The DOs and DON'Ts of Yelp for Business Owners
DO focus on great customer service — that’s the secret to success on Yelp.
Yelp exists to show off customer experiences as they are. More smiles mean more great reviews.
Yelpers write positive reviews much more often than critical reviews; most reviews are four or five stars.
Critical reviews can be an opportunity to build goodwill with your customers. Show your customers you care by listening to them and responding to reviews on Yelp.
DON’T interfere with the natural flow of reviews.
Don’t write reviews for your own business or of competitors – our Content Guidelines prohibit it.
Don’t offer freebies, discounts, or payment in exchange for reviews.
Don’t work with companies offering to “fix your reviews”.
Don’t ask anyone to write reviews of your business, that includes friends, family, and customers.
Don’t pressure (or pay, or bully, or sue) people into changing or removing critical reviews.
DO put your best foot forward in your Yelp profile.
Claim your page to get a visible checkmark telling users that you engage with the Yelp community.
Make sure users can find you: Verify your address, map pin, phone number, and website, and submit any changes.
Before you get your first review, your customers will see the “From The Business Owner” section front and center — this is your chance to tell your business’s story in your own words.
Submit appropriate categories for your page to ensure it appears more often in relevant search results.
Our users are very visual; add beautiful photos to capture their attention.
DO engage with Yelpers.
Respond to reviews and address concerns when you see them. Our study shows that responding to critical reviews increases the chances of an upgrade to that review’s rating.
Take advantage of free tools like Request A Quote, to connect with future customers and grow your business.
Report reviews that may violate Yelp's Content Guidelines.
DO tell your customers that you’re on Yelp.
Display Yelp's branding to all of your customers; request some free Yelp signage, or show off your People Love Us On Yelp sticker if you’ve earned it!
Embed your favorite reviews on your website, share them on social media, and link back to your Yelp page.
Tell your customers to “Find us on Yelp”, but be careful not to ask them for a review.
