According to a study by The Nielsen Company, 74 percent of consumers turn to review sites to find a local business to spend their money with. The same study found that people were overwhelmingly using Yelp as their review site of choice. As an auto dealership owner, you have the power to claim your free Yelp for Business Owner’s account and update some of your business information. You can also engage with your listing in a way that draws more attention and helps generate more natural review content for your business.
Consumers likely do not do a search on Yelp for car dealerships just for fun. Similarly, your loyal customers don’t go to Yelp when they’re in need of a new vehicle. They pick up the phone schedule an appointment or swing by the lot to see what vehicles you have! A potential client who is searching on Yelp for an auto dealership is generally new to the area, has never purchased a new vehicle before, or is unhappy with their previous dealership. This is a great opportunity for you to get your business in front of them and highlight why they should try you for their next vehicle.
Every business owner has the ability to claim their free Yelp for Business Owners account and start attracting new clients. Between taking care of your facilities, managing your staff, and building your brand, there’s not a lot of time left! Here are five tips for making the most of your free Yelp tools to attract new customers:
Tip 1 – Complete Your Listing: First claim your Yelp for Business Owners Account by visiting biz.yelp.com. Then you will walk through the steps to verify your hours, website, address, and phone number. From there you’ll want to add a specialties section that describes what sets you apart and the specific services or brands of vehicles you offer.
Pro Tip: All Yelp users search differently. Some may search ‘car dealership’ while others search for ‘used car dealership’ or even for a specific brand. Make sure to include details about your services and special offerings so you can be found more often! If you also provide repairs or maintenance services, you should add that to your profile to give you an edge.
Visuals are also a great selling point for businesses. You can upload an unlimited number of photos, so start taking pictures of the vehicles in your lot and uploading them to your page to show off your inventory. Make sure to add captions that describe the photo, those terms can be used to your advantage (i.e. if you have a Toyota in your lot and a user is searching Toyota dealers). Photos of the business, your staff, and happy customers are always great, too.
Tip 2 – Check-In Offers/Yelp Deals: You can set up a Check-In Offer or Yelp Deal through your Yelp for Business Account in a few quick clicks. Check-In Offers engage mobile users of Yelp. These users are searching on-the-go and tend to take action faster. Check-In Offers can be anything – maybe even something you already give away for free (like an air freshener or branded foot mats for their new ride). The best thing about Check-In Offers? Consumers are prompted to leave you a review the next time they log into Yelp after checking in at your business. It helps grow your brand across social platforms like Facebook and Twitter and engages customers beyond just leaving a review or visiting your business.
Setting up Yelp Deals is another great way to grab a customer for the first time. You select the value of your Yelp Deal through your account, and you can turn it on or off whenever you choose.
Tip 3 – Respond to Reviews: You can respond to reviews publicly or privately through Yelp for Business Owners (http://biz.yelp.com/). Remember, when responding to your reviews, it is important to remain professional, thank the reviewer for their feedback, and share any updates that have been made to your business as a result. Consumers see a response to a negative review as the business valuing the customer’s experience and showing a desire to engage with consumers on a personal level. Sending a short, private message to a positive review also shows those happy clients that you appreciate their business!
Tip 4 – Download the Mobile App for Business Owners: The first step to keeping all the Yelp tools right in your pocket is to visit the iTunes or Google Play store to download the free Yelp for Business Owners App. Remember: It’s blue, not red! Once you log in to your account, you will stay logged in on your device. This is great for faster access. You will notice multiple features available to you, including the ability to check your activity, respond to reviews, and upload photos.
Tip 5 – Spread the Word: When you have a great review, you want people to see it! You can now login to Yelp for Business Owners and share your reviews on other platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, or via email. We’ve even seen businesses print their reviews and frame them on their walls! Beyond just telling your patrons they can find your business on Yelp, you can also make it visible in your offices or on your website. You can always request a “Find Us on Yelp” sticker on our website as well.
Don’t take my word for it! There are business owners all around the world growing their business through Yelp. If you want to learn more from them, check out our blog post titled i. If you have questions about any of the resources mentioned or available to you on Yelp, you can always visit our support center for Business Owners.
Emily Washcovick is Business Outreach Manager at Yelp. She hosts informational sessions with local business owners across North America to educate them on best practices for navigating the world of online reviews. She works with local business owners interested in utilizing Yelp to help grow their business. She also hosts a series of webinars on subjects relevant to business owners and regularly contributes content to Yelp’s Blog for Business Owners. Emily also acts as a liaison between the small business community and the different divisions within Yelp. EMAIL: [email protected]
