YELP! For Law Firms

It is a business directory and social media platform, of sorts.

What is Yelp?

Yelp is a local business directory used by more than 178 million people a month, with more than 171 million reviews, according to Review Trackers. This makes it a Behemoth which cannot be ignored if you own a local business. Technically, it could make or break you, that's how powerful it is.

It's certainly a matter of opinion as to whether or not you should venture out into the Yelp Netherlands, but good reviews on Yelp can really bring you a lot of business, a lot.

Should Your Law Firm Be On Yelp?

Yes, absolutely. Many, many people use Yelp to see what others are saying about you. Remember, it’s one thing for you to say you are good- it’s a whole different story when someone else says it. If you have good reviews from clients on Yelp, it can really bring new prospects your way.

Conversely, if you have bad reviews on Yelp, your business could be destroyed, without a doubt. Let's say you’re a divorce attorney practicing in New York. Your Yelp listing is looked at by many people, day in and day out. What are your reviews telling your prospective customers?

Human nature varies from person to person, but one or two bad reviews on Yelp or google can be a death sentence with some prospects. They’ll go first to the worst reviews- read them- and scroll on down the road! That’s life. It’s just the way it is.

After all, this isn’t a science project. People want to know that if they spend their hard earned dinero- they’re going to get their money’s worth. Researching reviews is where most people start.

Good Reviews On Yelp

When your law firm gets a 5 star review on Yelp, make sure you respond to the reviewer and thank them. Mention a little about what type of case it was or how you helped them, without going into specifics. This is your chance to shine.

What Do You Do If You Get A Bad Review On Yelp?

Depending on the legitimacy of the review, you might be able to get it removed, or if not, you can always respond to it. Sometimes a nice response can cause someone who left a negative review to amend it or even take it down. How good are your social skills?!

If your law firm gets a negative review, perhaps it wasn’t your fault. You did your due diligence, but for some reason, the judge didn’t side with you. It’s completely understandable. You need to articulate this in your response to the negative review.

Of course, the other side of this is also important to look at: what if the negative review was legit? You failed to submit paperwork on time and the judge hammered you. Well, that’s your fault, and if you didn’t make it up to your client, you got what you deserved.

In a case like that, where you fell from grace for not doing the right thing, call the client up and see if you can make it up to them in any way. You probably should give them a partial refund. You could potentially lose more than 10 new clients from a single, bad review. You might have to take it on the chin and learn a lesson for next time.

Another place you should absolutely build up your reviews is Google My Business. Take care to fil out all the sections of info / profile and your listing can end up in the map pac!

If you need help navigating Yelp or responding to reviews, please visit us at iDesignYours.

Thanks, hope it helped!