Messages for Business directly from the directory entry. Designed to connect consumers with local businesses through their preferred messaging platform.
• Webchat with Chatbot Web-based chat on the Gelbe Seiten website, supported by a chatbot for automated consumer inquiries about local businesses and services. Targeted at consumers using the website for local discovery.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ million accesses in past 12 months

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration22 records

AI capability3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• YextcoreTechnology or IntegrationYext Knowledge Engine supports management of public brand information across online platforms, helping businesses maintain consistent information and increase brand visibility.
• MeinungsmeistercoreTechnology or IntegrationReview management system that helps businesses collect authentic customer reviews. Generates 65 million visits per month through connected portals.
• Offerista Group (Marktjagd)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerDigital flyer and local offer distribution platform reaching up to 25 million consumers. Helps retailers target consumers with location-based promotions.
• GoLocalcoreTechnology or IntegrationReview portal and login community for submitting ratings and photos for businesses. Users can submit reviews directly on Gelbe Seiten.
• Varta-FührerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndependent hotel and restaurant guide with Varta-diamond ratings. Part of Germany's leading hospitality recommendation system.
• billiger.deminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPrice comparison portal partnership providing pricing information and comparison services.
• WheelmapminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWikipedia-style map for wheelchair-accessible places. Users can mark public locations by accessibility level.
• speisekarte.deminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRestaurant guide with search by dish or ingredients, ratings, and culinary blog content.
• Das TelefonbuchminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a related partner directory service, providing complementary telephone directory services.
• Das ÖrtlicheminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a related partner directory service, providing complementary local telephone directory services.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Tripadvisor: Global review and discovery platform integrated into Gelbe Seiten for restaurants and travel. Operates in an overlapping vertical (restaurant and travel discovery) with comparable user-generated review mechanics and SMB advertising revenue.
• Meinungsmeister: German review-management system that is already a strategic partner of Gelbe Seiten. Provides overlapping SMB reputation/review services and could become a more direct competitor if it expands its own discovery surface.
• Jameda: German doctor and medical appointment directory. Comparable vertical-specialized local directory model with paid premium listings for healthcare providers—a key vertical within Gelbe Seiten's industry catalog.
• Trustpilot: Review platform for SMBs with paid business plans. Comparable SMB-facing monetization in the reviews/reputation space that increasingly overlaps with directory discovery.

Direct peers

• Yelp: Global online business directory with reviews, premium business listings, and advertising. Directly comparable freemium directory monetization model and SMB customer base, even though Gelbe Seiten is regionally concentrated in Germany while Yelp operates primarily in the US.
• Das Örtliche: German local directory and telephone-book competitor that operates in the same space, even listed as a related partner in Gelbe Seiten's ecosystem. Directly comparable directory/publisher-network model serving German consumers and SMBs.
• 11880.com (11880 Telefonbuch): Germany's other major local business directory and telephone-book service, headquartered in Hamburg. Directly competes with Gelbe Seiten for German SMB premium listings and consumer local-search queries.
• Das Telefonbuch: German telephone and business directory, also referenced as a related partner directory in Gelbe Seiten's source material. Comparable directory/listing-revenue business targeting German local search.

Regional players

• PagesJaunes: France's leading printed and online business directory under the same global lineage. Operates the same legacy-to-digital directory model with premium SMB listings and local search, but in the French market rather than Germany.

Broad incumbents

• Google Business Profile: Google's free business-listing and local-search product embedded in Google Maps and Search. The dominant competitive incumbent in local search with overlapping directory functionality, vastly broader reach, and a free model that pressures Gelbe Seiten' premium tier.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/gelbeseiten
• Facebookfacebook.com/gelbeseiten
• Instagraminstagram.com/gelbe.seiten
• Pinterestpinterest.de/gelbeseiten_de
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gelbe-seiten

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gelbe Seiten