The ever-evolving lead platform continues to grow with two new features to help with bookings, customer engagement, and trust building. Yelp is a great tool for consumers and businesses alike to search, find and advertise specialized skills in a local community. Part of the draw of this platform is that it is almost entirely review-based. Yelp is very particular about the quality and impact of reviews on business pages, with strict guidelines around consumer reviews. Because of this, Yelp stands as one of the last frontiers for honest and unsolicited reviews, making it a favorite for customers looking for good, reliable services.
While this is the root of Yelp’s mission, the company often rolls out new features that enhance the user experience on both ends. Most recently, Yelp created Yelp Connect. Let’s take a deeper look at this feature and how it can affect your success on the platform.
What is Yelp Connect?
Yelp Connect is a social media style tool embedded in a business’s Yelp page that lets the business owner quickly and easily update viewers with happenings, events and projects. Similar to a social media post, a Yelp Connect post consists of an image, headline and copy with the option for a link. These posts can be ongoing where they have no end date and can be left up indefinitely. There are event posts to update customers on business events with scheduled start and end dates for the post. And there are update posts that are short-term with a set end date of when they will be removed from your page.
How Do I Post with Yelp Connect?
On your Yelp Business page online and on your Business App, there will be a Yelp Connect tab. Click the ‘Create a Post’ button and fill out the following information:
Photo or video: Make the content eye-catching so that it highlights what you want the customer to know. For best results, use a landscape-oriented high-resolution picture.
Headline: Add a short but informative headline about the subject of your post that will encourage customers to click on your post to learn more.
Description: This is where you can put the meat of your post. You have 300 words to update the customer on what is going on and why it should matter to them.
Button: There are eight preset options for the button connected to the post. The button can be a CTA, urging the viewer to book with them, or can lead them to discover more information on your page. This button should be customized based on what kind of content you are posting. For example, if you are announcing a new location for your bakery opening, you would use the “Get Directions” button to lead customers to your new storefront.
Post Duration: You can choose for your post to be shown for 90 days, indefinitely or for a custom duration of time.
What Should I Post with Yelp Connect?
Not too savvy with social media? Think of Yelp Connect as a social media for beginners. Even so, it can be a daunting process, especially for a small business that doesn’t have all that much extra time to be scrolling and liking. Keep in mind that each piece of content you put on Yelp is assessed by the algorithm. This means the more you post, the more your page is viewed and featured for related searches. With that being said, here are some ideas for what to post on your Yelp Connect:
- Holiday events and holiday hours
- New menu releases or new services offered
- Limited edition products, dishes or services
- Holiday specials and deals
- Live shows or events
- Unique events hosted at restaurants or storefront
- Highlights of business’s specialties
- Business history posts
- Ongoing weekly deals
How Does Yelp Connect Help My Business?
So we know what you’re thinking. You are already trying to manage your entire business, not to mention Yelp Ads, Google Ads, SEO, and social media, Yelp Connect is just one more thing on your plate that ‘may or may not impact your business.’ We’re here to tell you that every piece of relevant, quality content does, in fact, help your business. Think of it this way, Yelp reads each word and image on your page and makes up its own mind about the overall quality and credibility of your business. If you have no business information, no pictures, no amenities and no Yelp Connect posts, Yelp won’t think much of your page. However, if you have posts that verify the services you provide, images that reflect your business and text that offers valuable information, Yelp will read your account as a more authoritative source of information. Although this isn’t the hack to ranking first in a Yelp search, Yelp will prefer users who consistently post and will often feature them higher in search results than users who don’t.
Trust in Yelp’s #1 Agency Partner
But how are you expected to keep up with this, its enough trying to stay up to date on LinkedIn, Facebook, X, and Instagram, now Yelp Connect? We get it, it’s a lot. But it takes a lot of work to run a successful business online, one that is viewed as credible and trustworthy. And this can’t be done with sheer willpower. Fortunately, there is a solution for busy business owners! iCatch is a full-service digital marketing agency that was named Yelp’s Agency Partner of the Year. It’s no doubt we are not only experts at Yelp, but also trusted by Yelp. Putting your Yelp account into the hands of those who are named as the #1 experts can improve your business drastically. To learn more about how you can increase your leads without lifting a finger, contact us.
