Yelp is a review site, designed for the public to be able to make analysis, comments, and suggestions on local businesses. The site has gained critical mass, being particularly important to the restaurant and service industries. Many people now look to Yelp before they decide what service provider or dining establishment to attend,  with the expectation of receiving legitimate and unbiassed reviews. Most people don't know about or understand the filter system Yelp has in place and naturally assume that the reviews presented represent all of the reviews given. 

This is the first in our blog series about online review platforms. Here we are talking about the basics of Yelp, the most frequently accessed site to check out service companies, restaurants, and other businesses. Yelp is an online guide offering reviews of local businesses directly from their customers. There are many benefits to a platform with this set up and also some drawbacks. In next week's Tip of the Week we will discuss the challenges and controversies associated with Yelp, but first...what is Yelp all about?

Many organizations and industries are realizing the importance of engaging on social media platforms, but fear the potential consequences if things go wrong. Though this concern is not completely unfounded, fear is not a good reason to avoid engaging in a sound social media campaign. One way to reinforce your efforts with digital marketing and ensure you are on solid foundation is to create a company social media policy to guide the actions of all participants. 

  Information is now easier to access and share than ever before. Google, and other search engines, have made finding an abundance of good content on any subject very easy. Legitimate sources, such as national associations, organizations, and government agencies produce a tremendous amount of content in the form of articles, news stories, and blogs. In addition to plenty of official sources, reputable industry experts are churning out content at a record rate. Regardless of your industry, there is no scarcity of content when searching the internet for something of value to share with your audience. 

Just Ask!

I was working on the “Social Media Tip of the Week” when I got an email from someone in my network, Stacy Schalk with Zingify, asking me to “like” her business page. We have been colleagues for a while and I even helped her with her Facebook page, so I was really surprised when I clicked on her link and saw that my business page had not liked her business page.  It sounds really simple, but is often overlooked. This blog is about asking for the connection. 

I continue to be surprised, with all of the information circulating about social media, how many professionals still have not set up a Facebook page for their business; either because they are representing themselves in their professional capacity on their personal page OR they aren’t using Facebook in any way connected to their business. This is a common issue we see among small and independent business owners - using their personal page as the only way they connect with their associates and promote their business on Facebook. This is not a good idea, but we understand why some people do it anyway:

As busy as we are, we all have some down time somewhere in our lives. Let’s face it, if we really want to achieve something, because it brings us value or joy, we find a way to make it happen. Sometimes plain intention and motivation aren’t enough, we need a plan. 

"A Picture is worth a thousands words" is not just a quaint old expression, but a legitimate reminder that what we see has a greater impact on us than words. We are biologically and genetically programmed for this. Imagine, if you will, someone telling a story of hungry children, a devastating earthquake, the reunion of service member and their small children, or someone reaching the top of Mt. Everest. When you hear the words associated with these events, emotions may arise arise as your brain processes the details of the story. Now, visualize starving children, the after effects of a devastating earthquake, a service member running into the arms of their children, and the look on the face of the one who made it to the top of Mr. Everest. The images in your mind create far more powerful emotions than words alone, and this effect is amplified when you actually see the images.