Get Established On The Web

Help getting established on the web — starting with the basics people actually look for.

Yelp Basics

Yelp Basics

Get established on Yelp — one of the first sensible steps to getting established on the web.

A Yelp Business Page is the free listing customers find when they browse Yelp for a service or place. This page walks you through claiming or creating one: what to do, the one review-policy caution that trips businesses up, and the official Yelp links — without promising leads or results. Treat it as one practical external profile, not a full Yelp marketing plan.

Every official Yelp link you need to get established on Yelp is on this page — follow the checklist below, one step at a time.

Basic Starting Path

You do not need a formal business plan, but at least a short sketch of what you do, who you serve, and how customers reach you will make the steps below much easier.

  1. Gather at least the minimal information you will need — business name, category, location or service area, phone number, and hours. Use Basic Information To Gather below as your checklist.
  2. Search for the business on Yelp for Business first.
  3. If the business page already exists, claim it through Yelp for Business.
  4. If the business is not listed yet, add the business and wait for Yelp’s review process.
  5. Confirm the basic profile information: business name, category, location or service area, phone number, website, hours, and contact options.
  6. Add real photos that help customers understand the business.
  7. Turn on notifications so review, message, or quote activity is not missed.
  8. Respond to reviews from the Yelp for Business account.
  9. Do not ask customers, friends, family, or mailing-list subscribers to write Yelp reviews. Focus on a good customer experience and let reviews happen naturally.

Basic Information To Gather

  • Business name as it is used in the real world.
  • Business category.
  • Storefront address, service area, or hybrid location details.
  • Phone number.
  • Website URL.
  • Hours.
  • Business description.
  • Services or products.
  • Useful business photos.
  • Yelp for Business account owner decisions.
  • Review-policy awareness: Yelp tells businesses not to solicit reviews or offer incentives for reviews.

Copy For A Website Section

Yelp can be part of a basic online-presence setup for a local business. Start by searching for the business on Yelp for Business. If a page already exists, claim it. If it does not, add the business and wait for Yelp’s review process. Once the page is claimed, keep the core information current, add useful photos, watch messages and quote requests, and respond to reviews professionally.

The important caution is review policy. Yelp tells businesses not to ask customers for reviews or offer incentives for reviews. A better starting goal is to make the profile accurate, useful, and easy for customers to act on.

Where To Go Next