Google and Yelp are two of the most popular review sites — by a massive margin. Google accounts for nearly three quarters (73%) of all online reviews as of 2024, with Yelp meanwhile receiving close to 180 million monthly visitors.
As a business owner, you need to be taking advantage of both platforms' enormous visibility by responding to all of your Yelp and Google reviews. But how do they stack up against each other, and what are some pros and cons to be aware of?
In this article, we'll compare some key aspects of Yelp and Google reviews for businesses, including:
We'll also answer some FAQs about Yelp vs. Google reviews.
Here's what you need to know about the reviews displayed on Google Maps.
Some review platforms are industry-specific and target a certain market, like Zocdoc for dental and medical patients or Zillow for renters and home-buyers. Others — like Google Maps — feature all types of business reviews, which means they also attract all types of users.
No matter who makes up your customer base, you need to prioritize Google reviews to make the most impact.
Brightlocal data shows that exactly half of the consumers surveyed — 50% — felt "confident" that they saw fake reviews on Google in 2022. That percentage was identical in 2021.
Despite this, Google still reigns supreme regarding trust and perceived authenticity. For example, 66% of consumers say they would be "most likely to trust" Google for healthcare-related reviews, compared to just 12% for the Better Business Bureau (BBB), 9% for Yelp, 6% for Facebook, and 3% for Apple Maps. Similar trends occur with other types of businesses and industries, such as:
If you experience an issue with your business listing, you’ll need to troubleshoot it using one of Google’s help articles. Here are the resources that Google provides for business owners and general users:
Once you create a Google Business Profile, it’s easy to edit your Google business listing, answer Q&As, and respond to positive or negative reviews. Here are three Google business site steps to get started:
Here is a complete guide to best google review responses,
Now that we've gone over how Google reviews work, let's look at Yelp's platform.
This article covers in detail how to respond to yelp reviews
Like Google, Yelp is a general review platform for various types of businesses, attracting a wide range of users. Some examples of businesses on Yelp include hotels, restaurants, financial services, medical services, and pet care services.
Refer to Yelp’s complete business category list to ensure that your small business is listed appropriately and is as easy as possible for Yelp users to find.
Compared to Google, fewer Yelp reviews are perceived as being fake. According to a survey by BrightLocal, only 25% of consumers felt "confident" about seeing fake reviews on Yelp during the past year, compared to the 50% — twice as many — who said the same about Google.
In spite of these trends, consumers still trust Yelp less than Google. For example, only 29% of consumers said they would be most likely to trust Yelp for food and drink reviews, compared to 44% who said they would trust Google the most.
Like Google, Yelp tries to maintain authenticity and has a strict policy against practices like:
If you experience an issue or have a question regarding your Yelp account, you can reach Yelp’s customer support representatives by calling (877) 767-9357, Monday through Friday, from 6:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. PST. You can also refer to Yelp’s online help articles or start a chat session with an online representative.
Learn more about the ways you can contact Yelp customer support.
It's easy for your business to respond to a positive review or negative review on Yelp.
Start by creating a Yelp account for free. Once you have an account, you can create and manage a business page. You can also respond to customers directly from the platform on desktop or mobile or by using a done-for-you review reply service.
Here are a few parting thoughts about Yelp vs. Google reviews to bear in mind while developing a review management strategy for your business:
Considering the enormous impact that each review platform has on consumers, it's crucial to create and maintain an active business account on both.
Whether your reviews are predominantly positive or negative, your business can boost its online reputation, retain more of its existing customers, and attract more potential customers by responding promptly to all reviews on both platforms.
ResponseScribe makes it effortless by providing custom-made responses for you — not just on Google or Yelp, but more than 50 leading review sites, including Facebook, Tripadvisor, the BBB, Trustpilot, Apple Maps, and more.
Every response is personalized to the reviewer, aligned with your branding, and delivered within minutes to hours. Your business can choose an AI-assisted or fully human-powered writing strategy, and always has the option to approve responses before they’re published. Our white-glove response service also includes responses to Google Q&As, along with 24/7 direct chat access to your own dedicated responder.
ResponseScribe pricing starts at just $19 per month. Explore the plans we offer and find the perfect fit for your business
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Whether you’re looking for a centralized review management platform, an automated review response service, or both, Shout About Us makes it fast and easy to get up and running. Through our review monitoring, removal, response, and generation services, we empower your business to get more reviews, rank higher in local search results, improve customer satisfaction, and turn potential customers into loyal superfans.
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