Is Yelp Still Worth Using for Reviews in 2023? It’s a good question. Yelp has been around for quite a while now and for sure it has had a pretty good run. Having been first released back in 2004 the company has done well to connect customers with local businesses. It has for the best part of 15+ years been a very popular resource for people.
As it has been known customers have been able to join waiting lists for services, make reservations and outsource their required vacancies, products and everything else all from this one website.
Indeed, Yelp since its inception is something that has just continued to grow bigger. It is still around now but what can not be denied is it has lost a lot of business to competitors such as Google as technology has become more advanced.
By comparison, what is clear is that Google definitely has the edge over Yelp but the big question that lies here is can Yelp still be used as an effective marketing tool
and mostly…
Is Yelp Still Worth Using for Reviews in 2023?
Table of Contents
Yelp is obviously not as popular but…
How Does Yelp Compare To Google
This much is clear Google is ahead of the pack with regard to searching for online reviews. The star rating for an average business on Google is 4.3 out of 5 stars contrasted with Yelp which seems to average around 3.7 out of 5 stars.
On paper, this is not really good. Obviously, more people will be trusting of 4.3 stars over 3.7 stars. If you were to advertise your business what would you prefer?
The principal motivation behind why Google is in front of Yelp is that a great many people are on Google and it is very easy to utilize. To have the option to stand apart among the opposition on Yelp, your business will require a standard rating of multiple stars. For instance, 4.5-5 can be viewed as a great rating.
Organizations that have a rating of fewer than 4 stars will struggle to stick out from the crowd. Thus many will use Google for better brand recognition. Although saying this advertising your business in more places such as Yelp is definitely a good move that is worth doing. More so when you understand what Yelp is actually all about.
What is the Customer Base of Yelp?
As much as Google has become a thorn in the side of Yelp and its appeal to new customers, still it is in no way failing to meet expectations for its usual customer base.
With up to 73 million new month-to-month clients on their mobile app alone, it’s pretty safe to assume that there is still hope left for the Yelp platform.
What’s more, it doesn’t end there, Yelp estimates to have some 100 million visitors every month coming to their website. If this is not still a worthwhile business tool then I don’t know what is. With numbers like these, it is easy to see the reason why it can be particularly beneficial to use Yelp for your online business.
Of course, Google and even Facebook have overtaken Yelp in the online review space but the question to ask is if it is not worth using then why are people still using it? People definitely are and this is quite interesting in itself.
What Does the Yelp Audience Look Like?
The intriguing part is that Yelp is by all accounts popular with clients of various ages and groups.
- Up to 34% of all Yelp clients are aged between 18 years and 34 years.
- 37% of Yelp clients are aged between 35-54 years
- 27% of all Yelp clients are older than 55 years of age
That said the biggest level of Yelp clients has a college background making up more than 55%. Up to 21% of clients have a college degree and 19% have no professional education.
What this shows is that the people who have higher professional education are almost certain and ready to leave reviews on the platform.
How Much Does Yelp Charge?
Yelp is in no way, shape or form, the best stage for their advertising costs. They charge upwards of $600 per 1000 impressions. This is contrasted with normal internet publicizing which averages at around $60 for 1000 impressions.
How Much Money Does Yelp Make?
Yelp made more than $22 million USD in the last quarter of 2020. This is regardless of the pandemic. Interestingly, just $ 4 million of that income was from transactions.
The biggest percentage of this came from advertising. Indeed, even while the income in the principal quarter of 2020 went down to $162 million because of COVID and the lockdowns this still was balanced out before the year was over.
Google Advertising Versus Yelp Ads
Of course, Google is more popular than Yelp for advertising. All things considered, many will not even consider Yelp Ads before google but saying this there is no denying the way that millions still utilize Yelp that it is still a valuable resource.
However, its biggest problem is perhaps the pricing. Whilst the normal Google advertisements cost around $2.69 for every search, that on Yelp will cost quite a bit more at around $4-$5 per search. So kind of a bit off-putting on the face of it but surely one must consider that Yelp is a different platform with a different audience.
Also, according to some users of Yelp Ads posting ads on Yelp is a lot simpler. Plus the average user of Yelp they say is more inclined to purchase from an advert than the average user of Google that is likely just searching for information.
What To Understand About Yelps Customers
So is Yelp still worth using in 2023? Here are some important figures…
- Up to 45% of clients they say will begin by visiting Yelp prior to settling on a purchasing choice.
- This is contrasted with 63% of clients who say they will visit Google before deciding to buy something.
- However Yelp, subsequently, comes in as the second-most ideal choice for finding information.
- Notwithstanding, and despite the furious competition from Google, Yelp is still likewise exceptionally popular.
- For example, Trip Advisor is another well-known competitor to Yelp. Especially for those looking at visiting places such as hotels and restaurants.
- They come in at number 3 for reviews with 30% of clients putting together their purchasing choices as a result.
- Plus, at number 4 on this list of places where people search for reviews online Facebook comes in at 21%. [R]
Exactly Why Yelp is a Great Tool for Business?
There is a plenitude of factors that come into play that impact guests’ buying decisions.
Family and friends as well as referrals are some of the main ones. That being said, a huge number of people are buying their products online and the number one source of information that they make their decisions is customer reviews.
This is where Yelp comes into the picture. It’s one of the most popular customer review platforms in the US for one.
A poor review on Yelp by a client can drastically hurt your business. Whether online or offline – a website or say something like a painting and decorating business eg.
But still, it can be said that there’s an upside to these negative reviews. If somebody leaves you a negative review you can use this information to improve your service and products for the better. As long as more positive reviews follow then this be a good thing after all. Exactly why tools like Yelp are so important and no doubt here to stay.
You only need to see the figures and decide for yourself!
Fact: 97% of online shoppers will visit Yelp before deciding to make a purchase xx
- Up to 97% of customers will buy things after visiting Yelp and researching positive reviews on products.
- Other largely popular websites that buyers visit for reviews include Trip Advisor and Facebook.
- This number shows how important reviews are for your business and how they can make or break any possible sales.
Also, another thing to understand Is…
Yelp is Very Popular in the USA
According to Alexa if you ask where Yelp ranks in popularity it will say that it is the 44th most popular website in the United States.
This when considering how many other websites there are online is pretty impressive. [R] Many websites will not even make the top 10,000.
Plus other than this and outside the USA Yelp is also very popular in both Japan and India.
Something which just shows the popularity of Yelp and how important their reviews and feedback are.
Of course, building customer trust is essential for any thriving business
and it is thanks to platforms such as Yelp and Google that these reviews are there.
Although, just be careful because…
Not All Yelp Reviews Are Legit!
One thing that you should be aware of is that not all the reviews left on Yelp are legitimate. Of course, they are not alone here. Facebook, Google, Amazon, and even the likes of Trust Pilot and bbb.org get fake reviews. Although they do say with Yelp it can be as much as 20% of the total reviews are not authentic.
Personally, I think that as long as a company has a decent amount of reviews then you can usually trust them. Fake reviews are usually left for businesses with overwhelmingly negative reviews or very few reviews.
Read my Related Post: 6-ways-to-research-verified-customer-reviews/
Now here is another interesting fact about Yelp… if you’re wondering Are Yelp Reviews Still Worth Using in 2023?
The Number of Users on the Yelp Mobile App Is Incredible!
Of its estimated, 178 million+ users statistics show that 92 million of these customers visit Yelp through their mobile app.
If you are wondering is yelp still worth using for your online business then this has to go some way to show you. As many customers do their shopping through their mobile devices surely many of these will also use Yelp!
On Google Play alone not counting any other app stores Yelp has had over 10 Million installs. Also, as of 2019 figures show that 72% of Yelps Ads were submitted through mobile devices.
Also, as of June 2019, Yelp was averaging 37 million mobile users every month. [R]
So no doubt as s a business, these are just some of the reasons that you should ensure that your website is mobile-friendly. Yelp is just one example, but to take advantage of the traffic that Yelp could potentially bring you – definitely think about mobile optimization. Sites like Yelp are obvious indicators of why but not only this…
Some 84% of Shoppers Online Base Their Purchases on Reading Customer Reviews – Such as Those On Yelp!
Now, this is another interesting piece of data.
84% on average of customers only make purchases after they have read reviews on websites such as Yelp.
Online shoppers have a surprisingly huge trust in online reviews, and for anyone wondering this – is Yelp Still Worth Using – this is the thing. Many rely on Yelp as an indicator of whether they should put their trust in a business or not.
Online reviews are trusted more than any advertisement. A previous positive experience by a customer with a business or product means more to them than any amount of advertising ever would.
Because of this most of the people looking to purchase products online will start on sites such as Google or Yelp.
Yelp Is One of the Go-To Places For Finding Customer Reviews
Let’s be clear here. Of course, Google has overtaken Yelp in recent years but still many will trust Yelp reviews more. It might be a force of habit why people look to yelp instead of Google but with almost 20 years of reviews, you can kind of see why. People know that Yelp is one of best the places to go for customer reviews and this is clear from market research.
So, Is Yelp Still Worth Using in 2022? – Of course whilst there are people that want to read reviews Yelp is going to be one of these places. Exactly why it ranks 2nd next to Google and is ahead of both Trip Advisor and Facebook.
If you don’t use Yelp already for your business it might actually be something worth considering. So…
Tips and Tricks for Business Owners Using Yelp
More than 175 million internet-based customers use Yelp to look for new products and services every month.
Assuming you have at any point looked for products and services close to you, then of course it is quite possible you might have used Yelp. Either through their website or via your mobile device. Or maybe you haven’t used Yelp at all but anyway.
Yelp is an amazing resource for people online to utilize. It is likewise similarly incredible for entrepreneurs and businesses.
For anyone that is wondering is Yelp Still Worth Using in 2021 here are some tips and tricks that will allow you to put this to the test. By utilizing the tips and tricks that I am going to share, you can guarantee that your business is easily discovered by clients via the Yelp platform.
On the whole… Here we go…
How Yelp Can Help Business Owners
Yelp for business offers admittance to both free and paid tools that you can easily use to customize your business profile. This as a result can make it much easier to be found by clients that are looking for products and services in your local area. By making a business profile on Yelp, your business becomes more noticeable in customers’ search results.
Note that some work will be required beforehand if you would like your business to appear in your potential customer’s search results but if you do it right, you should see a decent improvement in your advertising efforts.
For maximum effect here are a few things that you can try to have your business found on Yelp…
1. Add your Business Details on Yelp
To be actually found on Yelp, the first thing to do which goes without saying is to create an account. Fortunately, this is very easy to do. Simply once you have your account live click on the Add Your Business Page and fill in your details.
2. Claiming your Yelp Business Page
One more method for including your business on Yelp is to confirm it as your own after receiving a customer review.
You will then, at that point, set up a Yelp Business owners account. You can do this by tapping on ‘manage my free listing’ and afterwards giving the necessary data that Yelp needs to complete this process.
3. Build your Yelp Business Profile
You need customers who visit your business whether online or offline to have an extraordinary and remarkable quality experience. The equivalent is valid with regard to your ‘Yelp for Business profile page.
So first thing make sure that the business data including your location etc. is correct. Online customers after all will principally utilize Yelp to track down a business, and if they can not find you this will not be good for your reputation.
Also, add great pictures to your online profile. Around five pictures should do the job. Ensure they are top quality and that they showcase the most awesome aspects of your business.
Regardless of whether it’s the lounge area or the new spa, clients need to see they are dealing with a professional business.
4. Don’t Be Shy Asking for Customer Reviews
According to one market research study by Harvard, increasing your Yelp customer reviews with just one star has been shown on average to increase online sales by anything from 5% to 9%.
Be that as it may, how can you get clients to leave you the positive reviews you need to increase your Yelp star rating?
For one thing, you can’t pay them for these reviews. This is not always a smart move as if people spot one fake review they may doubt your other reviews that are genuine. So don’t do this. Instead, once you have completed your work or service send a polite message to your customer and ask for their review.
Or alternatively, use the ‘request a review’ function within your Yelp back office.
5. Respond To Customers That Give Reviews
As the owner of a business mostly you will hope for positive reviews from every customer that you deal with. Except, when you run a business part of life is that you will have your high points and your low points. Sometimes people will leave good reviews but on occasion, they might feel the need to leave a negative review.
And you can’t help this but you should respond in a calm polite manner and try to offer a helpful solution. If you do this might actually help sway other customers in your direction. Once they say you are responsible and reasonable this will give them a better understanding of what your business is about.
Also, responding to positive reviews can also be very beneficial as it can help build customer confidence within the reader.
Which, further this can help your Yelp ranking. As the more active your Yelp business profile is shown to be the better chance there is that the Yelp algorithm will rank your profile high up the page. Not only this but your reviews can appear before other people as well. So, yes try to be as active on your account as possible.
Final Thoughts – Is Yelp Still Worth Using?
Well here is the thing. Yelp can be an incredible online tool to take your business to a higher level. For each one-star expansion in reviews for example you remain to procure as much as 5% to 9% extra.
With the straightforward tips we’ve laid for you above, you can improve your business profile to get incredible outcomes.
So, why not just see for yourself? Some might think that Yelp has already seen its best days. Maybe it has but it is still another weapon for your online arsenal and you never know it might just end up surprising you.
The data certainly, does not lie. The last survey was taken in June 2021 and Yelp is still continuing to make money so there you go. Is Yelp still worth using in 2022 – yes of course it is. Try it for yourself and maybe you will see.
Your Feedback
What do you think? Is Yelp still worth using in 2022? Please let us know what you think in the comments.
Also if you know anyone that might like to read this post please do share this link.
Many thanks and #ToYourSuccess
Alex B. Chivers
iBusinesstoday.com
This is really intriguing blog post, Alex. In the present Google and Facebook dominance, business owners can easily forget about Yelp. With those numbers you provided, like the age group, education and income average Yelp visitor is/has, I think it might be worth considering for certain people to promote their business there. It reminds me a bit of bing.com. Search Engine that is in the shadow of big Google, but only in the US, the search volume is 1 billion users a month. With the right approach, this (as well as Yelp) can be gold mining. Thanks for this great post.
Hi Julius, it does help to think out of the box I think. It’s kind of difficult really to decide which things like this are worth our time but things like this can surprise us. I mean I’d say it really depends on our niche and what services we have to offer but for sure Yelp is a great example of this. Lots of people use their mobile app so yes its still a good tool for some people I’d say.