How To Use Yelp Business Reviews to Your Advantage

If you are a small business owner and have listed your business on Yelp advertising, then you are probably aware of the power that Yelp business reviews can have. A single five-star review can increase your chances of getting new customers, while one-star bad reviews can decrease them.

But what if you could use Yelp business reviews to your advantage? If you are one of many local businesses in Arizona, this is for you. Find out how you can have your customers write reviews on your Yelp page, what to do with them, and how to handle a bad but honest review.

The Power of Yelp Reviews

Yelp has been the go-to platform for business reviews since it was founded in 2004. In fact, Yelp has become so popular that it is now one of the largest review sites on the internet. It has become the 44th most visited website in the US and carries 184 million unique visitors monthly. Here are some facts about Yelp that businesses should know:

• 45% of customers are likely to visit a business after reading positive reviews on Yelp
• 35% of the customers searching on yelp will make a visit to that business within one 24 hours
• 9% increase in revenue has been noted for every one-star rating increase on Yelp

With mentioned benefits of having Yelp business reviews, it becomes essential for business owners to take Yelp seriously and use it to their advantage. So if you don’t have a business listing on Yelp, now is the time to create one. If you already have a listing, here are some tips on how you can use Yelp business reviews to your advantage.

1. Respond to All Reviews, Both Positive and Negative

Responding to customer reviews is one way to show that you as a business owner care about your customers and their experiences. It also shows that you are willing to take the time to address any concerns that they may have.

Engagement is one of the most important things that customers look for when searching for a business on Yelp. Connecting with them shows that you are invested in providing them with a positive experience.

When responding to positive reviews, take the time to thank the customer for their feedback and let them know that you appreciate their business. But what about responding to negative feedback? Here are some ways that you can do that:

• Acknowledge the issue: The first thing to solve something is to acknowledge it exists. Even when you think that the customer’s complaint is unfounded, you should still take the time to acknowledge it.
• Apologize: The next thing you can do is apologize for the issue that the customer experienced. You don’t have to admit fault, but you should express sincere regret that they had a negative experience. This way, the customers will feel heard and appreciated.
• Provide an explanation if necessary: In some cases, an explanation may be necessary. If the complaint is about a specific product or service, you can provide an explanation for why it is the way it is. This will help customers understand your side and possibly change their perspective.
• Compensate when appropriate: If the customer’s complaint is valid, you may want to consider compensating them. This could be in the form of a discount on their next purchase or a freebie.
• Offline resolution: In some cases, the best way to resolve an issue is offline. If a customer’s complaint is about something that can’t be resolved online, you can ask for their contact information and reach out to them offline.

2. Use Positive Reviews as Testimonials on Your Website or Marketing Materials

For someone who’s visiting a website, often don’t jump to review websites just to see what other people are saying about a business. But if they see a positive review from a happy customer on the business account or website itself, that can speak volumes.

Simply put, reviews can be very powerful when used as testimonials on your website or marketing materials. They help build trust and credibility with potential customers. The best place to integrate Yelp reviews on your website is on your homepage. It can be on the middle or side of the page, or even at the bottom. Link your Yelp business page to your website so that visitors can read your reviews easily. Make sure to set the links on “open link in new tab” as you don’t want to redirect them from your website.

3. Use The Negative Yelp Review as an Opportunity To Improve Your Business

While it is not a good eye-catcher to have many negative reviews on your business page, it is still essential to look at them and use them as an opportunity to improve your business. After all, customer feedback is always valuable, whether they are bad or good reviews. It’s an opportunity for you to learn about what customers don’t like and work on fixing those issues.

Some things you can do to improve your business based on negative reviews:

• Analyze the reviews: Take some time to read through the negative reviews and look for patterns. Are there any common themes? Is there a specific product or service that customers are not happy with? Is there a particular issue that keeps coming up?
• Fix the issues: Once you’ve identified the issues, it’s time to start fixing them. For small business owners, this could mean changing the way they do things, improving their products or services, or providing better customer service.
• Make changes and improve: After you’ve made the necessary changes, it’s time to start promoting them. You can do this by updating your website, telling customers about the changes you’ve made, or even reaching out to customers who left negative reviews.

4. Keep an Eye on Your Competitors’ Reviews and Learn From Them

Another way to improve your business is through competitive analysis. It doesn’t have to be technical like how their SEO is or how much they’re spending on Google AdWords. You can also look at their Yelp reviews and see what people are saying about them. This is especially beneficial if both you and your competitor’s businesses are targeting the exact same market.

There are two ways you can use your competitor’s Yelp reviews to improve your business:

• Look for areas of improvement: See what customers are saying about your competitor’s business and look for areas of improvement. If they’re getting better ratings than you, it’s likely because they’re doing something right. See what they’re doing and try to implement it in your own business.
• Use as inspiration: If you’re struggling to get reviews, take a look at your competitor’s business and see how they’re doing it. Are they actively asking customers to leave reviews? Are they offering incentives? See what they’re doing and try to replicate it.

The Bottom Line

The key to having a successful business on a Yelp account is to be active and engaged with the platform. Use it as an opportunity to connect with your customers, promote your business, and learn from your competition. Don’t be just a brick-and-mortar business, be active in responding to reviews, and make the most of this powerful platform.

Small businesses all around and outside the state have been using Yelp reviews to their advantage and so should you. Explore the Yelp ads program and other features of the platform and have yourself an edge over the competition.

Need help with your digital marketing? Check out our services! We offer a wide range of services, from SEO to social media marketing. Call Diamond Arrow Media today and learn how we can help you grow your business in today’s digital space!