We know that Yelp is not always your favorite review platform, between the review filtering algorithm and negative reviews themselves. We don’t always love it either! But that doesn’t mean that you can ignore it. Yelp has become one of the most powerful and commonly used review-based directories. This is only reinforced by the fact that, in some markets, Google is showing your Yelp rating on your Google My Business page. On top of actually showing your Yelp rating on your listing, one of the primary variables in Google’s algorithm is based on your reviews online. This means that Yelp can negatively or positively affect your Google ranking. Because of this, we’ve come up with some great tips on how to optimize your Yelp profile.

Complete Your Business Profile

There are several benefits to fully utilizing Yelp. In some markets, Yelp can have a higher conversion rate, driving consumers to your site or even to call your store directly. This is why it’s important to claim and complete your profile. If you’re on our SEO program, we will actively go into Yelp and update your name, address, hours, and phone number to match your site. But if you’re not on an SEO program, be sure to fully claim and set up your Yelp page with the correct information.

Add Some Photos

Consumers love photos, especially personal ones! Consumers love to get a feel for a shop before they even go in. They want to know who they are working with and what the shop looks like before they make a decision. This is especially true on Yelp. Yelp’s data shows that “a business with 1-5 reviews and at least 10 photos sees 200% more users” than a business with the same amount of reviews and no photos. It’s simple to take and upload great photos. You can download our guide to taking great photos here and customize your Yelp profile today!

Interact with Your Reviewers

We’ve talked about this in several of our blogs including Kelly’s Tips To Improve Online Communication and Karole’s Making Your Reviews Work For You. We talk about it all the time because it’s important! When you interact with your reviewers by responding to their reviews, you are letting that customer and everyone else who reads it know that you care. This not only encourages new clients to leave reviews, but it gives you the opportunity to change a bad review into a positive one.

It’s time to stop ignoring Yelp, despite how you feel about it, and start making it work for you! Creating an engaging profile that drives traffic can help you improve your Google rankings and drive traffic into your shop. If you’re not sure where to start, contact your Account Manager today!