Are you frustrated that the good reviews you’ve collected on Yahoo or other websites are gone, thanks to a deal with Yelp?
While it might be a challenge to understand how Yelp works, here are a few things you can do to ensure you are in control of your reviews and not Yelp, or anyone else.
Capture Reviews Elsewhere
Train your staff to capture reviews from customers via video, email or other wise.
Request Them Via Email
Encourage your customers to email in their reviews or write them down by hand.
Use Form Collection
Capture reviews through a form on your website and display them prominently there.
Encourage More of Them
Ensure you encourage your customers to regularly and frequently send good reviews to Yelp and other online local directories.
Keep Things Up to Date
Update your local search directory listing and ensure the telephone number, address and link(s) are up to date.
Republished by permission. Original here.
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Aaron Kantrowitz
I think the most frustrating part of yelp, from a small business owner perspective, is the fact that it is terribly difficult to remove a false negative review.
Aira Bongco
It’s a bummer that you also get to lose reviews even if it is authentic. If it goes on like this, it would be better to just have an extra page on your site for testimonials instead of using all these review websites that keep on deleting the reviews anyway.
BigDaddy
Whatever you do, do NOT cave in to the Yelp extortion and advertise. You will regret it.
http://venturebeat.com/2012/02/06/yelp-advertising-is-a-rip-off-for-small-advertisers/