Don’t ask for reviews, encourage engagement instead

Darnell Holloway

July 21, 2012

You don’t have to solicit reviews to get people talking about you online. There is an important difference between aggressively asking for reviews and driving awareness about your business through platforms like Yelp. For example, you may want to think twice before telling every customer to “review me on Yelp,” because it can cause people to feel as if they’re being used as a promotional vehicle. This may leave some with a negative impression of your business. Also, those reviews might wind up not being recommended by Yelp’s software system.

A subtler way to drive awareness about your Yelp presence is mentioning you’re on Yelp, but stopping short of asking for a review. With that in mind, here are a few simple strategies designed to increase Yelper engagement without being overly solicitous:

Post a check-in offer
When mobile Yelpers check-in, they can let their friends on Yelp see what business they’re patronizing. Yelp users also have the option of sharing their check-ins on Facebook and Twitter. This means one check-in can simultaneously alert the user’s fellow Yelpers, followers on Twitter, and friends on Facebook. A check-in offer is a great way to encourage your current customers to use this feature more often. Once someone checks in at your business we’ll prompt them to write a review when they log-in at www.yelp.com.
Use Yelp signage
You can post a “Find us on Yelp” image on your website and/or request a decal for your storefront. Images are available via our Yelp Brand page.
Update your e-mail signature
Include a link to your Yelp business listing in your e-mail signature with the words, “Find us on Yelp.”
Learn from your peers
We recently caught up with business owners who have organically built a great reputation on Yelp. Click here to hear their stories.

For more info on Yelp’s recommendation software, check out this quick, informative video:

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.

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