How to Include Your Business in the Yelp Database

Adding your business to Yelp's directory can be very confusing the way they have it set up, since there are no clear indicators for adding a new listing. Even many seasoned yelp users and reviews will often find themselves at a loss on how to add a listing because of the way Yelp is currently set up. Now, that being said, the task is far from impossible, and in fact, is very easy if you know who to ask ;)

Now, many of you will see this step as optional, though as an experienced yelp user, I want to assure you that if you don't follow this step, you might as well not add your business to yelp, because it's not likely to make any difference for you.

So take the time to go to Yelp and create a personal profile. Really give this process some of your energy and let the yelp community know who you are. Then go contribute to the community by adding 3 or 4 reviews of your own, from places you love to visit in your area. Doing this will get the attention of other yelp users who will want to start following you. It is the few who start following you, that will really create a viral attraction to your yelp listing, so make sure you follow them back and interact with them!

This step is where I will reveal to you the secret of getting your business listed on yelps database. I hope you're ready for it...

All you have to do is go to a slightly different website know as Biz.Yelp.Com

Amazing right?

In my opinion it is, especially since www.yelp.com, does not have any magic tabs that lead you to this change of domain. In fact, there are only two other ways you will learn about this special little process, and that is either going to google and searching "yelp for businesses" or by going to the yelp help section and wading through tons of useless information until you come across the link to sign up for a free yelp business account.

In any case, the way that you get there, matters much less than what you do when you get there. What I mean is that you need to be very careful about making sure you sign up with correct information. The very first yelp listing I created, I miss-entered one of the numbers on my business phone number and even after spending a year submitting updates and help tickets to yelp, it is still the same wrong phone number. Eventually I had to open a new listing for that business, just to simply change the phone number. So make sure that you check and double check everything before you click submit.

You should also be forewarned that while Yelp will tell you that it can take up to 3 business days for you to be able to access your business account, it can take way longer than that, even if you bug them about it, so don't bank on using your dashboard right after you sign up.

Now, all of that being said, the one thing you get from signing up for the free business account, is the thing that you wanted - an instant business listing on yelp.

And, if you followed the first step in this hub, you can use your personal yelp account to share your business listing, add photos or leave comments.

Now, if your business is already extremely popular, the chances are that your business was added to yelp well before you thought about adding it, and there will already be tons of reviews and activities throughout that listing.

Though the chances are, if you're here reading this hub, you probably have not achieved that sort of internet stardom in your professional life, and in that case, it's important that you don't take the yelp community for granted. It is the community of die-hard reviewers that makes yelp as powerful as it is, and if you want to benefit from the search engine traffic, yelp community and social optimization, then you'll get off your patotee and get active in the community on a regular basis!

It's not all that hard either. Just think about the places you regularly visit and use those experiences to write authentic yelp reviews every week or so. Then read the other reviews comments and vote them up using the "funny", "cool", "helpful" and "dislike" options.