Seven Steps to Business Success on Yelp.com

With the growing success of Yelp.com, more and more businesses are starting to recognize Yelp’s importance. A quick check of Quantcast.com shows that Internet traffic to Yelp has doubled between October 2008 to March 2009. Here are some tips for business owners on how to optimize the business opportunities presented by Yelp.com:

Step One: Get your business on the list. Start by registering on Yelp.com and searching the directory for a listing for your business. If you find one, claim it and set up your business’ profile. If you don’t find a profile, you can also create one. The best part? It’s free.

Step Two: Get your Yelp on. Yelp to your heart’s content by reviewing your favorite grocery store, favorite hang out, etc. It’s important to spend some time Yelping so you can get a sense of the Yelp community. You should also read reviews that others have left for your favorite local establishments just to give you an idea of what Yelp is all about.

Step Three: Get ready for feedback. After joining Yelp, it is essential that you have your friends and colleagues post positive comments for others to see. Be careful with these solicited comments, though, since Yelp.com has a system in place that’s pretty effective at deleting “solicited” comments. Here’s how it works:

Yelp.com’s software automatically deletes reviews that appear “spammy”, which is to say that users with only one review to their name generally have their reviews deleted after a few weeks have passed. So when you ask your friends and relatives to register on Yelp and leave a review, ask them to use Yelp in a natural manner. Ask them to take the time to leave half a dozen reviews on Yelp over the course of a week or two before reviewing your business – this will help to make sure their reviews aren’t deleted.

Step Four: Build a good profile. Many business owners are too busy to take the time to create a good, interesting, and informative Yelp.com profile, yet that’s exactly what they should do to be successful. Simply providing your business hours and listing off your products won’t do.

Step Five: Keep in touch with the community. You can always help others in business. Yelp allows each business profile to link to 5 other businesses, regardless if they’re related to your business or not. It’s best to choose your five links wisely. Quality should come first, and it’s smart to recognize active Yelpers (who have more ability to help you) instead of just friends and family.

Step Six: Keep the reviews coming. Spread the word around – ask your loyal patrons to stop by Yelp.com and leave a friendly review. Yelp gives your satisfied clients a venue to compliment you where they might otherwise be too shy to do so in person. Tell everyone that your business is on Yelp.com, and they will just do the rest.

Step Seven: Network. Networking is both fun and easy. You can exchange great feedback with other businesses. Utilize all of Yelps resources to the hilt. Gain more friends, and get them to have a taste of what your business can offer. Your profile is made all the better when you have a good network of friends on Yelp.com.

Getting on the Yelp.com bandwagon now while it’s steadily growing can lead to more customers (and more business) for years to come. Participate, get those positive reviews, and grow your business with Yelp!

Tagged with: Advertising • advertising online • internet advertising • internet marketing • Marketing • online marketing

Filed under: Marketing

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