Yelp is the most popular business directory site in the U.S., with over 170 million unique visitors monthly across its mobile and desktop platform. It is currently a popular marketing channel for business owners who want to increase their exposure and gain more leads. To reach such goals, Yelp offers its own advertising service that gives business owners more options and flexibility for their needs.
Simply put, Yelp Advertising is for businesses that want to reach more audiences and get more clients through Yelp. Yelp Ads works by promoting your business page in Yelp search results and competitor pages across the Yelp platform. You can also get access to special Yelp upgraded profile features that other free business profiles don’t have.
Why use Yelp Advertising?
Yelp Advertising is quite different from Google Ads. And although Google might have a higher number of online users you can reach, it doesn’t necessarily mean more conversions for your business. Google is great for researching companies in general. It also shows businesses within your local area through Google My Business. However, Yelp excels in giving search users thorough information about a business they have in mind through its profile and reviews. And these reviews work well in increasing your conversion rate. It gives search users a further look at how well you do your business and communicate with your customers. In fact, according to TrustPulse, 73% of consumers trust a local business more if it has positive reviews.
A study made by Survey Monkey proved this; roughly 51% of Yelp users make a transaction within the same day of visiting a Yelp business page, while 90% do so within the week. This data is supported by findings by MARTechAdvisor.com, stating that over 50% of Yelp users make $100,000 annually, making them more likely to be interested in lifestyle purchases. Yelp Advertising is the perfect marketing tool you need to increase your customers and conversion.
So how can you fully optimize your business listing through Yelp Advertising? Here are specific tips you can follow:
1 – Complete business information.
Filling out all of your business information is basic knowledge. But the more information you include on your Yelp business page, the better optimized it is for search users. It makes your business page more relevant to other pages that are not fully completed.
Add all the important business details that potential customers might ask. This information includes business name, business address, phone number, business hours, and website URL. Add categories and services to help Yelp users understand what your business offers. Make sure that all information you input is accurate.
2 – Enhance your visibility with Yelp Ads.
Yelp Ads is an advertising service exclusively for Yelp businesses. This feature works by promoting your business in key areas across the Yelp site and mobile app, including the above part of Yelp’s search results and on competitors’ business pages. Through Yelp Ads, you can reach the right customers using customization and geo-targeting, driving more views and traffic to your business profile and turning online local search users into your customers.
Yelp Ads has helped many businesses grow. Our client, Rose Realty Inc., a real estate mortgage company, struggled to get new clients due to the pandemic. And the company knew they had to take action to keep their business thriving. With Cybertegic’s help in managing their Yelp advertising, Rose City Realty was able to earn a 1,300% return on their ad spend. Ad-driven leads were increased by 35%, and their usual cost per lead was reduced by 34%. Now, amidst the pandemic, Rose City Realty’s business continues to thrive.
3 – Enhanced Profile
An Enhanced Profile is an upgraded Yelp business page that lets you present your brand in its best light, enticing users to engage with your business and increase conversions. Its features include:
- A customizable photo/video slideshow
- Business HIghlights
- A Call-to-Action (CTA) button designed to drive transactions
- The removal of competitor ads in your business listing
So how important are these features to increase your customers?
- Business Highlights is a feature that helps you stand out from your competitors by showing your customers what makes your business the best. You can choose up to six icons from over 30 highlights, including “satisfaction guaranteed,” “certified professionals,” “discounts available,” and more.
- A customizable Photo/Video Slideshow ensures brand consistency. It allows businesses to showcase their best photo and let your customers know more about your brand.
- A Call-to-Action (CTA) button helps direct users to perform an action you value the most, such as “Book Now,” “Get a Quote,” or “Schedule an appointment.”
- The Removal of Competitor Ads helps keep your customers’ attention to your brand without getting distracted by your competitors’ ad listings.
And not only that, Yelp found that businesses with Enhanced Profiles get a 38% increase in customer leads compared to non-enhanced profiles. And those businesses with a Call-to-Action button in their Yelp profile see an average increase of 33% in their website traffic.
4 – Negative Keyword
Negative Keyword Targeting allows you to control where your search ads will appear on Yelp. This ad optimization feature can help you filter who sees your ad selectively, allowing you to target the right type of customers. It works by allowing you to choose or select search phrases that you don’t want your ads to appear in. For example, if you run a law office and specialize in immigration law, you may want to prevent your ad from showing under a search for “medical malpractice lawyer.” This way, you will be sure that your ads are bringing qualified leads to your business.
5 – Ad Location Targeting
Yelp Ads enables you to choose how far away you want your ads to appear from your business location. You can geo-target ads to be displayed in your chosen radius around your location through Ad Location Targeting, allowing you to target your local audience better.
Ad Location Targeting is extremely important, especially if you want to start building your local customer base. In a 2020 survey by ZypMedia, more than 53% of consumers said they are likely to buy from a local business. This alone shows the opportunities local advertising can bring to your business.
6 – Verified License
Verified License gives your business page a blue Verified License badge that shows your business has a valid, issued trade license, giving your potential customers the confidence to choose your business over others. It also boosts your business’s credibility.
So how can a Verified License help your business page? According to studies, having a Verified License badge on your business page can increase customer engagement by 10%, including clicks, calls, and map views. Having a Verified License badge on your business page also gives you an edge over businesses that are newer to the platform and do not have a large presence yet. Even companies with no reviews have seen a growth in their engagement after getting a Verified License badge.
7 – Portfolios
Adding a Portfolio to your business page allows you to present a virtual walkthrough of your past works to potential customers. You can upload up to 50 photos that showcase the full range of your business expertise, service, and offerings. You can also input labels and custom descriptions to describe the images. Portfolios are designed to impress and inform your potential customers by showing them what you can do and how you’re good at it.
Upload photos of your projects in an album and add a brief description, including its timeline and cost, providing you a great opportunity to present all your business’ accomplishments.
8 – Logos
Logos is a Yelp feature that allows you to feature your company’s logo. Your logo will be displayed on Yelp Page and in the search bar look down. It is an effective way of giving your business page a more professional look. It also adds credibility, which helps build trust and increase brand awareness. Adding a logo to your business page also provides a more established feel to it.
So why is adding a logo valuable to your Yelp business page? As stated, it builds brand awareness and recognition. It makes your business more memorable to search users on Yelp.
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Using Yelp Advertising will help grow your business exposure and allow you to reach more prospective customers. Aside from that, Yelp itself is a great place to build your online business presence and is perfect for local customers looking specifically for what you have to offer.
Do you need more help in fully optimizing your Yelp business listing and advertising? Cybertegic is a Certified Yelp Agency Partner. Our team of experts can help you reach more customers and get more business through Yelp. You can schedule a free consultation by visiting our website.
Sources:
https://www.yelp-adpartners.com/s/advertising-products
https://biz.yelp.com/advertise/national/enhanced_profile
https://review42.com/resources/yelp-statistics
https://blog.yelp.com/2020/09/a-guide-to-yelp-page-upgrades#Verified-License