How To: Optimize Your Business Using Yelp

Whether you’re an established Raleigh business or a new up and coming start-up, creating and optimizing a Yelp business profile is essential to becoming a local fan-favorite. Yelp, once thought to only be for the food-service industry, has quickly become the 2nd in local search, right behind Google. Its integration with Bing search reviews and Apple’s Siri search results has brought more attention to the popular review site, making it vitally important for local companies. Internet marketers can’t emphasize enough the importance of creating and optimizing a Free Yelp Business listing. Tips for optimizing and understanding your FREE business listing:

Track Traffic

Yelp gives businesses an analysis of its profile’s traffic. You will be able to see detailed information such as what days of the week your profile is more popular, when you should run ad campaigns, and any seasonal influences you may face. Yelp makes it easy for you to understand who your customer is and how you can get in front of them better.

Respond to Reviews

Yelp gives you the power to respond to any review you may receive, whether it’s positive or negative. Tell your positive reviewers thank you for coming out and supporting you. If you get a negative review, invite them back to try again, hopefully to get a better review the second time.

Networking

You know your neighboring businesses and local partners are awesome, so why not endorse them on Yelp. It’s a great way to form better partnerships with local vendors, while also making it easier for your potential client to find everything they might need in one search.