When consumers are searching for the best nail salon in town or trying to book a much-needed hair appointment, they’re on the hunt for reliable, high-quality places. To stand out from the competition, make sure your Yelp Page is complete, accurate, and equipped with these five standout features.
1. Services
You can choose up to three general categories—like hair salon, medical spa, or tanning—but did you know you can also choose an unlimited number of services within each of those categories? After selecting your specialty services, you’ll appear in the search results of consumers who are browsing Yelp for those specific services.
For example, a hair salon can choose bridal services, eyelash services, and coloring services. A tanning salon might choose stand-up tanning, low intensity tanning, and spray tanning. The more information you provide, the more likely a potential customer will find you.
How do I do this? Log in to your Yelp for Business account, click on the Business Information tab, then scroll down to Categories, and click Edit. After you select your categories, the relevant services will appear.
Pro tip: You can also add a link to your online service menu so customers can visit your site for more detail. Go to the same Business Information section mentioned above, and look for “Menu” on the right side (under your website).
2. Check-in offer
Check-in offers entice potential customers who come across your Yelp Page, helping you turn them into clients. When they physically “check in” to your business on Yelp, they receive a special offer, like a discounted price, a free product, or BOGO (buy one, get one free). You’re in charge of the terms, so you’re never offering more than you’re comfortable with.
These offers are free to create, interchangeable, trackable, and flexible. When a user activates your offer, Yelp automatically notifies their network and Yelp “friends” about where they are, so it’s great for helping spread the word too. Plus, Yelp prompts the user to promote their activation on other social media sites, which further drives brand awareness for your business.
How do I do this? Log in to your Yelp for Business account, and click on the Check-in Offers tab.
Pro tip: To get even more customers in the door, you can also connect your Yelp Page to your booking platform—like Booker or Vagaro—so that customers can book appointments directly from your page.
3. Photos and captions
Plain and simple, customers want to see what the final product will look like—whether it’s the work of your tattoo artists or the best balayage in town. Photos also help build trust and allow people to get to know you and your business. Share before and after pictures of your services as well as images of your interior to attract potential customers.
You can upload as many photos as you like—showcasing your work, staff, space, products, and more. And don’t forget captions. Not only do potential customers want to know what specific services and products are called, but it will also contribute to your overall Yelp SEO.
How do I do this? Log in to your Yelp for Business account, and click on the Photos and Videos tab.
Pro tip: In addition to showing customers the services you provide, you also want to tell them how you’re offering those services. Update your COVID-related info to share the status of your operations and more.
4. Regular hours and special hours
Be sure your Yelp Page is up to date with the regular days and hours you are open. Consumers can search for businesses that are “open now,” so you’ll want to show up in those searches. You can also add special hours for holidays or special occasions—whether it’s for a one-off closure or a special holiday.
Special hours are set up on a day-by-day basis and can be changed at any time. Additionally, consumers will see a special note at the top of your Yelp Business Page as well as in the hours section.
How do I do this? Log in to your Yelp for Business account, click on the Business Information tab, then scroll down to Hours of operation and Upcoming special hours.
5. Specialties
The Specialities section allows you to round out your business’s story and get specific using your own words and tone. This free-form text box lets you describe to your customers what you do exceptionally well in up to 1,500 characters. This can provide a deeper dive into your services, show why your business is the trendiest option, or simply just make someone smile.
The key phrases and terms you enter in this section will also help you get more organic visibility on Yelp. Each Yelp search starts with a need—having this section filled out as much as possible can take a potential customer from discovery mode into spending-money-at-your-business mode.
How do I do this? Log in to your Yelp for Business account, click on the Business Information tab, then scroll down to Specialities.
Bonus tip
Check that messaging is enabled on your page. This allows you to communicate directly with customers who may have questions, comments, or just plain praise. You can check your inbox directly or set up email and text notifications to get alerted when you receive a message.
How do I do this? Log in to your Yelp for Business account, and go to your Account Settings, then Language & Notification.
Looking for more? Check out these insights from beauty industry business owners about what they wish they knew when they were first starting out.
The information above is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice and may not be suitable for your circumstances. Unless stated otherwise, references to third-party links, services, or products do not constitute endorsement by Yelp.