Yelp business reviews: how they work for owners

2 min read · Updated

The short answer

Yelp business reviews work differently from Google's. Yelp's recommendation software decides which reviews show, and hides others as "not currently recommended". Yelp asks businesses not to request reviews, and it can post a consumer alert on pages it believes have paid or pressured reviews. You can reply to reviews publicly or by private message.

Yelp's software favors reviews from active, established Yelp users. Reviews from new or one-time accounts often land in the "not currently recommended" section, below the main reviews, and don't count toward your rating. Yelp says advertising doesn't change this.

The asking rule

Unlike Google, Yelp asks businesses not to solicit reviews at all. A "find us on Yelp" sign is fine; asking customers to review you there isn't what Yelp wants, and pushing it can get your page flagged.

Replying

  • Public replies are visible to everyone reading your page.
  • Private messages go only to the reviewer, useful for resolving a problem.
  • Either way, keep customer details out of it.

Questions

Can I remove a bad Yelp review?

Only if it breaks Yelp's content guidelines. You can report it.

Does paying for Yelp ads help my reviews?

Yelp says no. Ads and review recommendations are separate.

Is Yelp worth claiming?

Yes. Claiming lets you correct your details and reply.

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