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Google vs Yelp Reviews?

Google vs Yelp Reviews?

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by Hugh Duffy

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We all know that online reviews are essential for enhancing your local reputation. They also increase your close ratio on new prospects and elevate your website placement in the search engine results pages. The question is, where should I focus my efforts for obtaining online reviews and how are the reviews different in Google versus Yelp?

Differences between Google and Yelp Reviews

Google reviews rely more on the star rating rather than the depth of the review. According to a Piper Jaffray study, the average Google review has 161 characters while Yelp averages 784 characters. And about 25% of the Google reviews had no text review. >Yes, the average Yelp review is five (5) times longer than Google. In other words, Yelpers are spending more time and energy when writing Yelp reviews. In fact, Yelp encourages Yelpers to become more passionate about their reviews, positive and negative.

Please take this distinction into account when you try to establish yourself as an avid Yelper and try to get past the Yelp filter.Google reviews can be shorter in length.

Where to Focus Efforts

I recommend that you focus primarily on Google and Intuit because they are easier to get reviews posted and will elevate the visibility of your accounting firm when a small business owner is searching to hire you. You should make clients aware that you accept reviews for Yelp, Google and Intuit in your email newsletter regularly but understand that very few clients are active Yelpers.

While focusing on Google, Intuit and Yelp sounds like a lot, we are ignoring YP.com, Yahoo Local, Judy's Book, Angie's List, Kudzu, CitySearch, InsiderPages, Manta and many others.

What is a Yelper?

Someone who actively contributes and/or uses Yelp to inform others about their buying decisions. In fact, Yelp has a Yelp Elite Squad program which encourages Yelpers to compete and rewards them in a community oriented fashion for their contributions. Attached is a example of a review that Tom Palm received from a Elite Yelper.

Please download the Yelp app for your smartphone and jump into the game.

Fake It Until You Make It

As a newbie to Yelp, I recommend that you fake it initially. That means picking a few of your favorite restaurants, lunch spots and watering holes at the beginning and writing longer reviews that appear genuine so they have a higher probability of getting past the Yelp filter. After this initial step, then start writing reviews for your business clients that will appreciate online reviews the most.

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Hugh Duffy, BYF CEO and Co-Founder

Hugh is the consummate marketing coach for accountants and takes pride in the impact that it has on their practice, and lives. Hugh has more than thirty years of marketing experience. Since 2003, he has been teaching accountants on how to improve their marketing and make more money from their accounting practice.