The Power of Yelp
A staggering 97% of consumers make a purchase or engage a service from a company within a week of finding it on Yelp. If you are a local or small business owner and you haven’t yet established a business page on Yelp, you’re missing out.
Yelp for business owners is one of the most extensive review platforms (there’s over 90 million Yelpers on the platform). It was created for local consumers who frequent local businesses across a number of service-based industries – from plumbers and electricians to even roofers and contractors.
Local service businesses like yours can create a free business profile on Yelp to engage with these potential customers, grow positive reviews, address negative reviews, and transform your business online. In some ways, review sites like Yelp serve as a vital platform for many local businesses who rely on word-of-mouth and referrals.
Get started on Yelp.com today.
In this article, we will review the various costs to consider when creating and using a Yelp business account and how you can get yours started off on the right foot!
Signpost is used by thousands of small service businesses to build a trusted reputation online with reviews, including those on Yelp. Let us show you how our review software works.
Yelp Costs by Features
First things first, it’s totally free to set up a Yelp business page.
Through your free listing, you can display your business name, address, contact information, and other critical information. Customers can also leave ratings and user reviews on your business page that is public for everyone to see.
As a small or local business, a Yelp account presents a free opportunity to grow your online reviews and online marketing. However, to make the best of the platform, your business may consider investing in some of the additional features that Yelp has to offer. This includes Yelp’s advertising via the Yelp app and platform.
The average monthly cost of advertising on Yelp, should you make full use of its features, is approximately $899.
These features include:
PPC advertising: PPC will position your business name and Yelp profile at the top of search results for related keywords. It works on a similar concept to a Google Ads campaign, but the costs may be higher on Yelp due to its niche nature.
Target audience: This feature allows you to define your target audience, and then cater ads to them on the basis of location and keyword; this will also ensure your ad is shown to customers who are the most likely to engage with your business and are ready to buy.
Custom ads: You can customize the ad model and reach depending on your goals and your budget.
Tracks results: Yelp works in sync with your business goals by tracking the results of your campaigns and key metrics on its dashboard.
Budget setting: You can spend as little as $5 per day to get your ad started. You also have the option to adjust the budget or pause the ad campaign any time you want through Yelp’s budget setting feature.
Yelp Connect: Yelp Connect is the social element of the review platform. As with Facebook Pages and other platforms, you can pay to engage with users through posts on your business page. Yelp Connect posts appear to everyone visiting your business page and can also be promoted to followers on the app or via email.
5 Essential Tips When You’re Just Starting Out on Yelp
It can be a little challenging to navigate the different functions of review sites when you’re just getting started. But don’t worry—stick to these five main tips as you get started for a smooth beginning to your business journey on Yelp!
1. Find and claim your business listing
The first thing to do is check if your business is already listed on Yelp.
If your business is already on Yelp, you must now claim your business listing! This verifies your profile and adds credibility to your business. As customers peruse listings, they’re more likely to engage a business that’s verified and claimed as it lets them know that you’re a legitimate, up-and-running business.
Claiming your listing is easy. Simply go to Yelp for Businesses, click on “Verify my free listing,” and you’re on your way!
2. Add all current and accurate business information
The next thing to do is update your business information. If you want to be sure Yelp users connect with your business in the right way, you have to provide the accurate details of your business.
Ensure you provide the following details:
Your business name
Your business description
Photos that give visitors a sense of your services
Your business categories
The physical address or service area
Hours of operation, including holiday hours
Contact information, such as the phone number and email
Your website address
More business info section: Here, you could add other necessary details like payment information
3. Link your Yelp page to other marketing platforms
There is no denying that Yelp is a powerful platform. With over 90 million consumers and counting, it’s a great way for small and local businesses to get their name out there and drive business.
Many businesses overlook the opportunity to connect your Yelp page to other social media sites and platforms, like Facebook, Twitter, and Google Business profile. By doing so, your business can take advantage of the traffic, SEO benefits, and growth coming in through the Yelp community.
4. Respond to all your reviews (even the negative ones)
Customer reviews, both positive and negative reviews, are incredibly powerful. They represent the customer’s viewpoint of and experience with your business and its offerings, and act as an important source of social proof when new customers think of your business. Nailing your business reviews is important, and Yelp makes that possible.
A bad review can be handled well through an empathic and smart response that also shows your business side of the story. Take inspiration from this one.
You can directly respond to and engage with customer reviews on the platform, showing your customers what your brand stands for and how much they matter to you.
With positive reviews, you can thank the customer for showing their support and taking the time to write the review. When handling negative reviews, make sure to reply promptly and be sensitive to the customer’s feedback.
Both scenarios give your business the opportunity to drive a positive first impression with Yelpers visiting your page for the first time.
5. Never pay for fake positive online reviews
Desperate times call for desperate measures. For some businesses, this means enlisting the help of agencies or fake reviewers to write positive online reviews that are not authentic. Sounds fishy? You would be surprised how many businesses engage with fake reviews in order to boost the visibility of their business.
Yelp has strict content guidelines in place to ensure that fake and fraudulent reviews do not see the light of the day. While it may be tempting to resort to this tactic to get your business name out there, especially if the momentum is slow initially, it’s unethical.
You risk losing your Yelp listing and tarnishing your business’s reputation by engaging with fake reviewers, so we encourage you to steer clear of that path and only engage with authentic, real customers online.
Master the Art of Yelp with Signpost’s Help
We understand how challenging it can be for local businesses to get started on review sites. That’s why we’re here to help you navigate the world of reviews and manage your online reputation.
If you need review management software for your business without the headache, Signpost is a cost-effective solution. Start a demo today.