4 ms·

I have not heard this before. Do all businesses pay yelp $100 per month?

by jerry1979 6y ago

andrewmcwatters 6y ago
No, many pay a lot more. Basically if you see any indicators of company highlights on Yelp, they're paying for it, and they're passing off Yelp's extortion to you by increasing margins. Yelp tries to keep a visible dichotomy on their site by offering "Sponsored Results," but the reality of their listings is that they're almost all sponsored results. Their reputation is so poor among some circles now that I don't see them staying in power 10 years out. They're going the way of the BBB. As a result, you're safer searching for certain types of businesses on Google Maps, but even Google has "GOOGLE GUARANTEED" and possibly other paid-for indicators which make me not trust their results. The market incentives are so bad among rating and business directory sites that I can only imagine that at this point, only a mutual company dedicated to business directory services can survive long-term. I don't think any exist right now.
- jogjayr 6y ago
  Although the Google Guaranteed program is paid, it's specific to certain types of businesses (service providers like plumbers and locksmiths). Google performs a background check and verifies the business's license and insurance. It also guarantees customers a refund (up to a cap) if they aren't satisfied.[1] EDIT: In fact the background check and screening are free. The Guarantee only appears to refer to the refund guarantee.[2] Disclosure: I work at Google, and knew some people on the team. 1. https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/7549288?hl=en https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/7549288?hl=en 2. https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/6226575?hl=en&ref_topic=6224863 https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/6226575?hl=en&r...
  - andrewmcwatters 6y ago
    It sounds like a nice idea that is supposed to reassure buyers, but it only makes me more suspicious of both the seller and Google.
evo_9 6y ago
Pretty much, if you don't they hassle you with calls and verbal threats. They were highly unpleasant to my wife on more than one call right when we opened. I tell our customers to not review us on Yelp, mostly pointing them to google which is the lesser of two evils in this situation.
- andrewmcwatters 6y ago
  I own a business and refuse to list on Google because I'm concerned they use similar tactics that I'm not aware of yet.
  - brightball 6y ago
    Bad reviews and reviews targeting specific employees are nearly impossible to remove from Google. I saw somebody post a rumor that someone was having an affair in a review of her employer and even that took MONTHs to take down. It’s absolutely incredible that there’s no real recourse for these things either.
  - bagacrap 6y ago
    I dunno, it doesn't really fit Google's business model and whatever money they could extort from you would be a drop in the bucket compared to other revenue. Besides, wouldn't you realize if you were being extorted?
- jerry1979 6y ago
  I wonder if small business owners have journaled or otherwise kept records of those interactions. Do you think small businesses could somehow take on yelp? Does failure to comply with yelp lead to false accusations from their platform?

I have not heard this before. Do all businesses pay yelp $100 per month?

No, many pay a lot more. Basically if you see any indicators of company highlights on Yelp, they're paying for it, and they're passing off Yelp's extortion to you by increasing margins. Yelp tries to keep a visible dichotomy on their site by offering "Sponsored Results," but the reality of their listings is that they're almost all sponsored results. Their reputation is so poor among some circles now that I don't see them staying in power 10 years out. They're going the way of the BBB. As a result, you're safer searching for certain types of businesses on Google Maps, but even Google has "GOOGLE GUARANTEED" and possibly other paid-for indicators which make me not trust their results. The market incentives are so bad among rating and business directory sites that I can only imagine that at this point, only a mutual company dedicated to business directory services can survive long-term. I don't think any exist right now.

jogjayr 6y ago
Although the Google Guaranteed program is paid, it's specific to certain types of businesses (service providers like plumbers and locksmiths). Google performs a background check and verifies the business's license and insurance. It also guarantees customers a refund (up to a cap) if they aren't satisfied.[1] EDIT: In fact the background check and screening are free. The Guarantee only appears to refer to the refund guarantee.[2] Disclosure: I work at Google, and knew some people on the team. 1. https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/7549288?hl=en https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/7549288?hl=en 2. https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/6226575?hl=en&ref_topic=6224863 https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/6226575?hl=en&r...
- andrewmcwatters 6y ago
  It sounds like a nice idea that is supposed to reassure buyers, but it only makes me more suspicious of both the seller and Google.

evo_9 6y ago

Pretty much, if you don't they hassle you with calls and verbal threats. They were highly unpleasant to my wife on more than one call right when we opened. I tell our customers to not review us on Yelp, mostly pointing them to google which is the lesser of two evils in this situation.

andrewmcwatters 6y ago
I own a business and refuse to list on Google because I'm concerned they use similar tactics that I'm not aware of yet.
- brightball 6y ago
  Bad reviews and reviews targeting specific employees are nearly impossible to remove from Google. I saw somebody post a rumor that someone was having an affair in a review of her employer and even that took MONTHs to take down. It’s absolutely incredible that there’s no real recourse for these things either.
- bagacrap 6y ago
  I dunno, it doesn't really fit Google's business model and whatever money they could extort from you would be a drop in the bucket compared to other revenue. Besides, wouldn't you realize if you were being extorted?
jerry1979 6y ago
I wonder if small business owners have journaled or otherwise kept records of those interactions. Do you think small businesses could somehow take on yelp? Does failure to comply with yelp lead to false accusations from their platform?