What is Yelp and How Does It Work?
By Corbin HartwickUpdated on November 19, 2017
If you're looking to spend your money wisely, it helps to know the reputation of the people you're doing business with. This is true not just within the business community, but also with customers who have actually bought their goods and services. For example:
- What local eatery has the fastest service times?
- What hotel at your trip destination has the cleanest rooms?
- What specialty shop has the products you want in stock?
- Which local doctor specializes in the areas of health that you care about most?
- Where can you get a great haircut or manicure/pedicure at an even better price?
Enter Yelp, a website that serves as a directory for local businesses, both big and small, in major cities and towns across the world in over 15 different languages. In addition to finding the type of store that sells what you're looking to buy, you can also leave reviews and ratings for those you've already done business with. Other people will do the same, and can comment on reviews that others have posted. This way, there is a little more balance to reviews concerning whether they're positive or negative.
Yelp offers social media features besides being able to write and respond to reviews of businesses, too. You can create a profile about yourself and discuss local hot spots with the website's users. You can also look for local special events, and even sometimes get special deals and discounts at your favourite businesses. Whether you're looking for a new place to eat out or trying to find a garage that will treat your car right, Yelp is a good place to start.