Creating a Yelp Page for your new business

Once you’ve started your business, it’s time to start thinking about how you’ll market your business to get customers. A great place to start is your online presence and reputation. 75% of consumers “always” or “regularly” read online reviews (BrightLocal), and managing your business on Yelp can help you get in front of those users.

What is Yelp?

Yelp is essentially the modern, online version of the yellow pages. When people are searching for a great local business, Yelp provides nearby recommendations and acts as a local business directory. It also serves as a way for you to share all the details about your business with prospective customers—from your website to photos to info about how you started your business.

Yelp offers businesses the opportunity to attract customers through online word of mouth to reach people who are actively searching and intending to make a purchase. So whenever people are searching for a great local business, Yelp will most likely be a part of the conversation. 

• Who is on Yelp? Over 80 million people visit Yelp each month. 72% of Yelp users are 35 or older, and over half of them have an income over $100k a year.
• What are they looking for? While Yelp is most commonly known for restaurants, consumers are using Yelp to find almost every type of local business—from boutiques and salons to dentists, mechanics, plumbers, and more. In fact, the home and local services category is the most reviewed category, followed by restaurants and shopping.
• How are they using Yelp? Consumers use Yelp via the app, mobile site, and website. Plus, since Yelp has such a large network of partners, Yelp data is integrated into searches on Apple products and across a number of other partners.
• When are they using Yelp? When they’re ready to buy: Yelp is at the very end of the decision-making process. 83% of users hire or buy from a business they found on Yelp.
• Why are they using Yelp? To find the best business to meet their needs. The mission of Yelp is to connect people with great local businesses. Consumers turning to Yelp are looking for a great local business like yours, and they’re looking to buy. That means you’re tapping into an audience passionate about making an educated decision on where to spend their money.

How to create a Yelp Page

The best time to create a Yelp Page is when you open for business (although you can submit a new page up to a month before your open date). Here are the simple steps:

1. Go to www.biz.yelp.com/claim, and type in your business name. If you don’t see your business, click “Add to Yelp for free,” and fill out your basic business details.
2. Create a free business user account by entering an email address and password. You should use an email address you check regularly to stay on top of what’s happening with your page.
3. Verify your account by entering your verification code. You can choose to get an email or a text or call to the number listed on your page.

Follow the prompts in your account to fill out your page, and you’ll be notified once your business page is verified (may take a few business days).

Managing your Yelp Page

Managing your Yelp presence is simple and easy with the 20+ tools you can take advantage of. 

• Add photos and customize your online storefront.
• Track your customer activity. For example, you can see when customers view your Yelp Page or take secondary actions like call your business.
• Fill your page with business information such as hours, specialties, and history.
• Download the Yelp for Business app so you can track your traffic.
• Take a minute to respond to your new customers if they write you a review.

For more, check out Yelp 101: a business guide to thriving on Yelp.