Are Yelp Ads Right For Your Business?

As a team, we’ve worked with businesses across nearly every corner of the service industry over the last decade, and we’ve seen how different ad platforms perform across a wide range of models. 

Yelp is a well-known platform with a strong presence in local search and a recognizable brand. For some businesses, it can be a valuable source of exposure. For others, results may vary based on industry, service model, and customer behavior.

In this article, we hope to share our experience and some key considerations we’ve seen when evaluating Yelp, including lead quality, review handling, and platform fit, so you can decide whether Yelp is a good fit for you.

Yelp: Non-Advertised Platform

Yelp creates profiles for many businesses without the companies’ participation, which includes your basic info, customer reviews, and a spot in local search results. However, many of the features that enhance visibility or display business information and branding are only available through paid upgrades.

For example, removing competitor ads from your profile requires an active Yelp Ads campaign, which typically starts around $350/month. Additional upgrades, like seeing full analytics, verifying your business license, or accessing priority placement, are often bundled into these ad plans.

Other profile enhancements are priced individually. Showing your logo on your profile runs about $1/day. A photo slideshow or call-to-action button (like “Book Now”) costs $25/month each. Adding Business Highlights (e.g., “Family-Owned,” “Satisfaction Guaranteed”) is about $30/month, while a Yelp Verified License badge is also around $30/month. Businesses in service-based industries can also pay to upload project photos or custom videos. (All prices shared in this article are subject to change based on Yelp’s policies.) 

These upgrades allow more control over your profile’s presentation and positioning, but they come with ongoing expenses that vary depending on your category, market, and contract terms.

The Pitch: Professional and Persistent

Yelp’s sales team is trained, polished, and confident in their pitch. In most cases, Yelp offers premium visibility in local search and across its platform, often through a monthly ad package.

That said, there are a few things to keep in mind during the sales process: Long-term ad contracts and a strict cancellation policy. These aren’t necessarily red flags, but they’re worth clarifying up front if you’re considering a commitment.

Understanding the Leads

Yelp ads can generate clicks, calls, and messages, but the quality of those leads can vary depending on your service or business type.

Some businesses report high volumes of profitable leads, while other inquiries don’t always translate into meaningful conversations or sales. In particular, leads from Yelp may include:

• Price shoppers or early-stage researchers
• Messages that go unanswered or unqualified
• Users are comparing options rather than seeking consultations
• Leads that do not align with the company’s services and offerings

Businesses with lower-cost, on-demand services may see higher conversion rates due to faster customer decision-making and low price point items and services. However, businesses with higher price point items and services or that require more research, trust-building, or custom quoting, the lead flow may be unpredictable, less aligned, or very unvettable. 

The Review Algorithm: Common Frustrations

Yelp’s review filter is designed to highlight credible feedback and remove potentially fake or low-quality reviews. However, many business owners have complained of reviews being filtered or removed, sometimes without a clear explanation.

In many cases, filtered reviews have coincided with changes to ad accounts, though Yelp attributes these decisions to its algorithm rather than ad status. The most common complaint among business owners and decision makers is that their hard-earned five-star reviews drop off seemingly coincidentally after terminating paid ads or canceling a contract with Yelp.

There’s been no formal investigation or substantiated evidence of intent behind this pattern, but it’s something businesses often mention with their experience with Yelp.

So, Are Yelp Ads Worth It?

It depends entirely on the business.

For lower-cost, high-volume services, like restaurants, salons, or walk-in clinics, Yelp ads may drive meaningful visibility and lead flow. These businesses benefit from fast searches and quick customer decisions.

For more complex or high-investment services, like trades, professional services, or custom projects, Yelp may not be the most efficient source of qualified leads. The platform may not fully support a slower, trust-based big-ticket items.

That said, testing with a short-term campaign and clearly defined goals can help clarify whether Yelp is a fit for your model.

It’s also important to factor in reputation risk. Yelp has received 1,854 complaints with the Better Business Bureau over the past three years and is not BBB-accredited. For comparison, Cox Communications, a national telecom company with millions of customers, has received just 1,092 complaints in the same time frame. That disparity reflects the level of friction many small business owners report when dealing with Yelp’s policies and ad practices.

Where Else Businesses Often See Results

If Yelp feels uncertain, here are some other platforms that may align better with certain goals:

• PPC: Largely comprised of Google Ads and Yahoo’s next runner-up, Bing.
• Google Local Services Ads (LSAs): Verified, high-intent leads with built-in trust signals.
• Meta Lead Ads: Ideal for targeted advertising and campaign management.
• SEO & Website Funnels: Strong for long-term visibility and nurturing.
• Custom Lead Forms: Helps filter out bad fits early and qualify leads more effectively.

Choose Platforms That Fit Your Business

So how does Yelp stack up? We’ve seen it work in some contexts. Like any platform, its performance depends on your industry, the type of offer you make, and your sales process.

If you’re considering Yelp ads, it’s worth weighing the pros, understanding the limitations, and deciding how it aligns with your broader strategy.

Still unsure if Yelp ads are right for your business?
Schedule a free discovery call, and we’ll help you map out a strategy that fits your clients, your services, and your growth goals.