Yelp is different from every other review site, and many business owners learn that the hard way. They ask a few happy customers to leave reviews, the reviews disappear into a “not currently recommended” section, and the page still shows the one angry review from last spring. It feels unfair, but it’s how Yelp is designed.
Yelp review management works with Yelp’s rules instead of against them. That means a complete, accurate business page, thoughtful replies to every review, careful reporting of reviews that break Yelp’s guidelines, and never doing the things that get a business flagged.
What our Yelp review management services include
The service focuses on what Yelp allows and rewards:
- A complete business page. Your free Yelp business account claimed and filled in: hours, services, photos, specialties and accurate contact details.
- Replies to every review. Public replies that thank reviewers and address concerns, plus private messages where a direct conversation will help.
- Reporting. Reviews that break Yelp’s content guidelines, such as conflicts of interest, harassment or reviews about another business, reported with a clear explanation.
- Policy-safe visibility. Reminders that you’re on Yelp, such as a “Find us on Yelp” sign or link, without asking anyone for a review.
- Monitoring. New reviews caught quickly, with a monthly summary of your rating, volume and any recurring themes.
Why you shouldn’t ask for Yelp reviews
Unlike Google, Yelp tells businesses not to ask for reviews at all. Its reasoning is that solicited reviews tend to be biased, and its automated recommendation software is designed to filter them out.
That’s why reviews from customers you asked often end up in the “not currently recommended” section. Asking for Yelp reviews rarely helps and can hurt.
What you can do is let customers know you’re on Yelp, through your website, a sign at the counter or a link in your email footer, and let the reviews come on their own.
Not sure whether your Yelp page is helping or hurting? Request a free audit.
The recommendation software
Yelp’s software decides which reviews to show as recommended, based on factors like the reviewer’s activity and history. Reviews from new or rarely active accounts are often not recommended, even if they’re genuine.
You can’t influence the software directly, and paying for Yelp advertising doesn’t change which reviews are shown. The best strategy is to keep providing good service and let real Yelp users find and review you over time.
Consumer Alerts and what triggers them
Yelp places Consumer Alerts on business pages when it finds suspicious review activity, such as reviews that appear bought or coordinated. An alert sits on your page for a period of time and tells every visitor that something looked wrong.
The fastest way to get one is to buy reviews, offer incentives or organize a group of people to review you. We never do any of those, and we’ll tell you if a tactic someone else suggests puts you at risk.
Replying to Yelp reviews
Yelp lets businesses reply publicly or send a private message to the reviewer. Each has its place.
Public replies are read by future customers, so keep them short, polite and focused on the issue. Private messages are better for detailed conversations or offering to fix a problem. Never offer anything in exchange for changing or removing a review.
For restaurants, salons, auto shops and home services, where Yelp traffic is often highest, a page full of thoughtful replies shows that the business cares, even when a review is negative.
Yelp review management: Texas businesses on Yelp
Yelp matters more for some Texas businesses than others. Restaurants in Austin, Dallas and Houston often get heavy Yelp traffic, and so do salons, auto repair shops and home services in larger metros.
We look at how much traffic your Yelp page actually gets and how your competitors’ pages look, then decide how much effort it deserves compared with Google and Facebook.
Choosing a Yelp review management company
Ask any Yelp review management company whether they’ll ask customers for Yelp reviews. If the answer is yes, they’re working against Yelp’s own rules and putting your page at risk.
Also ask how they handle replies and reporting, and whether your Yelp business account stays in your name. It should.
Cost, timing and results
What does Yelp review management cost?
It starts at $100 a month on its own, and it’s included in the full plan from $399 a month. Plans are month-to-month.
How long until our Yelp page improves?
Page updates and replies show immediately. Your rating changes slowly, because Yelp reviews arrive on their own rather than from requests.
Will Yelp work bring in customers?
It helps most for businesses whose customers actively use Yelp. We track Yelp page views and leads where available, and we’ll tell you if your effort is better spent on Google. Clients have given us 4.8 stars across 148 Google reviews.
Frequently asked questions about Yelp review management
Can I ask my customers for Yelp reviews?
Yelp says no. It asks businesses not to solicit reviews, and solicited reviews are often filtered out. Let customers know you’re on Yelp instead.
Why are some of my Yelp reviews hidden?
Yelp’s recommendation software decides which reviews to show. Reviews from new or less active users are often moved to the “not currently recommended” section.
Does advertising on Yelp improve my reviews?
No. Yelp states that advertising doesn’t change which reviews are recommended or how they’re ordered.
Can you remove a bad Yelp review?
Only if it breaks Yelp’s content guidelines, and only by reporting it through Yelp. Genuine negative reviews stay, so a calm reply is the best response.
What is a Yelp Consumer Alert?
A notice Yelp places on a business page when it finds suspicious review activity, such as bought or coordinated reviews. Following Yelp’s rules is the way to avoid one.
Want a Yelp page that works within the rules? Ask for a free audit, or see our Google review management and reputation repair services.