Yelp.com is one massive business directory! You almost have to be on it to maximize your Internet presence. And for some it is very scary to think about listing with YELP because of the horror stories they hear. In 2019, the film BILLION DOLLAR BULLY, available on Amazon, addresses a lot of these fears, but we are really here to address fearlessly listing with YELP and how you can bite back at bigger Internet Giants like YELP by harnessing their Internet presence and not paying a dime. First of all, let us explain something. Currently, in 2023 Yelp is valued at 2.10 billion dollars and it gets 90% of its revenue from advertisers who don't understand they can easily do what it does with a website made on Wix.com. Their power, and appeal, isn't in their revenue though (as impressive as it is). Yelps power resides in its Search Engine Optimization (SEO). We double dog dare you to Google just about any business type with the words near me in it and you'll most likely see the first three Google Business Listings from Google My Business, a sponsored ad or two, and then Yelps directory. Yelp doesn't really make its money from advertising if you ask us, Yelp makes its revenue from those who think that building a website is difficult and that you have to be some sort of tech genius to understand SEO. Ronnie Mickle, owner of Unlimited Ink Notary and NotaryStars.com (a niche directory for Notary Loan Signing Agents) has built many websites smaller than Yelp that can outrank the Internet giant and he teaches Notaries weekly within his niche just how to do that- and for much less cost than paying for costly Yelp ads! Still there is an old saying, "if you can't beat them, join them," and even though you can out rank Yelp yourself without paying any money you still can, and should, utilize their directory for two very important reasons. First, because they provide a healthy backlink to your website pulling you up in search rankings almost immediately. And second, because while your website is gaining SEO their marketing team will be working around the clock to bring you in customers. Here's a free video on how to set up and maximize your Yelp Business Listing but don't forget to continue reading the article on why after you set up your listing you shouldn't pay YELP a dime (at least for now). Within hours or days after you sign up for YELP you are going to get a call from one of their highly trained market managers. Or that is at least how they'll refer to themselves. They are going to tell you they have statistics for businesses just like yours, but the question is, do they really have those statistics? We've never seen any real ones when we inquire about them after setting up listings. We just get the "we'll get back to you." speech and they never do. They are going to be asking you to run Ads on Yelp or purchase things to "make you stand out," like a company logo. You don't need any of their ad ons for your listing to function properly at this time and here's why you should definitely not purchase Yelp Ads and only use their free listings for whatever traffic you can get. #1) Yelp Ads seems to run 24/7 currently as opposed to Google Ads where you can schedule what time they run. There is no point running an ad at 2 am for a client you can't pick up the phone for or answer an email for most small businesses. Especially if you work in services that are generally needed yesterday, so to speak. This means you are paying for clicks while you are sleeping and not while you are working and wasting your marketing budget. This is one of the hard stops, but there's more! #2) Yelp Ads seem to group small businesses at the Top-level categories of the site. So let's say Notaries are often grouped into advertisements with Attorneys (which are two different things). That's because of where the top level resides. Why would you pay for invalid clicks in a directory? #3) Yelp uses questionable ethical SEO Practices to drive members into their site. Google loves lists and ratings. So the first way they draw members in is with Meta Tags and Meta descriptions like "The Top 10 _________ Near Your City." When you click to enter Yelp as a consumer you only get a list sorted by distance, not the actual Top 10. So, working hard for those reviews and paying YELP to advertise you first isn't working there. And, if someone has less, or not as good, reviews as you, they can still show before you as long as they pay money. Yelp also has a metatag they use often that says "THE TOP FREE _______ NEAR YOUR CITY." Now there may be some not for profits out there so we aren't saying never but if you are reading this you are most likely not operating your business for free. Which means they are bringing in users through organic search who might be looking for free or reduced cost services but then charging you top dollar for their clicks on your ads when those users won't hire you because you are charging them. THIS IS QUESTIONABLY ETHICAL BECAUSE THEY ARE MISLEADING THE ORGANIC USER BY ABUSING GOOGLE'S ALGORITHM BUT THEN CHARGING YOU TOP DOLLAR FOR A CLICK (ALL WHILST DOING ITEMS 1 AND 2 A THE SAME TIME). Here is proof they are doing this. This screenshot was taking on 3-23-22. If they are doing it to Notaries, they are doing it to all businesses out there. Our site works no differently than Yelp and their Meta Tags are dynamic. The best way to list on Yelp until they change their practices is to only go for their free listing, let the rep call you once, politely decline any offers, don't take any of their "free" offerings, obtain the healthy backlink form them, get that free Internet traffic and joining a course like Notary Stars + Marketing to learn how to out rank them. And then ditch them! Sources: Google Finance - Stock Market Prices, Real-time Quotes & Business News Yelp Inc. (YELP) Market Cap & Net Worth - Stock Analysis Yelp Business Model - How Does Yelp Make Money? (businessmodelanalyst.com) Disclaimer: This page contains affiliate links, specifically for Amazon, which links to Billion Dollar Bully. We use affiliate links wisely here at NotaryStars.com as they help us keep free content like this coming to you!
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