A Local Restaurant Owner’s Guide to Yelp
Answers to 5 common questions about reputation management
As a local restaurant owner, you know better than anyone that positive word-of-mouth is a powerful marketing tool. In today’s market, more conversations about your business are happening online than ever before.
It’s important for you to protect your business’ reputation online by monitoring your Yelp reviews, responding to each one, and encouraging your happy customers to share their positive experiences with the online community.
Click here to learn more about how Main Street Hub can take reputation management off your plate — for good.
To help you get started, Main Street Hub is answering the 5 biggest questions about Yelp and reputation management for restaurants:
1. Why is Yelp important for my restaurant?
Having a claimed and active Yelp page for your business is crucial for being visible in local search results and standing out from the competition in your local area. In fact, 70% of consumers report having used the internet to find a local business near them, and 49% of consumers say they are more likely to use a business that has positive reviews, according to LocalBright.
This means that your restaurant needs to be on Yelp in order to be visible in your community, build loyalty among your customer base, and bring new customers in the door.
According to a recent study, 73% of consumers say that positive online reviews instill trust in a local business. That trust is vital for getting new customers and keeping current customers coming back time and time again. In fact, an increase of one star can increase a local restaurant’s revenue by 5%-9%!
2. Why should I respond to my Yelp Reviews?
Think of it this way, if a customer came into your restaurant to talk about a previous experience he or she had there, you would want to show her great customer service and make her feel heard. You should do the same online by responding to every review that comes in for your business on Yelp.
Remember, your review response does not only benefit the individual who left the review. Each and every person who goes your business’ Yelp page to confirm your hours, navigate to your location, or check your star rating can peruse your customer reviews and see how you addressed them. When they see you’ve taken the time to respond to each review, they’ll know how much you value your customers, making them more likely to pay you a visit.
Check out our guide to review responses from the Main Street Hub Community Managers!
3. How should I respond to my Yelp Reviews?
Whether you are responding to a positive or negative customer review on Yelp, it is important to craft a response that is sincere and specific. Add a human touch to your reviews with a unique sign-off that shows who you are as a business owner. Make your response personalized by using the reviewer’s name and referencing some of the details they included in their review.
If you receive a negative review on Yelp, it is important to remain calm and even-keeled in your response. Show the reviewer that you care about making things right by including a genuine apology and asking them to give you another try. Sometimes, it is necessary for you to defend your business against untrue accusations or misunderstandings. Always do so in the most polite manner possible and avoid any confrontational language.
When you’re responding to a positive review, be sure to give a genuine message of thanks and invite that customer back again soon. If they mentioned their favorite dish they tried, recommend a dish you think they’d enjoy next time! If they happen to shout out their waiter’s excellent service, ensure them that you’ll pass that great feedback along.
Learn how Main Street Hub can take reputation management off your plate for good — click here!
4. How can I get a Yelp review taken down?
Yelp is “community-driven,” so they will allow most negative reviews to stand, as long as they appear to be honest representations of the business.
However, there are review guidelines that prohibit Yelp users from leaving reviews that prove a conflict of interest, reviews that do not focus on the consumer’s experience in your business, and reviews that contain inappropriate material, such as threatening language or private information about your staff.
If you see reviews like these, you have the option to flag the review for removal. Simply log in to your Yelp account, go to the review in question, find the flag icon, and click “Report this review.”
If Yelp agrees with your reasoning for flagging the review, you’ll see it removed from your business’ Yelp page within a few days — which can help improve your star rating and protect your online reputation!
Learn how to flag a review on Yelp in four easy steps on our blog!
5. How can I increase my star rating?
Flagging any inappropriate negative reviews on your business’ Yelp page is a great way to give your star rating a boost — but don’t stop there!
Cross-promote your Yelp page on your business’ social media pages by sharing the link to your Yelp page to check out what your customers are saying about you. Your social media followers are already fans of your business, so take advantage of that by directing them to your Yelp page to share their experiences at your restaurant!
Another creative way to motivate your social media followers to leave a review is to create testimonial posts out of some of your restaurant’s best reviews. When your followers see how much you appreciate positive reviews and feedback, they’ll be more likely to leave a review of their own!
Learn more about how Main Street Hub can do reputation management for you.
Then, get started!
More resources for your local restaurant:
5 Facebook Content Tips for Restaurants
Enhance Your Customer Service on Social Media
Wow Your Restaurant’s Instagram Following: 3 Elements to a Great Food Photo
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