Yelp is a website where users can post reviews of local businesses. Reviews on Yelp reflect the opinions of the community and are meant to help people find good places to eat, shop, and spend time. While businesses cannot remove negative reviews, they can sometimes engage with users to improve their service and change reviews. Advertising on Yelp does not guarantee good reviews, as both advertisers and non-advertisers receive positive and negative reviews. Business information on Yelp comes from third party sources and users, not just businesses themselves. While Yelp says businesses should not ask customers to post reviews, some think it is okay to ask as long as no incentive is offered.

1. Your Most Common YelpQuestionsAnswered
Many companiesandbusinessownersaska lotof the same questionswhenitcomestoYelp.It’sa
space not a lot of people knowaboutandif theyhave heardof it, it’sa mysteryof how to benefit
financially frombeingonit.
What is Yelp?
Yelpisa vibrant,lifestyle reviewwebsite whichisfree touse. Userscan post reviews(goodandbad) for
almostany businessbutthe site focusesonhelpingpeoplefindcool placestoeat,shop,drink,relax and
play. The reviewsare informedopinionsof the qualityof service andproductsthatyourlocal
communityoffers. It’salsoawebsite wherebusinessownersandotheruserscanengage. Thishas a
benefittocompanieswhoexperience negative reviews. A badreview issometimeschangedbythe user
if the companyconnectswiththe user inorderto improve a service.
Does Yelpeverremove bad reviews?
No. Yelp’smandate istopostthe reviewsthatbestreflectthe opinionsof the Yelpcommunity. Yelpis
differentfromotherreview sitesinthatitdoesn’tposteverynegativeorpositivereview. Theytryto
keepthe good,well writtenandinsightful postssothatthe site isfull of useful andreliablecontentand
not justa havenfor Internettrolls.
What ifwe advertise on Yelp? Does that helpensure good reviewsfor our company?
No. There are plentyof advertisersonYelpwhohave receivedbadreviewsandplentyof companies
whodon’tadvertise whohave 5-starratings. There isno correlationbetweenwhenareview isposted
and if and whena companymightadvertise withYelp.
I didn’t put my businessinformationon Yelp...howdidit getthere?
Yelplicensesbusinessinformationfromathirdparty provider. Usersalsohelpprovide andupdate
informationonlocal businesses. Usersalsoinformthe site aboutnew businesses openingup.
Is it ok to ask my clientsto write good reviewsfor me?
The Yelpanswerisno. Yelpsays “youshouldn’taskyourcustomerstopost reviewsonYelp”asit does
more of a disservice toyourcompanythanhelpingitbecause itonlyprovideshalf of the picture. Inmy
opinion,itdependsonhowyoubroach the subjectandwhetheryouofferanincentive.WhileIdon’t
agree withthe incentive offering,askingfora review one shoulddo.