It is often a challenge figuring out how to get your business to the top of a Google search, with businesses trying search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM) tactics in an attempt to climb the page results. 

But did you know that when consumers search for your company, it is likely you’re already at the top? That’s right, thanks to a little company called “Yelp,” your company page shows up right along with countless reviews. Wait, you didn’t know you had a Yelp page?

A Boston Consulting Group survey found that only 15 percent of small-business owners surveyed knew that they had a free Yelp profile and only 11 percent had already claimed it. However, according to this Yelp blog post, “virtually all Yelp users (98%) have made a purchase at a business they found on Yelp, with nearly 90% of them doing so within a week!”

With results like that, you can’t deny the power of the free review website. In fact, research shows that a boosted Yelp rating of just one star can increase a company’s revenues anywhere from 5 percent to 9 percent.

But where do you begin?

Tips to Help Small Businesses Make the Most of Yelp

Find out if a page already exists, and if not, claim yours! Go to Yelp and search for your business. You’ll likely be surprised that a page already exists with your business name and address (with or without reviews). “Claim” your free listing to update your business information and hours, add a link to your website and upload photos.

Learn about who’s searching for you. Once you’ve “claimed” your Yelp listing, you can monitor how many people view your listing over 30-day, 12-month and 24-month periods. You can also view the customer leads and learn who recently called your business, mapped directions to your business, or clicked through to your website.

With a Yelp listing, you can respond to your customers when they post reviews or privately message them.

Make sure to respond to both positive and negative reviews, showing your customers that you’re listening to all of their feedback, not just the stuff that benefits you.

Leverage customer offers. For small businesses just starting out on Yelp, you can leverage other free services, such as deals and certificates like $20 for $40 or check-in offers that reward your customers for checking in at your business.

Test out advertising and more. In addition to its free services, Yelp also offers full service advertising, which includes targeted ads, competitor ad removal from your page and dedicated support from a Yelp account manager.

Make Your Customer Service Top Notch

Yelp is all about customer reviews, so outside of all of the tools you can leverage online with Yelp, your number one priority should be providing your customers with an incredible experience while at your business, so that they will want to go to Yelp and give you that five-star review.

As noted on the Yelp for Business Owners page, “the average annual incremental revenue generated by a business claiming its free Yelp Business Page is $8,000” and “the average annual revenue from Yelp as reported by Yelp advertisers is $23,000.”

The online review site is a powerful tool that your business cannot afford to ignore. Visit https://biz.yelp.com/ now to find and claim your business listing so you can get started connecting with your customers and building a great reputation online.