Remember when you just picked up the “phone book” to find a business, restaurant or service? Neither do I, but I have heard it once was done that way. Today, the only way for local businesses to get on the map is by claiming their Yelp for Business Page. If they haven't done that already they aren’t really in business yet!
Every day millions of people find businesses and services using Yelp. By the time they have typed in the search criteria, they have already made a decision to buy, they just might not know yet from whom. You want to be there for them to find your business!
One of the best things about Yelp is that they organize all this information in a user-friendly way for consumers to make good choices. And, they market themselves to consumers in an effective way. Yelp talks the talk and walks the walk!
For a business owner, Yelp for Business is a powerful tool. Very few other platforms can guarantee that 29 Million consumers will use their product each day. Every business owner with a verifiable location is able to claim their free business page. Yes, that’s right free! When was the last time you were offered free advertising? Now, that is maximizing your advertising budget.
Tips to leverage Yelp to your advantage as a business owner:
Claim your Free Business Page: Claiming your Yelp for Business Page is critical to make sure your contact and business information is accurate. It is also quick, easy, and free. This is essential so that consumers looking for your business can find you and more importantly contact you. Remember, consumers using Yelp have already decided they need something. If you want it to be your business, you need to be there. Yelp for Business not only lets you claim your free page, but they allow you to showcase your business by adding additional content, photos, links, business hours and much, much more all for free! Imagine how much more powerful the reach would be if you paid for advertising.
Run Yelp Ads: As a business owner, running paid ads on Yelp is a win/win. You already know that people using Yelp are ready to buy, but Yelp's innovative advertising options allow you to target folks that might not have been thinking of you. Yelp has cleverly created opportunities to run on the business pages of complementary businesses and industries. For example, if you are a moving company you can run on a realtor’s page. Most likely, if you need one then you will need the other! Yelp Ads lets you target people who are looking for businesses like yours. They also allow you to be seen more than organic search results and increase calls, website clicks, and quote requests.You can also target consumers on a local level or in an expanded geographical area. There are many ways to reach potential customers.
Monitor your reviews - Consumers with Yelp accounts have the opportunity to review their experience with your company. It is great when you receive a positive review. Your customers can say in their own words what they love about you and your employees! You may also hear that their experience was less than ideal. If you receive a response that is critical of your business this is an incredible opportunity to engage with a customer and respond to an issue that may have previously gone unreported. Negative reviews are really amazing opportunities. You can learn what people are saying about your company and what the experience is like working with your staff. Negative reviews enable you to address processes and employees that need improvement, all for free once claimed!
In a nutshell, you want to claim your Yelp Page because you are entitled to a free business page! You want to claim that page because you can make it awesome and capture consumers that are looking for you! People that are using Yelp are looking for a specific business or service, and 90% of Yelp users make a purchase within a week. It has become an essential part of most company’s business and marketing plans.
Get a website, get a phone number, order business cards, claim your Yelp Page, run some Yelp Ads, then start making money! Claiming your page is essential, and buying advertising is highly recommended for success. Promocodes.com is offering $300 in free Yelp Ads for new, eligible businesses, so now is your chance to give it a try.