Let’s be honest…Yelp isn’t exactly popular in our industry.
About 80% of the industry would rank Yelp as their least favorite social media platform. But as much as we dislike it, today’s consumer? They LOVE it.
And in most markets, Yelp is on the rise. Meaning, now it’s more important than ever to fall into like with Yelp and learn how to make the platform work for you.
So today, let’s talk about Yelp, how it works, and our top tips to manage it (no matter your market).
What is Yelp?
Yelp is a social media platform. (It’s a place where people can have a conversation online about a person, place, or business.) And right now, it’s having a massive resurgence.
According to Jeremy Stoppelman, Yelp’s co-founder and CEO, “For the ninth consecutive quarter, we delivered double-digit growth and achieved a new high in net revenue driven by record advertising revenue across categories.”
In other words? Yelp is on the rise.
Can I use Instagram over Yelp?
Right now, the big question when somebody enters the industry is, “Have you started your Instagram account yet?” And for good reason: Instagram was a great platform to help build out your business for a long time.
But consumer behavior changed post-pandemic…and it’s affecting Instagram.
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Static photo engagement decreased 44% since 2019.
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Reels engagement declined by 13.6% with most users generating no engagement whatsoever.
On the other hand, Yelp has had 28 million average users so far in 2023.
Yes, Instagram still has more daily users (2.35 billion), but here’s the thing: when one of Yelp’s 28 million daily users log on, they’re intentionally looking for a local small business.
Today’s consumer is battling social media burnout. They want to spend their time online with more intentionality. Meaning, Yelp is likely to be more impactful for your business in the long run.
Our top Yelp tips
So how do you make the most out of Yelp (even when you don’t like it)?
Master the art of replying to a bad review
We’ve all had that heartbreaking feeling when we get a bad review. But as much as possible, think of it as an opportunity to respond.
Have you ever scrolled through Yelp and noticed a bad review for another business? Chances are, you looked to see if the business replied. Your customers are too.
Most people don’t give weight to long, ranty reviews. The emotional charge is clear to other users. What they really want to see is how you as the business responded. That is the game changer.
Remember, reviewers aren’t judging you as a human, but as a businessperson. Take the emotional weight of “they hate me” off and respond from a rational place.
Don’t pay for Yelp ads until you’re ready
You don’t have to pay for ads to have amazing success on Yelp.
Really. Do not pay for ads until the platform works for you. But once it does, ads can help accelerate your growth.
Think of it this way: if you got three clients from $300 worth of ads, would it be worth it? Likely yes because what did you have to do to attract those clients? Pay the money and sit back.
But until you’re ready to invest in ads, you have to deal with the Yelp ad sales department calling. Part of the deal, right?
Here’s what you can say to get them off your back:
“Excuse me, I’m going to interrupt you for a moment. I don’t have the budget to pay for ads. But if you call me in six months, I’ll consider it. Please don’t call me for six months, but if you call me then, I’ll consider it.”
You can keep doing this and buy yourself time until you’re ready to invest.
Why six months? Well, if you work on Yelp for that amount of time, you might be in a position at the end where you can put a little ad spend into it.
Nurture Yelp properly
How do you build out your Yelp platform properly? We dig deep into it in Thriving Stylist Method, but here’s a couple tips:
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Upload photos at least once a week. This helps the platform see that you’re active and invested in growing with them.
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Ask for reviews often, but not too early. Consider asking after a major win (like a huge transformation or achieving a big step towards their hair goals) when your client is on a high and feeling good about your relationship.
Our industry considers Yelp a four-letter word, but we challenge you to get curious about it. Learn more, test out the platform, and set up your foundation so when Yelp is the go-to in a couple years, you’re on top.
Want to learn more about how to make Yelp work for your business? Join us in Thriving Stylist Method!
