Yelp Adds Videos — But Non Necessarily For Reviews

June 4th, 2014 by

A couple of weeks agone, Yelp leaked to Business Insider that they will soon let users to add 3-12 second videos to their reviews. When I initially heard this, I was thrilled, because I accept been waiting for this feature for some time at present.

However, when I learned that these videos are intended to just to add more than media to the reviews (in the photos section) and not actually stand as reviews themselves, my excitement waned.

YelpReviewVideos

Rather than video reviews, what we are getting is a way for Yelpers to capture the atmosphere of a venue or more than likely, selfie videos of them stuffing their faces at their favorite eatery. Yelp's mobile product manager Madhu Prabaker explained the purpose of calculation the video as "a advantage for businesses that go to great lengths to attain a certain ambiance, whether by having a certain lighting or the music at just the correct level."

Was anyone else equally allow downwardly as I was when they heard this? I feel every bit if this new platform change is beingness wasted on the business organisation aesthetics such every bit atmosphere and showcasing products, where pictures were doing just fine. The photo capability has been effectually for years—nothing new in that location.

What I see as the hereafter is a total video review platform where consumers can turn the camera on themselves and tell us how they feel about the businesses they collaborate with. There are enough of platforms out at that place to help SMB'south solicit reviews such as DemandForce and Client Lobby, merely there are no pure play platforms dedicated to helping users generate video testimonials. However, this functionality could ultimately rid business organization owners of the demon that is the Yelp review filter. (Business owners with less than stellar Yelp reviews, you know what I am talking about.)

What's With The Filter Anyway?

Yelp'southward justification for not showing certain reviews has ever been that they appeared to be less than trustworthy. What could legitimize a review better than a video of the person posting information technology?!  No more than having your real user reviews taken downwardly and your competitors' employee-generated or otherwise fake reviews staying upward. Real live video testimonials from your customers would go the gilt standard for authenticity on Yelp.

While this version of Yelp videos may help to bulldoze new business by showing a scrumptious plate of food or fifty-fifty a clean car that only went through a car wash, I believe that Yelp is missing out on a huge opportunity. According to SO Media, Video has 400% higher engagement rate than static content. That means that a video testimonial will almost likely bring on an action, whether that is a similar, annotate, or share leading to more significant actions similar phone calls and getting directions.

So, How will Adding Video Effect The Yelp Review Filter?

One can only hope that allowing customers to add videos to their reviews volition serve as positive reinforcement that their opinion of your institution is a credible one. 1 can simply hope…

If Yelp factors the utilise of rich media (namely photos and videos) into review filtering, it hasn't publicized this. Volition they start giving these media reviews priority?

Manufacture experts have consistently pointed to the importance of users having a profile picture, connections, and several reviews as the keys to success in building an optimized Yelp contour.

I personally believe that video will soon go an important part of this conversation of what a truly optimized Yelp user profile is. While I sympathize that photos might non have been a large slice of the puzzle in the past, I would contend that the rich content in user videos will be of much greater influence in helping build authority and the perception of local business leadership.

Why Are Your Reviews So Important?

We've long known the importance of having a Yelp business organization profile. Information technology's and then of import, in fact, that according to the Boston Consulting Group in 2013, a concern who even has a basic and free Yelp contour will make on average $eight,000 more in annual acquirement than a business organization without a Yelp contour. And this is where Yelp gets its leverage. It's also a groovy reason to exist so selective virtually which reviews they show.

Every bit the video characteristic rolls out simply to Yelp Elite users this June, nosotros will have to look until information technology makes its mode to new users to really run across how it effects the review filter. The reason being, Yelp Elite user reviews always show up when posted. The filter'southward most negative touch comes to those newer users, without perceived authority on Yelp.