Is Yelp a friend or foe?
If you’re not on Yelp, you’re missing out on countless local marketing benefits for your small business. Even though it started small in 2004, today it’s one of the top sites consumers look to for online reviews.
If you’re ignoring Yelp, consumers may be ignoring you.
It’s a Big Community
As of December 2016, Yelp hosted an average of:
- 24 million unique mobile app users per month
- 65 million mobile web users per month
- 73 million unique desktop users
And 121 million reviews were posted at the close of the fourth quarter of 2016. It’s a large community and it’s only been growing since its inception. It’s highly likely that your target customer base is on this site, but is your business?
Google Search Likes Yelp Reviews
Google wants to deliver the best results to its searchers. Because of this, it prioritizes showing businesses with positive reviews. Even though Google has its own reviews platform, you can still expect highly rated Yelp businesses to pop up on the first page of Google search results, especially when consumers search for local shops or restaurants near a specific location.
Users Have the Intent to Spend
It’s fitting to call Yelp users “consumers,” because according to 2014 data, 80 percent of all Yelp users who visited the site or used the app intended to make a purchase. There are 10,000 weekly food orders generated from Yelp and 200,000 calls to local businesses from the app.
On average, a business’s annual revenue increases by $8,000 when they have a Yelp account. When businesses advertise on Yelp, average annual revenue increases by $23,000.
Positive Reviews Are Trustworthy
An estimated 84 percent of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations, but that number may be higher on this site. About 90 percent of Yelp users report that positive reviews influence their purchasing decision. And 93 percent of people who researched a business’s reviews end up spending money at that business.
Yelpers like Yelp, and they’re more willing to trust your small business when you’re on Yelp.
It Puts You on the Map
In 2014, 200,000 sets of navigational directions originated from the mobile app. Consumers are using Yelp at such an increasing rate that car manufacturers are beginning to add Yelp-integration to mobile navigation systems. You can add your exact location and your business hours and ensure customers know how to contact you and when you’re open. Having a profile helps local consumers find you both digitally and physically.
What Are You Waiting For?
It’s time to build your small-business Yelp profile and start collecting the online reviews that will seriously boost your business’ visibility and profitability. Contact Accrue Reviews today to learn how we can help.