Reply in public first, keep it short and specific, and offer to continue by phone or direct message. That's Yelp's own advice for critical reviews, and it's the right habit for contractors: the person you're really writing to is the next homeowner reading your page.
Below: how replies work on Yelp, copyable responses for good and bad reviews, and the one thing about Yelp that's different from Google.
How replying works on Yelp
Yelp gives business owners two ways to respond to a review:
- Public comment. It appears under the review where anyone on your Yelp page can see it.
- Direct message. A private message to the reviewer, like email. Good for getting details or sorting something out one on one.
Yelp's guidance for critical reviews is to post a personalized public comment first, then send a direct message if you need more information. Other users should see that you're addressing the concern. If you're short on time, Yelp suggests at least a direct thank-you on positive reviews, or its thank button.
You can change your mind. Use the three dots next to your comment to edit or remove it.
To reply, sign in to your Yelp for Business account and open the review. Button names change, so look for the reply or comment option on the review.
Rules for a good reply
Yelp's tips line up with Google's advice on replies:
- Respond to every review, good and critical.
- Stay professional. No argumentative or aggressive language, even in direct messages.
- Pause before answering criticism, especially when you're annoyed.
- Reply in public first, then give a way to continue offline.
- If you sort it out offline, add a public note saying so.
- Use the reviewer's first name and one detail from the review.
- Answer promptly.
Copyable replies
Negative review about a late arrival
Late arrival
Negative review about price
Price complaint
Review that doesn't match a job
Can't find the customer
Positive review
Thank you
For more Google-side versions of these, see positive review responses and how to respond to a bad review.
The big difference: don't build a Yelp review campaign
On Google you can ask every customer for a review. Yelp is different. Yelp's support pages tell businesses not to ask customers for reviews, and the same page says its recommendation software is designed to filter out reviews that may have been solicited. Reviews that are not recommended stay behind a link at the bottom of your page and do not count toward your star rating or review count. See Yelp's Don't Ask for Reviews page for the current wording.
For Google, asking is fine. Put the effort there: see how to ask for a Google review and the pillar guide.
Warning: Don't offer anything in return
Don't offer money, discounts or free work for a review or for taking one down, on any platform. Google's review policy covers this, and the FTC's rule bars incentives tied to a particular sentiment.
When a Yelp review is clearly fake or abusive
Yelp's Support Center covers reporting a review that breaks its content guidelines. Use that process and keep your public reply calm. Don't answer a clearly fake review with an attack. A polite line saying you can't find the job is enough.
For the Google equivalent, see can you delete a Google review.
Keeping Yelp and Google in balance
Which site customers check first depends on the trade and the city, so cover both. A reasonable routine for a small shop:
- Reply on Yelp whenever a review lands, using the steps above.
- Put your review-asking effort into Google.
- Check both once a week. See how to see all your Google reviews in one place.
Plan: Google replies drafted for you
Mitch works with Google reviews and has no Yelp tools. Local ($189 a month) texts your customers a Google review link a day or two after the job and drafts a reply to each review for you to approve. Try the 14-day trial, no card. See the [review requests page](/us/platform/reviews).
More posts in the reviews hub.
Put your review effort where it counts
Mitch asks for the Google review and drafts the reply. You approve it.