Yelp averages about 120 million unique monthly visitors, ranking among the top review platforms. Additionally, 77% of Yelp users are likely to recommend a product should they like it, compared to 62% among social media users.
As such, Yelp reviews foster e-commerce success by boosting your brand’s online presence and attracting potential leads.
This article covers everything you need to know about how to get Yelp reviews.
TL;DR – How to Get Reviews on Yelp
Too busy to read the full article at this time?
Here’s a brief overview of practical tips to get positive reviews on Yelp:
- Promote your Yelp profile on other platforms
- Encourage customers to submit their reviews
- Respond to customer testimonials
- Encourage users to find your profile on Yelp
- Update your Yelp business page regularly
- Add the review link to your email signature
- Deliver exceptional customer service
- Use feedback forms
- Use Yelp features and advertising
- Train your staff on how to request reviews
Continue to the following sections to learn more about collecting Yelp reviews.
Need a quick way to collect Yelp reviews?
Use our SociableKIT widget to embed Yelp reviews on your website. The add-on is easy to set up and customize, even for users without coding skills. Also, the widget refreshes regularly, ensuring fresh customer testimonials reflect on your site.
Create a SociablekIT Yelp widget today.
5 Benefits of Yelp Reviews for Businesses
Does your business have a verified Yelp profile? If not, you are missing out on one of the best low-effort-high-return marketing tools.
Let’s explore how Yelp reviews can benefit your business:
1. Increased Visibility
Yelp reviews help your business rank among the top brands in your selected category, increasing visibility to potential leads.
Yelp reviews also boost your SEO, as Yelp pages rank well in search engine results. This provides another way to grab visitors’ attention when they search your business name or business category on various search engines.
2. Social Proof and Trustworthiness
Are Yelp reviews worth the hype for your business?
Yes. Each positive review builds customer confidence in the quality of your products and services, encouraging potential leads to contact your business.
Additionally, you can upload photos and videos on your Yelp account to showcase your products, customer service, or premises to inculcate trust in your brand.
3. Insight into Customer Behavior
Yelp reviews help you identify changes in customer preferences and buying behaviors, which allows you to evolve your strategy for more conversions.
You can also review customer feedback to learn what they dislike about your business and identify areas for improvement.
4. Increased Customer Engagement
Leverage your Yelp reviews to initiate engagement with customers and potential leads.
Responding to Yelp reviews shows customers you value their feedback, which helps endear them to your brand.
5. Access to Yelp Partner Programs
Yelp holds regular events (sometimes monthly) that allow businesses to connect with their customers in real life.
Building a reputation on Yelp allows you to apply for or earn an invitation for your business to the events.
You can then set up a booth where potential leads can have hands-on experience with your products, which can help you convert the leads into sales.
How to Get Yelp Reviews
Yelp reviews can help amplify your brand’s online presence and stimulate engagement with your target audience.
Below, we outline actionable tips for getting Yelp reviews.
1. Promote Your Yelp Profile on Other Platforms
Share your Yelp profile and review links on your socials to encourage users to rate your business.
Alternatively, when customers post reviews, you can also request them to use the share button on your Yelp business page to post your profile link on social media. This will likely draw visitors to your Yelp profile and spark engagement with other users.
Another way is to add Yelp reviews to your site using a widget that you can customize to suit your website theme.
Our platform, SociableKIT, helps you embed Yelp reviews on your web pages using a widget. It is a no-code solution, so you do not need to have coding skills to set it up.
Create a SociableKIT Yelp Reviews widget and display your customers’ feedback on your site.
2. Encourage Customers to Submit their Reviews
Note: Yelp prohibits soliciting positive reviews or requesting testimonials from friends and family.
You can request your clients to rate your products (or services) on Yelp. However, the messaging should be subtle to comply with Yelp policies and guidelines.
Instead, explain to buyers how collecting Yelp reviews increases your visibility to other users.
3. Respond to Customer Testimonials
It is human nature to expect a reaction after a compliment, and the same applies to Yelp reviewers.
A Yelp survey showed that customers were 70% likely to submit feedback if they saw the business account respond to other reviews.
As such, responding to Yelp reviews, positive or negative, encourages future customers to submit their testimonials.
4. Encourage Users to Find Your Profile on Yelp
Use in-store signage to invite visitors to check your Yelp profile.
For example, you can convert your Yelp review link into a QR code that customers can scan to open your profile.
Alternatively, Yelp provides free “Find us on Yelp” stickers for businesses to display on their premises or service vehicles to draw attention to their Yelp profiles.
5. Update Your Yelp Business Page Regularly
Maintaining your profile informs users that you are active on the platform, enticing them to submit their reviews.
The first step should be to verify your Yelp profile to assure users that the provided business information is accurate. Next, review your profile regularly to ensure the details are up-to-date.
This includes updating your business information to accommodate temporary schedule changes. For example, suppose your store extends its operating hours on the eve of major holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. Update your Yelp profile to reflect the new opening and closing hours.
6. Add the Review Link to Your Email Signature
Use your email signature to promote your Yelp profile to your contacts. For example, you can include a link to your Yelp review form or page.
Alternatively, a simple “Find us on Yelp” in your signature would inform your contacts that you have a Yelp Profile.
7. Deliver Exceptional Customer Service
As of Q1 2024, about 70% of all Yelp reviews were 4 or 5 stars. Also, about 54% of businesses on Yelp had a 4-star rating or higher.
Why are these numbers significant?
They show that happy customers are the most likely to spare time to submit feedback.
As such, providing memorable customer service is the best way to inspire clients to recommend your business on Yelp.
8. Use Feedback Forms
Feedback surveys are an ingenious way to gather Yelp reviews without seeming coercive. It shows that your business is not only interested in collecting Yelp reviews but also wants to identify ways to improve service delivery.
Prepare a concise feedback survey form that customers can complete in only a few minutes. At the end of the survey, add a review request and include your Yelp review link.
Satisfied customers will likely submit a positive review. If some customers raise issues in the feedback form, address their complaints and then request a review.
9. Use Yelp Features and Advertising
If you recently joined Yelp, your profile likely has only a few reviews, which could hinder your visibility.
Subscribe to Yelp’s advertising packages to reach a broader audience. Placing an ad on Yelp means your business page appears as part of the top results, enhancing your visibility to potential leads and reviewers.
10. Train Your Staff on How to Request Reviews
Enlighten your team on the benefits of Yelp reviews, including their crucial role in collecting customer feedback.
For example, you can coach your sales representatives on requesting Yelp reviews after closing a deal. Part of the training should also involve handling customer complaints.
Team members should proactively resolve pending issues to create opportunities for collecting reviews.
Common Mistakes to Avoid when Seeking Yelp Reviews
Gathering customer feedback is a great way to strengthen your online presence and fortify your social proof. However, businesses often fall into common pitfalls when pursuing Yelp reviews, including violating Yelp policies.
Let’s delve into common mistakes to avoid when collecting Yelp reviews.
- Neglecting your Yelp profile: Running a Yelp business page is not a one-time event. Details that may have been initially accurate could become redundant over time because of changes in operations.
Not updating your profile means you risk misleading users, which could taint your image.
- Not acknowledging customer feedback: Ignoring your customer reviews, especially negative ones, could be misconstrued as not valuing feedback. Potential leads could also become skeptical about your customer service.
- Being overly aggressive with your requests: Avoid coercing customers to submit their Yelp reviews. Being overbearing could turn off even loyal customers, as they want to avoid a repeat experience.
- Bribing for reviews: Yelp has stringent rules against buying reviews. For instance, you cannot offer free products and services in exchange for positive reviews. Otherwise, you risk account suspension or a permanent ban.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Below, we answer commonly asked questions about gathering Yelp reviews.
How Can I Showcase Yelp Reviews on My Website to Attract More Customers?
Use SociableKIT’s Yelp Reviews widget to showcase customer feedback on your web pages. The add-on is easy to customize and allows you to manage customer testimonials to boost engagement.
Is it Beneficial to Claim My Yelp Business Page?
Yes. Claiming your Yelp page gives you control over your profile, allowing you to provide accurate information about your business.
Also, Yelp includes a ‘Claimed’ label on verified Yelp pages, strengthening your credibility.
How Can I Find the Most Up-to-Date Version of Yelp’s Review Policies?
Visit Yelp’s website for the latest updates regarding their review policies. The platform has dedicated sections highlighting its content guidelines, terms of service, and privacy policy.
Also, Yelp has separate guidelines – Respond-to-Review (R2R) API Policies – that govern how businesses handle customer feedback on the platform.
Conclusion – How to Get More Yelp Reviews
Gathering Yelp reviews offers a practical way to accelerate your online visibility and attract potential buyers’ attention to your business.
Considering the expected benefits, businesses must take deliberate steps to get more reviews on Yelp.
We have discussed the most practical tips to garner convincing reviews on Yelp. We also recommend displaying Yelp reviews on your site to attract visitor engagement.
Create a SociableKIT Yelp Reviews widget and join thousands of business owners who use our add-on to integrate their reviews into their web pages.
