Why All Small Businesses Should Manage Their Yelp Pages It's an easy way to engage with customers and build your customer loyalty.
By Entrepreneur Store Edited by Jason Fell
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It has been an extremely difficult year for businesses since the Covid-19 pandemic forced lockdowns across the U.S. in March 2020. The pandemic resulted in about 200,000 more permanent closures than the historical average between March 2020 and February 2021, and many other businesses continue to struggle.
The good news is that things are looking up. First quarter Yelp data show strong signals of local economic recovery with more than half a million new businesses opening in the last year. As vaccinations roll out, the weather gets nicer, and people who have self-quarantined and socially distanced for an entire year finally get back out into the world, it's an exceptionally opportune time for small businesses to regain their customer bases.
One of the best ways to do that is to claim your business on Yelp. Everyone knows Yelp as a trusted review site for local businesses. According to studies, 97 percent of consumers spend money at a business they find on Yelp, and 92 percent of consumers visiting Yelp are looking for a business they can return to multiple times. These days, customers need to know that a business will keep them safe and deliver on their business promises. When you claim your business on Yelp, you can engage directly with your community to ensure you're doing just that.
Yelp launched a number of new features available to business owners so they can communicate the ways they're keeping customers safe, including a Coronavirus information hub where businesses can easily update their days and hours of operation, add health and safety measures, and much more. Additionally, when you manage your Yelp Business Page, you'll rank higher for relevant search terms without costly SEO services or the constant upkeep of your own website. Some businesses can even use Yelp as a digital storefront instead of a website.
With Yelp's self-serve tools, you don't have to talk to a sales rep (unless you would prefer to) or get roped into any long-term contracts. You're in complete control of what products you use and how much you want to spend to broaden your neighborhood reach.
Yelp has more than 178 million unique visitors every month, many of whom are in your area. Leveraging your Yelp Page can be a great way to build trust with your community as they look for top services, dining, and retail stores in their area. Just check out the many businesses that already consider Yelp as one of their top marketing partners.
Your business is likely already listed on Yelp. Claiming your page is free, and you can customize it to your liking by adding photos, sharing updated business info, responding to reviews, and more. Start connecting to local customers with powerful marketing products, and leverage the most robust and trust reviews engine for small businesses. When you claim your Yelp Page through this offer, you'll get a $300 upfront credit that can be applied to qualifying Yelp purchases. Terms apply.
