Yelp Filter

Yelp tracks your IP address, puts a cookie on your computer, and records your hardware configuration.

Working with several local companies on their Yelp filter issues. Reviewers should be active, but inactive reviewers will have their reviews stick. The following were tried during the restoration a couple of filtered reviews (all steps were taken):

• Public profile includes image and location.
• Login from mobile device to an active online account.
• Multiple reviews over multiple days.
• Invite Friends.

What worked? A single review, with no public profile, had the single filtered reviewed restored by a mobile login and check-in. Two other reviews were restored through adding image and location to a profile. All were restored when three additional reviews over multiple days were made.

How to handle that pesky IP address thingy? As a working dad with a home office AND preschool kids, I find myself a the McDonalds or Chick-Fil-e play places at least once every other day. I have a B&N nearby, and both our off-brand coffee place and pizza place in the strip mall near us have open wifi. Sometimes by laptop, but often via my G4 Galaxy-S Android I am someplace where I can get an IP address without resorting to proxies. I always keep an update list in Evernote. Perhaps the rest might require me to find my other hat . . . but you get the picture.

When you solicit reviews (and I know you do) it is much better to promote the act of reviewing to your clients than asking for a specific review. Let them know its important that they review businesses they like AND dislike, not just theirs.

The best way, I think is to offer customers of a business an incentive to create a review. You can also buy reviews from others on "task based sites." You can have a feedback form within the business location and have people fill it out and place it in a box. You will get true feedback for the business. You would have to talk to the owner for his assistance to make these things happen.

pbarnhart's advice on how to "un-filter" reviews on Yelp is great. However, I must say that I disagree with the practice of soliciting reviews as this would bias them (note that I don't even mention that they are against the TOS of Yelp and most of the other big review sites). However, he is completely correct in saying that a business/marketer should focus on enrolling the clients in the review process, i.e. make them aware of what Yelp (for example) is, how this social network works, why it would be nice to be active their, and AFTER THAT make them aware that your business is also there.

some interesting tips here. i find you need active aged accounts to not get reviews filtered and you need to post more then just a couple lines. a descriptive review of the service or product that has personal story or opinion helps too. short reviews get filter asap.

i get what does, but it sure makes it difficult for non -yelpers to leave reviews.

This doesn't really address what you need, but IMO & in many other's, Yelp is a scam.

I've written 2 very long reviews & both disappeared. I got so angry having wasted my time, I searched around online & saw that MANY people now hate Yelp. Either their reviews have been pulled (the negative ones), or the small companies have had positive reviews pulled when they said no to signing up for something that required money.

The only site I trust now to give me REAL reviews is Trip Advisor. I just LOVE that site & I thought it was just for hotels, but it's not, it's for restaurants too. Too bad they don't have a review site for all types of businesses. In this day & age, review sites have gone down the drain, that's why I started my own so none of my reviews would get pulled, altered, etc.


Michelle

I actually just saw this thread, but posted another with a similar issue. Yelp is seriously filtering legitimate reviews from many clients that I manage. It's quite sad to see their marketing efforts pertaining to Yelp go to complete waste by a system that is severely flawed.

What's worse, is that in certain industries, competition gets "smart" and realizes that if they post a huge rant with a 1-star rating, and it will likely create an effect that keeps most of the reviews written afterwards in "the filter". It's quite sad.

Sign the Yelp Petition. I am trying to get 10,000 small business owners and Yelpers to tell Yelp to stop the filtering. We work way too hard for those testimonials! Go to aloha-ca . com/yelppetition

PM me, your URL was edited.

Yelp has filter 17 excellent reviews and has left 4 reviews 3 of which are complaints. Why? What can I do?

Now instead of 4.5 stars I am left with 2 stars. Can anyone explain this? Is there anything I can do about it? They have not filtered out any bad reviews, just the good ones.

Did they approach you asking you to pay for any special advertising or plan of some sort?


Michelle

If you keep your Yelp account in good standing the reviews don't get filtered.

get-yelp-reviews.blogspot.com/2012/08/yelp-filter-top-5-ways-to-beat-it.html

Has anyone tried to bury their negative reviews from the SERPs?

bury-bad-review.blogspot.com/2012/09/remover-bad-reviews-from-serps.html

Hard to make changes to a real reviews from real people, when they get filtered. Any suggestions about that?