Companies use SEO best practices and invest in social media marketing to gain search visibility and engage their prospects online. Marketers know customers are turning to the ‘net to research their upcoming purchases, but they may not be able to prove branded web content is actually generating conversions. Yelp aims to solve that problem with a new call to action feature that connects the dots between local search and sales.
Marketers who list their businesses on Yelp will now be able to guide consumers toward a desired action (whether it’s reserving a table for dinner, purchasing a ticket or scheduling a service) with the new call to action option featured at the bottom of listings.
Yelp has 102 million monthly unique visitors, and unlike some other social networks, the majority of these internet users are on the verge of making a purchase. Therefore, it’s prudent for brands to make the buying process as painless as possible.
Implementing a seamless transaction button at the bottom of Yelp listings could greatly improve the revenue companies already generate from their presences on the site. A Boston Consulting Group report surveyed 4,800 business owners across industries and found the average company with a free account earns around $8,000 annually from Yelp visitors. Brands that invest in advertising services bring in approximately $23,000 every year.
The average company with a free account earns around $8,000 annually from Yelp visitors.
In a recent Google+ Hangout hosted by the United States Small Business Administration in honor of National Small Business Week, Yelp’s Manager of Local Business Outreach Darnell Holloway said it’s crucial for companies to be present in local search and listings. Brands see high engagement rates for online content that speaks to their customers who are ready to convert.
As smartphone and tablet adoption in the United States continues to climb, it will become even more important for business owners to invest in content for local SEO that reaches mobile customers.
