If you’ve used the internet to find reviews for a business, you know what Yelp reviews are. Founded in 2004, this online review site lets you see reviews for all types of companies—from restaurants and gas stations to spas, bars, saloons and everything in between.
Yelp can be a great benefit for business owners. As of December 2020, there were 224 million reviews overall, and more than 145 million people read Yelp business reviews every month. That means around 45% of online consumers looking for reviews check Yelp before they buy!
How does Yelp work?
Yelp relies on star ratings, written reviews and photos left by customers to help their users make purchasing decisions. Available on the web, iOS and Android platforms, business listings on Yelp are sorted according to type. Those listings can then be filtered according to price range, geographical locations and even further for features like outdoor seating or delivery services.
How to get more Yelp reviews
So now you know how helpful these reviews can be to your business, and you’re wondering how to get more Yelp reviews... or even how to get better Yelp reviews.
There are a few ways you can increase your number of reviews and one important way you can’t. Yelp guidelines prohibit businesses from directly asking customers to write a review on Yelp or from offering anything in exchange for a review.
But it’s not just customers! You also can’t ask mailing list subscribers, family or friends to review your business. Yelp actively looks for reviews that appear to have been requested or faked. If you violate the rules, you may receive a Consumer Alert on your business page or a search ranking penalty that decreases the number of customers that see your listing.
So how do you get more Yelp reviews without violating guidelines?
- You can’t receive positive ratings if you don’t provide great service 100% of the time. Ensure that customer experience is satisfactory, regardless of whether you expect a Yelp rating or not.
- While you can’t ask customers for a review, you can let them know your business is listed on Yelp. A casual “Check us out on Yelp” encourages reviews without violating policy.
- Let customers know about your Yelp presence by adding the Yelp logo to all your printed and digital content. You can’t add a Review us on Yelp button to your website, but you can use snippets of code provided by Yelp called Review Badges to alert users to your profile.
- If you have a physical location, you can even paste an official “Find us on Yelp! sticker to your cash register!
Whatever you do, follow Yelp’s guidelines for using logos, reviews and star ratings.
How to write a Yelp review
With all the indirect encouragement you’ll be giving customers, someone may ask you how to leave a Yelp review. Be prepared!
Posting Yelp reviews on desktop
For desktop users, instruct them to open a browser, and
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- Go to the Yelp website.
- In the search bar, type the business name you want to review and select.
- Click “Write a Review.”
- Next, you’ll see five empty star icons. Select your preferred rating: 1 star for terrible service and 5 stars if everything was great!
- If you have something to say, you can add comments. (Tip: You can see the business’s other reviews on the right side of the page.)
- Click “Upload” if you want to attach an image.
- When you’re good to go, click “Post Review.”
Posting Yelp reviews on iOS and Android
For your customers on the go, leaving a Yelp review on mobile is just as easy:
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- Download the Yelp app.
- In the app’s search bar, type the business name you want to review and select.
- Click “Write a Review.”
- Tap the stars icons to rate the business.
- Type out your comments.
- Select the camera icon to attach an image.
- When you’re done, click “Post Review.”
How to add your business to Yelp
Listing your business on Yelp might be just what you need to boost sales and revenue. Clients have easy access to your contact information, mapped location and business description. And you’ll win over prospective clients with reviews left by your satisfied customers. To list your business, just
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- Open the Yelp app.
- Tap the “More” icon on the bottom right.
- Select “Add Business.”
- Select “I work at the business” if you own or work for this business. Otherwise, select “I’m a customer.”
- Fill in the name, address and business category field. You can also add the opening hours, phone number and website address to improve the chances of your business getting accepted.
- When you’re all done, click “Send.”
When used correctly, Yelp can help you take your business to the next level. But you don’t have to do it alone! Yelp wants you to succeed on their platform and provides many great resources to help you.
