Article Contents
What is Yelp?
Yelp is an online urban city guide that helps people find cool places to eat, shop, drink, relax and play, based on the informed opinions of a vibrant and active community of locals in the know. Yelp is the fun and easy way to find, review and talk about what’s great — and not so great — in your world. –yelp.com
Why Use Yelp?
Yelp currently experiences around 71 million monthly users with about 40% of all searches coming from mobile devices. If you have ever asked Siri on your iPhone for a recommendation on where to eat you have probably noticed that she will return results from Yelp.
What’s Important In My Yelp Listing?
When creating a listing for Yelp the focus will be on four main elements: Yelp deals, hours and website, business description, and photos.
Deals
Yelp deals are a tactic to attract Yelpers to your business. Get creative with Yelp deals, they don’t necessarily have to be of monetary value. A Yelp check-in could be rewarded with a public announcement or even something as simple as a high-five. More important than free stuff is establishing a relationship with your customers and a creative and unique offer can go along way.
Hours & Website
This seems like a simple and obviously useful bit of information and yet not every Yelp listing includes them. By listing your hours of operation users are able to plan more effectively and remember that a large part of Yelp searches are from mobile devices meaning these individuals are ready to go. The link to your website also adds SEO value as a backlink.
Business Description
Yelp is a community, and a business description helps tell the story of your business. Use this space to tell Yelp users something about your business they won’t be able to find anywhere else. Give your business a personalty, humanize your business. Keep this area updated as well.
Photos
We have discussed the importance of professional photos before. Photos speak to the experience of your business in a way that written words simple cannot. Think of what kind of experience your business gives to your customers and portray that in your photos. If you are an upscale restaurant you’d probably have photos of a nicely dressed couple enjoying some wine with dinner. A family atmosphere should have photos with happy children. Be sure your photos tell the story you want the viewer to remember.
Do you use Yelp? How have your customers responded? Share with us in the comments.
