Why Should I Create and Update My Business Account on Yelp?
Yelp is local business and service search engine and social network that uses a rating system based on user reviews - and it is a major tool for small businesses to be found.
If you run a local business like a restaurant, or a dry cleaning service, Yelp should be an essential cornerstone of your online presence.
History
Launched back in 2004, Yelp continues to be the go-to resource for millions of visitors looking for information about local businesses.
In 2011, Apple's iPhone 4S introduced Siri with the ability to display results from Yelp. There were a few issues with the system, but a year later Apple solved the problem and now millions of Apple user are connected to Yelp Results on a daily basis. With over 60 million registered users and over 20 million reviews posted on the site, Yelp is still a dominant force when it comes to social review sites.
The Features of Yelp That Make It Worthwhile:
Profile
Yelp offers you a free profile similar to any other social media site. You can easily update all of your business information, including personal information about the business owner and business photos.
It then offers a safe place for your customers to rate and review the business or service. Positive reviews on Yelp add a huge amount of social proof for your business, and increase your star rating. But customer reviews actually hold much more value than that.
Reviews
Positive reviews on Yelp can be taken and used on your personal website. You can grab some of the best quotes and feature them on your website, citing the reviewer’s first name. This reinforces the social proof when visitors take that extra step to check out your website.
Believe it or not, negative reviews present a valuable opportunity for you as well. Whether you agree with the critique or not, negative reviews bring up points of concern about your business that you may have overlooked. Use this constructive criticism to improve your customers’ experience. Also, take it one step further and respond to the negative review and show your customers you care, and you are easy to talk to.
But don't forget, its always good to take the time and respond thoughtfully to the positive reviews as well!
The bottom line is, your visibility as the owner within the Reviews section will do a lot to set you apart from your competition—mainly because nobody else is doing it!
Tracking and Metrics
Business owners on Yelp gain access to detailed metrics about their business’s performance on Yelp. Here you can track the amount of traffic your Yelp profile receives and also see how many times your business showed up in search results on Yelp.
Tracking “User Actions” gives you an even closer look at how visitors are engaging with your business on Yelp. Actions include things like clicks to your website, mobile check-ins, photos uploaded, etc.
Advertising and Coupons
After you start getting comfortable with Yelp and have an updated profile with reviews, you'll start to notice when you visit your profile, there's someone else's business listed right in the middle of your profile. This will be a big turn off for some people - but don't let it scare you away! Having your profile up is entirely free, and even with that advertisement, your profile will be beneficial to your company.
Watch your detailed metrics about your business’s performance on Yelp, and consider advertising your business on Yelp. While I firmly believe you can find great success on Yelp using the free offering explained above, purchasing advertising placements on Yelp brings a few compelling benefits, like:
- Removal of competitors’ ads on your business page
- Enhanced photo slideshow
- Video on your profile
Another idea is to run a Yelp Deal, which allows you to offer coupons to your Yelp audience. Although Yelp keeps 30% of the discounted price, Yelp Deals make your listing more attractive to visitors, and could prove to have a solid return on investment, especially when you use your Yelp metrics to guide the timing of your Yelp Deals.
Have you spent any time building a Yelp profile for your small business? Leave a comment below and let us know your experience and what you think of Yelp!