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Yelp Vs. Google Reviews (Which Are More Important in 2023?)

Yelp vs. Google (Blog Cover)

Yelp vs. Google has been a debate in reputation management for over a decade. So which platform is better for customer reviews?

Make no mistake about it; reviews are critical to your business. Consider that 84% of consumers trust online reviews as much as word-of-mouth referrals. In addition, most people find new services by searching online.

While establishing a presence on multiple review platforms (Google, Yelp, Facebook, and others) is the best strategy, it’s still important to understand which platform you should prioritize for your business in 2023.

The Best Platform for Customer Reviews

Google Business Profile (Google My Business) is the best platform to focus on customer reviews. As you gain more reviews on Google, your listing begins to rank higher in search results for relevant queries. Furthermore, more customers will contact your business after a search when they notice the positive reviews associated with your listing.

Creating Business Profiles

Both review platforms are free. However, optimizing your profiles for SEO and managing your online reputation requires time, effort, and resources. Still, it all starts with the first step of creating your business listing. Here’s how you do that for each platform:

Google

With Google, you will have to have your business confirmed by sending in a postcard with some of your business’s information. You can start the process right here; it isn’t very much work. Once you are set up, you can fill out your profile, and you will be able to see the reviews people leave for your business. 

Yelp

With Yelp, you go through a similar process to claim your business. Your business may already be listed, but you will still have to claim it. You can do that right here. Once your listing is live, you will find it by searching your company name.

Yelp Vs. Google: Lead Generation

A Google Business Profile listing is very likely to appear when someone is doing a relevant search on Google. Your Yelp profile may also appear, but probably much lower on the search engine results page. In general, Google Business Profile will make you more visible to those using Google, which accounts for about 4.3 billion individuals

Compare that to the 178 million monthly users on Yelp, and you can already see a bit of a discrepancy. 

Google Business Profile

One of the most fantastic things about Google Business Profile is that you can use it to generate more leads for your business. The platform allows you to write a bio and share critical information like what areas your business serves, what services you provide, and an overview of your business. 

The more you fill the profile out, the more visible you will be to people in need of your services. 

Yelp for Business

On the other hand, Yelp is a bit scanter with the type of information you can provide. For example, you can add photos, and your customers can add photos too. But most people don’t see the complete profile page when they search on Yelp, which leads us to a crucial point. 

Yelp Vs. Google: Mobile Experience

The next thing to compare is the mobile-friendliness of each platform. Both Google My Business and Yelp have mobile apps. Both are pretty helpful for business owners too. You can do anything on the desktop version, so it’s pretty convenient when you’re on the go. 

You can reply to reviews on both mobile apps during downtime and even update your business’s information. However, inequality comes on the consumer side. While 63% of Google’s organic search traffic comes from people using mobile devices, the Yelp mobile app is used much more frequently. The Yelp app has 37 million unique users every month.

There is a caveat here, too, though. Yelp has a bit of a genre issue regarding consumer usage. For the most part, Yelp can’t seem to shake the perception that it is only for reading reviews of restaurants. Mainly, people open up their Yelp app when their stomachs start growling. 

While you can find pretty much everything on Yelp and even devoted tabs for home and auto services, you will see the first tab for restaurants. This can be a bit of a drawback if your business is not a restaurant. 

Yelp Vs. Google: Requesting Reviews

Asking for reviews is very important for your business’s online reputation. Especially since 72% of consumers will leave a review if they are simply asked to. But in the age of the pandemic, you may be asking people for reviews online more than in person. 

Google Business profile has a distinct advantage because you can ask consumers for reviews directly. You can create a shortlink to your review page and send it to all of your customers. Yelp not only discourages you from requesting reviews directly from customers, but it may violate their terms of service. 

Google Business Profile Pros

Google My Business is generally considered the best review platform for most businesses, especially contractors. Because of its integration with the world’s leading search engine, Google reviews benefits are immense:

SEO 

Google Business Profile is essential if you want your business to be more visible on relevant searches. Of course, yelp listings will also appear on relevant searches. Still, Google prioritizes its own service and will likely list a Google Business Profile listing higher than a Yelp one.

Ease of Use

With Google, your customers won’t have to create a special account to leave a review. Instead, they only need a Gmail account, which most people have anyway.

Trust

It’s much harder to dispute a review on Google than it is on Yelp, so people tend to trust Google reviews more. Furthermore, Google reviews often appear at the top of search results, creating automatic trust.

Google Business Profile Cons

Although Google offers numerous appealing benefits, it also has a few drawbacks. While these should not discourage business owners from focusing on the platform, they should be monitored to avoid pitfalls:

Slow Posting

Google reviews take more time to post than Yelp reviews which are nearly instant. 

Disputes

As we mentioned in the pros, Google reviews are hard to dispute – a definite con if you have an inaccurate review on your hands.

Yelp Pros

Yelp remains a proficient review platform for small businesses even if it lost some of its market share to Google and other platforms. While Yelp’s domain authority allows it to show up high on search results for most queries, it’s still lower than Google Map 3-Pack results. Take a look at some Yelp pros:

Great for Restaurants

If you are in the food business, you want to be present on Yelp.

Disputes 

Yelp makes it much easier to dispute reviews and remove them if they deem them biased or inaccurate. 

Reputation

Yelp has been around longer than Google Business Profile, so it has a large built-in audience. 

Yelp Cons

Yelp has faced its share of criticisms in recent years, particularly regarding its increasingly strict review filters. Yelp’s reputation has suffered because of its seemingly arbitrary decisions to terminate business listings. Take a look at some of the common criticisms:

Autonomy

Yelp reviews are filtered, which means they can reject a review if they determine that it violates their terms of service. 

Listing Termination

Yelp can terminate your listing at any time and has been known to wield its power liberally. 

Yelp vs. Google: Final Call

Yelp is where you want to focus your attention if you own a restaurant. However, if your business is not a restaurant, Google should be your emphasis. It helps more with SEO and is better for all businesses – not just restaurants. 

Ultimately, however, you should aim to collect reviews on both platforms and showcase them on your primary website. The DataPins Local SEO plugin allows you to request reviews on Google and Yelp and display them directly on your website.

5 Helpful Home Services Review Management Tips for 2024


Home Services Review Management (Blog Cover)


Managing your online reviews as a home services company can present significant challenges. You can have 50 5-star reviews until one unhappy customer directs their misdirected frustrations on your company and threatens your reputation.

Fear not; your online reputation is not ruined. I’m Nolen Walker, the founder of DataPins, which is a tool I developed to help home services companies manage their reviews and maintain their reputation.

As a business owner, you can effectively control how you respond to and manage online reviews, which is an essential part of your broader marketing and SEO strategy. Review management is important because reviews are crucial to how future customers view your business.


Importance of Review Management for Home Services

Consider the following statistic: 79% of consumers report that they trust online reviews at least as much as personal referrals. That is a staggering amount of trust to put into the opinions of strangers. It’s also why home service review management is so important. But there is much more to the story. 


Review Management Tips for Home Services Contractors

Read the following post if you’ve overlooked your home service company’s reviews. I discuss how you can leverage reviews to earn more business.


Check out the following tips to improve your review and reputation management.


1) Be Easy to Find Online

Your home services company should appear on all the major review platforms like Google My Business, Yelp, HomeAdvisor, Angi, etc.

You should also claim your business on other platforms like Facebook and Houzz. On most of these platforms, you can opt-in to review alerts that notify you every time a user submits feedback about your company.

Beyond notifications, you’ll also want to regularly log in to these platforms to monitor and respond to reviews. While the process can be time-consuming, you must keep in touch with your customers online.


Screenshot of Yelp Review for Home Services Business


2) Respond to Every Review

97% of consumers read company replies to consumer reviews, which means that your potential leads and customers specifically want to see what you say in response to a customer review. 

Apart from ingratiating yourself to potential customers, responding to reviews lets existing customers know that you care about their experience. While it’s good practice to respond to both positive and negative reviews, it is essential to respond to negative ones. 

Acknowledge the complaint and ask how you can do better in the future. Don’t make excuses; be apologetic but not overly apologetic, and let the customer know you will work to correct the issue. 


Review Response from Home Services Company


3) Reach Out to Customers

Don’t be afraid to ask customers for reviews. They will be more willing than you probably think, which is crucial for your business. The only thing worse than having negative reviews is having little to no reviews.

The more reviews you have, the more a customer will be willing to research and hire your business. 

Would you likely hire a company with a perfect 5-star rating but from a pool of only two reviews? Maybe, but you’d likely move on and look for a business with more reviews to evaluate.


I understand that asking for reviews can be tricky, so here are some tips:


  • Include a Link: Make it easy for the customer by texting or emailing them a link that leads them right to your review page.
  • Speak Sincerely: Let customers know how vital their review is to your business. After a well-done job, they will likely be more than willing to help. 
  • Train your Employees: Make it protocol for your team members and employees to ask for reviews.
  • Use DataPins: Utilize the DataPins tool to automate review requests via SMS and email.


Home services reputation management significantly influences conversion rates. Contacting customers can help your business reflect well on digital platforms.


Screenshot of Google Reviews from Business Listing


4) Use Feedback to Improve Your Company

Don’t just read your reviews; listen to them. You’ll find that only rarely will anyone leave a completely false review of your business. By and large, they will highlight their actual experience. When the reviews are reasonable, you can learn about your company’s strengths and weaknesses.

When the reviews are bad or mention a minor dissatisfaction, you can learn where you need to improve. Of course, you can’t completely invest in the opinions of emotionally charged internet users. Still, take every point into careful consideration and learn from your reviews. 

Remember that sometimes bad reviews result from unavoidable causes, such as slammed staff, supply shortages, or simply the customer having a bad day.


Screenshot of Negative Review for Home Services Business


5) Use Reputation Management Software

A good reputation management software suite will make home services review management simple. The software can automate some things I discussed, such as SMS and email review requests. 

A good reputation management software suite will also provide you with a single dashboard from which you can monitor and manage reviews from all review platforms. Reputation management software will also help you leverage your existing reviews to earn new ones and generate leads. 

Take DataPins, for example. The DataPins tool streamlines the review request process and leverages your reviews and jobs as social proof for your website. Users can monitor your company’s reviews across various platforms directly on your company website (via a plugin slider).

DataPins is incredibly unique because it allows home service contractors to showcase their recent jobs with geo-coordinates, schema markup, photos, and captions. As a result, your service and city pages rank for more keywords and convert at a higher rate because of the user-generated content.



Streamlining Review Management With DataPins

I invested millions into creating the DataPins app to help home services companies improve Local SEO visibility while managing their online reputation. DataPins features an automated review request feature that sends review links to your customers through email and text messages.

DataPins’ comprehensive dashboard empowers home services businesses to evaluate their online reviews and manage their overall reputation. Contact me today to learn more about how the DataPins tool can help manage your reviews.


6 Helpful Tips for Sending A Review Request Via SMS in 2023

Sending a Review Request Via SMS (Blog Cover)

Sending a review request via SMS can be challenging for business owners. How do you find the review link on Google, Facebook, or Yelp? How do you send it to your customers? Can you automate this process? These are common questions, and DataPins provides the answers.

Below, DataPins provides several helpful tips for sending a review request through text messaging.

SMS Text Review Request

Sending a review request through text messaging is shown to increase review frequency and help build an online reputation. Still, you have to understand how to achieve this at scale in 2023.

Tip #1: Include A Link

The first thing you should do is make it easy for your customers to write a review of your business. One of the easiest ways to request a review is to include a short link to your Google review page. 

It’s straightforward to get a Google review link; once you do, you can include it in your SMS review requests. 

Most people fail to submit a review because the process is too long or too complicated. However, when you send a link that leads right to your review page, you will get much more reviews for your business. 

Be sure to include the link in your text message requests. Bonus tip: you can also use this link in your marketing emails. 

Tip #2: Keep It Concise

One of the reasons sending a review request via SMS is so effective is that the whole process is quick. When people open a text message, they aren’t expecting to read an essay, so keep your message brief and to the point. 

Let the customer know that you value their business and input. Again, a link will help you truncate the message to just the important stuff. 

A customer will immediately delete or ignore a text message if the body appears too long. Therefore, keep your message well under 160 characters for the best response. 

Tip #3: Personalize your Message

We understand that running a business is extremely time-consuming. However, you should try to take the time to personalize your SMS review requests. Why? Because personalized messages get opened up a lot more than generic ones. 

It’s true of emails, and it’s also true of text messages. But unfortunately, most consumers will simply ignore a text message as spam if the message does not seem personalized. 

But what do we mean by personalized? For starters, you can use the customer’s name in the first few words of the text message. You can also reference the specific product or service the customer paid for. 

Consumers appreciate it when they feel a message has been tailored for them and not just spurted out by some spammy marketing campaign. It may be time-consuming, but you will find that you get a much better response rate when you personalize your text message review requests. 

Tip #4: Consider Timing

Timing is also crucial when sending a review request via SMS. Some customers need time to process the service before they can have an opinion of it. An immediate request is fitting for some businesses, but others may need to wait a day or two. 

For instance, if you are a painting contractor, you won’t want to ask a customer for a review as soon as you leave the job site. Instead, you will want to let them live with their new paint for a few days to form an opinion. 

On the other hand, if you run an HVAC company that provides emergency repairs, you will want to ask your customers for a review while their newly distributed cold air keeps them comfortable inside their homes.

Every business is different, so you must carefully consider the best time for sending a review request via SMS. 

Tip #5: Avoid Incentives

One of the biggest mistakes that businesses make is incentivizing reviews. People will eventually catch on when you have bribed your customers to leave a review because such coerced reviews tend to be disingenuous. 

You want your reviews to be as detailed and honest as possible, so don’t offer discounts or freebies when you request your reviews. Furthermore, incentives violate most platforms’ guidelines and can get your account banned.

Instead, simply let the customer know how much their review means to your business. Again, you’ll find that most consumers will be more than willing to submit a review of your business if you simply ask them. 

Tip #6: Include CTA’s

Last but not least, you should include a Call to Action (CTA) in your text message request. Don’t assume that including a link will be enough to get your point across. A compelling call to action will make things clear for your customer. 

A simple phrase like “leave us a review here,” “Find us on Google reviews,” or “Let us know how we’re doing” can really drive response rates and get more reviews for your business.

How To Get More Reviews

According to social proof statistics, 79% of consumers said they trust online reviews as much as personal references. But the importance of online reviews of your business doesn’t end at lead generation. They are essential tools for digital marketing as well.

Since so many consumers seek out online reviews, they have become one of search engines’ most important ranking factors. You need reviews of your business to gain leads and convert customers as well. 

How To Automate SMS Review Requests

DataPins allows businesses to automate SMS review requests using the app. Customers will receive a review request with a link in their SMS inbox. In addition, DataPins will enable companies to connect reviews with pins, providing further social proof of a job well done.

25 Social Proof Statistics for 2024 (with/Marketing Examples)


Social Proof Statistics (Blog Cover)


Homeowners researching local plumbers, roofers, or other service providers are naturally drawn to those with many positive reviews and recommendations from other internet users.

This stems from a psychological phenomenon first coined in 1984 as social proof.

When I invested millions into developing my software tool, DataPins, my goal was to equip local contractors with the resources to generate and demonstrate social proof as part of their marketing campaigns.

I can say today that I’ve succeeded in that goal. Still, only a small percentage of contractors understand social proof and how it translates to marketing a local business.


With this in mind, I’ve compiled 25 social proof statistics that impact marketing in 2024.



Social Proof Statistics

1) 72% of consumers will only purchase after reading a favorable review.

Source: Search Engine Watch


2) 93% of consumers complete a purchase after researching a service or product via mobile.

Source: Think With Google


3) On-site reviews or testimonials increase conversions by 34%.

Source: ImpactBND


4) 89% of consumers say they will likely use a business that responds to all reviews.

Source: BrightLocal


5) 57% of consumers will only use services with a minimum 4-star aggregate review rating.

Source: Hubspot


6) Nearly 87% of purchase decisions start with online research.

Source: ConversionXL


7) A typical consumer reads ten online reviews before purchasing.

Source: Hubspot


8) 200+ Schema pins increase impressions for a typical contractor website by 169.2%

Source: DataPins


9) Consistent social proof can increase revenue by 62% per customer.

Source: BigCommerce


10) 85% of consumers distrust reviews older than three months.

Source: BrightLocal


11) After reading its reviews, half of all consumers navigate to a company’s website.

Source: Hubspot


12) Consumers will spend 31% more on businesses with favorable reviews.

Source: Invesp


13) Customers trust reviews 12x more than descriptions or sales copy.

Source: Econsultancy


14) 66% of consumers say they are more likely to purchase after viewing a video testimonial.

Source: Wyzowl


15) Articles with relevant images receive 94% views.

Source: SproutWorth


16) Photos can increase content recollection by 65%.

Source: MGD Advertising


17) Nearly 50% of consumers find website trust badges reassuring regarding trust and security.

Source: Yieldify


18) Website images with human beings can increase conversion rates by 48%.

Source: VWO


19) 97% of consumers in the B2B space consider testimonials or peer recommendations the most reliable content type.

Source: Demand Gen Report via This Moment


20) Testimonials produce an 89% content effectiveness rating, the highest of any content marketing tactic.

Source: Social Fresh


21) 5-star aggregate review ratings for GMB listings increased CTR by 28%.

Source: Bright Local


22) A roofing company that installed DataPins on their website increased organic traffic by 660% and top 20 keywords by 118%.

Source: DataPins


23) A water heater repair company receives an average of 1,100 monthly clicks from Google organic search alone with DataPins.

Source: DataPins


24) Websites with multiple pages of pins averaged 80.9% more monthly Google clicks than websites with only a single pins page.

Source: DataPins


25) DataPins users that utilize automated review requests increase frequency by over 94%.

Source: DataPins


Social Proof Examples

Various things fall under social proof in a digital marketing context. The key is credibility and verification, whether it’s a customer review, an award badge, or a geotagged photo of your company providing services. DataPins focuses on social proof that users can verify with a single look.


Social Proof Marketing Examples (Infographic)


Customer Reviews

Most websites have a testimonials or reviews section. However, the feedback only qualifies as social proof if it comes from a verifiable source. For example, a screenshot of a customer review is not social proof because the web admin can manipulate the photo to serve an agenda.

Consider using a plugin like DataPins, which inserts a reviews slider onto your website. The slider plugin pulls Google and Facebook reviews via API so that users can see genuine reviews from top platforms and click them. 


Reviews Social Proof Example


Award Badges

If you receive an award, the platform should provide a custom badge that you can upload to your website’s homepage using its HTML. In addition, the nominator should send you a transparent image file, usually in SVG format. Ask your web developer to insert the image onto your site.

Awards can come from various sources. However, the best social proof comes from reputable institutions within your industry or region. For example, a roofing company in Denver, CO, should showcase awards from roofing-related institutions or regional and local organizations.


Awards Social Proof Example


GeoTagged Photos (Pins)

The SEO industry disagrees on the value of geotagged photos as a ranking factor. Our research found that geotagged photos of themselves provide marginal SEO value, if any. However, DataPins software combines geotagged photos with mini-maps, schema markup, and geo-coordinates.

We call this consolidated data a pin. The good news is that the software tool collects and inserts this data into one pin for each job you perform. The software does all the work; you only need the DataPins plugin. Pins increase local SEO rankings and boost conversion rates significantly.


Pins Social Proof Example


Applying Social Proof to Your Marketing Campaign

You can benefit from the statistics above by demonstrating social proof on your business website. My software, DataPins, is available to contractors throughout the United States and has proven to generate favorable results for its users. You can contact me directly to discuss how DataPins impacts social proof.


GPS Photo Tags for GMB vs. Schema Pins (Myth vs. Reality)


Many SEO experts have examined the myth that GPS photo tags influence Google Maps rankings. Extensive tests and research have repeatedly shown that geotagging photos has zero impact on search results.

Google strips the EXIF data from the image as soon as it’s uploaded, so any location data added to the image file is immediately erased.

However, don’t confuse GPS photo tags with other SEO techniques, such as schema markup and geo-signaling, which can, in fact, influence rankings.


Local businesses tend to misunderstand the distinction between tagging an image file’s EXIF data and inserting a schema markup property called geo into a schema markup type called place onto a website.

The confusion is understandable, especially for business owners lacking SEO and digital marketing expertise. However, people must educate themselves on the subject to avoid misinformation.


GPS Photo Tags Google My Business (Blog Cover)


What is Image Geo-Tagging?

Geo-tagging, also known as GPS photo tags, involves inserting location information into an image’s file data. The actual tags are the photo’s location information. 

For instance, one might geotag a photo by inputting latitude, longitude, and altitude information into the EXIF data of a given image.

The user might then upload the geotagged photo to their Google Business Profile, hoping to provide Google with more information about the picture’s location.


People must understand that geotagging images does not influence rankings and is a complete waste of time.


SEO Alternatives To Geo-Tagging

While geotags don’t impact SEO, there are alternative techniques that are proven to influence local search rankings when adequately implemented.

For example, schema markup for location-specific information can influence rankings when combined with on-page SEO fundamentals.

Tools like DataPins automate this process by applying schema markup to “pins” on your website.


As a result, each completed job is converted into consolidated local SEO signals that include various kinds of schema markup along with image and text-based location context.


Schema Pins

Schema pins are pieces of unique map data, in schema form, generated by the DataPins app.

Just like with GPS photo tags, the basic principle is to create unique, location-oriented content for your website—or, as today’s post emphasizes, your Google My Business page.

The difference is that Schema Pins influence rankings. 


With the DataPins app, you can take a picture of the worksite, enter the location information, and have unique image and map content published to the relevant sections of your Google My Business page.

Schema pins display the service’s location on the map. Unfortunately, some confusion remains regarding schema pins and their relationship to geotags (there is none).

However, misinformation is floating around on YouTube and other forums, contributing to this topic’s bewilderment.


Schema pins differ from “geo-tagging” by injecting schema markup for specific geo-coordinates, not within the image file but within a separate code block, as Google’s requested form of structured data.


Schema Pin Example (Screenshot)


Google Maps Embedding

Another alternative to geotagging images is embedding Google Maps onto website pages, including Contact Us, Home, or City pages.

Google makes it easy for users to embed a map onto their website by providing a unique HTML code that can be copied and pasted into a custom WordPress element.

When combined with proper on-page SEO practices, embedded Google Maps are shown to contribute to Google Maps SEO.


Google Maps HTML Map Embed


GPS Photo Tagging Study

In one study conducted over one month, GPS photo tagging had a negligible effect on search engine rankings.

The study targeted 16 different keywords and involved 18 unique posts, each with its own geotagged image.

The study concluded that six keywords dropped in rankings (2 were actually displaced to the 51st position or lower), nine didn’t change at all, and only three improved rankings (based on factors unrelated to the geotags).


Schema Pins Study

Schema Pins helped a local plumbing company reach an organic search discovery rate between 84% and 87%.

Schema Pins continually added fresh content to Molberg Plumbing LLC’s Google My Business page. After a year of use, Customer reviews for the company also tripled across multiple platforms.

While some still insist that GPS photo tags for Google My Business can help increase online exposure, the impact of Schema Pins is backed up by raw data rather than industry gossip. 


Molberg GMB Insights (Screenshot)


How Schema Pins Impact Rankings

Schema pins influence search rankings by adding relevant content to a business website and increasing the frequency of customer reviews, both of which are confirmed ranking factors.

With the DataPins app, once a pin is added, a text with a link to a page where the customer can leave a review is automatically sent to them.

Studies show that this automated review request process is more effective than other methods for getting customer reviews. 


Final Verdict: Can Geotagging Photos Impact Ranking?

Geotagging photos cannot impact Google Maps rankings. Upon upload, Google Business Profile strips the image’s location data, meaning any information added to the file is immediately removed.

Furthermore, Google Business Profile would not use the data for ranking purposes, even if it did remain attached to the image file (it doesn’t).

While this tactic is unanimously disproven, some people confuse it with other local SEO techniques that do impact rankings, such as inserting schema markups like geo and place onto a website.


The DataPins tool automates this process for you, consolidating your job information into SEO signals for Google ranking purposes.