Reputation Management: The Importance of Yelp! Reviews
Most of our clients work hard to get positive Google reviews. It’s a good strategy, as Google reviews appear prominently in search engine results and can significantly influence a customer’s decision to do business with you.
The Google ecosystem is woven into our everyday lives, with 4.3 billion worldwide users and over 8.5 billion searches per day. However, while Google has its own rating system, when it comes to reputation management, there is another platform that should not be overlooked – Yelp!
What is Yelp!?
Yelp! is an online review platform that allows customers to leave reviews about businesses they have interacted with. It was launched in 2004 and has since become one of the go-to websites for customers looking for reviews on businesses before making a purchase or booking a service. Yelp! also offers additional features such as restaurant reservations, food delivery, and more.
The Power of Yelp! Reviews
Yelp! reviews hold a lot of power in influencing potential customers. According to a 2020 survey of U.S. online customers, 94 percent of respondents stated that positive reviews made them more likely to use a business.
This shows that potential customers are actively seeking out reviews on Yelp! before deciding to do business with a company.
Moreover, businesses with higher ratings on Yelp! tend to see more success as customers trust the opinions of others when making purchasing decisions.
Managing Your Reputation on Yelp!
With the influence of Yelp! reviews on potential customers, it is crucial for businesses to actively manage their reputation on the platform. This includes regularly monitoring and responding to reviews, both positive and negative.
By engaging with your customers through review responses, you not only show that you value their opinions but also have the opportunity to address any issues they may have had. This can lead to improved customer satisfaction and potentially turn a negative review into a positive one.
Encouraging Positive Yelp! Reviews
One way to ensure your business has a strong presence on Yelp! is by actively encouraging happy customers to leave reviews.
This can be accomplished with promotional materials, social media posts, or even offering incentives for leaving reviews. One of our clients had us design colorful business cards with a QR code that sends customers directly to their preferred review platform. They give these to every customer after completing work for them.
Reputation management solutions like Grade.us or Birdeye can also help businesses gather and manage reviews from multiple platforms, including Yelp!. These solutions have tools to automate review requests and monitor your business’s online reputation.
They can also help filter out ratings lower than a pre-set threshold to allow you to respond to a customer’s negative review before it is published. This can prevent a negative review from damaging your overall rating. It can also help you turn a dissatisfied customer into a lifelong customer by showing that you listen and respond to their complaints.
Yelp! Reviews Impact Your Business’s Reputation
Yelp! reviews have a direct impact on your business’s reputation. If your business has a large percentage of negative reviews, potential customers are very likely to look elsewhere for a more reputable option. 92 percent of Yelp! users responded that negative reviews made them less likely to patronize a local business in a recent survey by Statista.
This highlights the importance of getting positive Yelp! reviews for your business. The more positive Yelp! reviews your business has, the more likely potential customers will choose your business over your competitors.
Yelp! Helps You Understand Your Customers
Yelp! reviews can offer valuable insights into your customers’ experiences with your business. You can use Yelp! reviews to better understand what your customers are looking for, identify areas of improvement, and make better-informed decisions about your business.
This can help you make changes that will drive customer satisfaction and loyalty in the long run.
Yelp! Reviews Impact Your Search Rankings
Yelp! reviews can influence your business’s search rankings on popular search engines like Google. If your business has a large percentage of positive Yelp! reviews, it’s more likely to appear at the top spots on search engines.
This highlights the importance of staying active on Yelp! reviewing platforms and ensuring that responses to customer feedback are prompt, polite, and professional.
The Main Reason You Need to Get Yelp! Reviews: Apple Maps Shows Yelp! Reviews, Not Google Reviews
If you use the Apple Maps app on an iPhone, it will show Yelp! reviews instead of Google’s in its search results. This means that even if you have a large number of positive Google reviews, they won’t be displayed on the Maps app for iPhone users. To ensure that your business has a good reputation on all platforms, it is essential to maintain and monitor your Yelp! reviews.
Since many iPhone users make purchasing decisions based on the ratings in the Maps search results, you need to work as hard on getting positive Yelp! reviews as you do getting Google reviews.
Should You Focus on Yelp! Reviews Over Google Reviews?
It’s really not an either/or proposition – it’s a both/and.
Both Google and Yelp! reviews are essential for building a strong online reputation. It’s important to focus on getting positive reviews on both platforms, as each has its own unique benefits.
While Google reviews may impact your search rankings and visibility, Yelp! reviews have a significant influence on customers’ purchasing decisions. By maintaining a good presence on both platforms, you can maximize the potential of having a strong online reputation.
B2C businesses tend to benefit more from Yelp! reviews, while B2B businesses may see more impact from Google reviews. But no matter your industry or target audience, having positive reviews on both platforms can only benefit your business in the long run.
And don’t forget about other ranking platforms like TripAdvisor, Facebook, and industry-specific platforms – they all contribute to your overall online reputation. You should focus on one or two that provide the most benefit to your industry. So make sure to monitor and manage your reviews on these platforms as well.
Check Your Ranking Frequently
If you don’t know how you currently rank in Yelp! for your top 10 targeted keywords – find out! If you have an iPhone, open the Maps app and enter a search term that your customers would typically use to find you.
For example, if you are a plumber, type in “plumber” and then select the “Search Nearby’ result. This is how the majority of Apple Maps users use the app.
Make a note of the following details:
- Search Ranking Position
- Number of Yelp! Reviews
- Your Overall Star Rating
- Your Number of Reviews on Yelp! (in () next to Star Rating
Reviews are a Quantity AND a Quality Game
Review quantity and quality both matter when it comes to reviews, whether on Yelp!, Google, Facebook, or elsewhere.
Having 100% 5-star reviews when you have fewer than ten reviews is far less impressive than a competitor with 90 of their 100 reviews being 5-star ratings. The perception is that they are doing something right for a larger group of customers.
Similarly, having a large quantity of reviews can also create a positive impression on potential customers, even if they are not all 5-star reviews. After all, having a few negative reviews among many positive ones shows that your business is authentic and not dishonestly filtering out bad feedback.
How Does Yelp! Determine Search Results Ranking?
While Yelp! does not reveal its exact algorithm for ranking search results, it is believed that factors like proximity to the user’s location, review quantity and quality, and overall rating play a role.
This is why actively managing your Yelp! reviews and encouraging satisfied customers to leave their feedback is essential for improving your business’s visibility on the platform.
No Yelp! Reviews? Let’s Fix That!
If your business has no or very few Yelp! reviews, it’s time to start working on building your presence on the platform. Start by claiming your business page and filling out all relevant information. This includes your business hours, location, contact information, and details about your services or products.
Next, encourage customers to leave reviews by including a link to your Yelp! page in your email signature, on your website, and in any promotional materials. A reputation management solution like Grade.us or Birdeye can streamline the review solicitation process and give you more control over the reviews and ratings that are ultimately published.
Consider offering incentives for leaving reviews or reaching out to satisfied customers personally to ask for their feedback. But if you do, be careful not to use a quid pro quo incentive, which is against Yelp! ‘s terms of service. It’s better to enter reviewers into a monthly drawing for something of value. Winners should be picked at random to avoid any perception of bias.
Yelp! Reviews Are A Valuable Marketing Tool
Positive Yelp! reviews can act as powerful endorsements for your business. Potential customers are more likely to trust the unbiased opinions of other customers than promotional content. Incorporating Yelp! reviews into your marketing strategy can help build customer loyalty, boost sales, and enhance your brand reputation.
How to manage Yelp! Reviews
It’s essential to actively manage Yelp! reviews to protect your business reputation. Here’s what you can do to manage Yelp! reviews:
- Respond to all reviews, negative or positive, within 24 hours to show your customers that you value their feedback.
- Personalize your responses – address the customer by name, acknowledge their concerns, and offer to take corrective measures if necessary and warranted.
- Encourage happy customers to leave Yelp! reviews by including links to your Yelp! page in follow-up emails or providing incentives.
- Utilize Yelp! ‘s advertising services to take control of your Yelp profile, or engage with a reputation management agency specializing in managing Yelp! reviews.
- Keep an eye on your competitors’ Yelp! reviews to stay informed of their strengths and weaknesses.
Conclusion:
Yelp! reviews are essential to your business’s online presence and can significantly impact your search rankings on popular search engines. It’s crucial to actively manage and monitor your Yelp! reviews, respond promptly and professionally and encourage satisfied customers to share their feedback.
By incorporating Yelp! reviews into your marketing strategy, you can build customer trust and loyalty and ultimately drive sales for your business. So, don’t neglect Yelp! in your online reputation management efforts, and make sure to keep a close eye on how you rank in search results for your targeted keywords.
With the right approach, your Yelp! reviews can be valuable marketing tools and help elevate your business’s success.
Javelin Reputation Management Solutions
At Javelin, we know the importance of online reviews in maintaining and advancing your brand. That’s why we offer comprehensive reputation management assistance that helps businesses monitor, manage, and improve their online presence on platforms like Yelp!, Google, Facebook, and others.
We work closely with each client to develop a tailored strategy that aligns with their business goals. From review solicitation and response management to competitive analysis and advertising, our services cover all aspects of online reputation management.
So, if you’re looking to improve your business’s Yelp! reviews and overall online reputation, contact Javelin today. We have the expertise and resources to help you stand out in a sea of competitors and attract more customers to your business.
Javelin – Your Reputation Management Partner
Looking for more ways to create and manage an effective digital marketing strategy? Javelin can help! Contact us today and put Javelin’s expertise and experience to work for you!