Did you know that your restaurant can boost its revenue by 5 to 9 percent if its Yelp score goes up by one full star?

It's true and a 2018 Harvard Study has proved it!

Tech Savvy consumers are discerning when it comes to food. They no longer care about the brand name as long as they are getting delicious food at a reasonable price.

And boy, how do they find their “delicious” haven? By going through the reviews and ratings posted by real people, sharing their real experiences with some real pictures to back up their claims. And when it comes to making such a judgment, Yelp is one platform that they pore over.

Why? Yelp has filters that detect and remove fake reviews. So anyone looking for genuine reviews on a restaurant business knows that Yelp can help them find exactly what they are looking for without any manipulation.  According to Reviewtrackers, 92 percent of consumers make a purchase after searching Yelp for a restaurant.

If your restaurant is already signed up with Yelp and getting good amount of traffic on the Business Page, here is what you need to know. Yelp is not just a platform that people use to write reviews. As a business, you can get your hands on a variety of tools and features to improve your visibility and attract new customers. Here are 5 hacks you can try o boost your restaurant sale with Yelp.

Update the Gallery, Regularly!

If you want your restaurant to be recognized for “All Things Good”, you ought to make it stand out from the rest. We all know that good reviews add tremendous value to the business, but professionally clicked pictures can make your Yelp page engaging for the customers.

Make this section more compelling by sharing pictures of the owners of the restaurants, behind-the-scenes clips of staff and maybe a few mouth-watering dishes show potential customers the kind of service they can expect from your business.

Give your profile a Character

Millennials are the suckers for stories. They want to know who you are, where you come from, what’s your USP and what drives you to do what you do.

Do you think you have a story to share with your customers? It’s all about being creative with your branding, words you choose to communicate your message and definitely, the stories you share about those who work with you.

Share your stories on the restaurant’s Yelp page using the “Meet the Manager/Owner” section. By adding things like, what led you to open your restaurant, your entrepreneurial journey and as personal as your family, can help create a personal connection with customers. Such activities beget customer loyalty which in turn leads to more sales in the long run.

Advertising with Yelp

Yelp allows your restaurant to post and promote exclusive offers. When customers stop by your restaurant listing on Yelp, it's important that you convert their site visit into a sale. Yelp allows you to customize the featured deal in the “Optional Details” section. The focus should be to target people who are ready to make a purchase. Run a Yelp Deal to make your listing more attractive to visitors. When done correctly, it can give a pretty good return on investment.

Look out for deals that can genuinely make your customers want to buy from you. Offers like BOGO deals, Meal for Two, Free Drinks and so on are a few success-guaranteeing. Design your offers in tandem to the demand and style of your cuisine, creating both excitement and an element of urgency.

Reservations made Convenient!

If you still haven't signed up for their "Reservation" feature, it's time you do. People who use Yelp appreciate restaurants that use Yelp's reservation system. With Yelp, customers don't have to pick up their phones and book a reservation or visit the website of the restaurant. By just enabling this feature, you provide your customers with one more (convenient and faster) way of booking reservations at your restaurant - giving you an edge over competitors.

Yelp Reservations allows you to create room plans for reservations under the "Configure" tab within the Yelp Reservations dashboard. You can also integrate Yelp Reservations with your website or Facebook Business Manager or Page. The beauty of the application is that it automatically confirms reservations with diners via text message.

Feedback is Important, Good or Bad

Yelp is a great platform for customers to rate and review your restaurant. Handling customer feedback the right way can position you as an authentic restaurant, showcasing genuine care and regards towards customers. Your visibility as the owner within the Reviews section will make your customers feel valued—mainly because nobody else is doing it!

Writing a simple "Thank you for your positive feedback, we look forward to serve you again" to positive reviews builds customer loyalty. Yelp uses an algorithm to filter inauthentic reviews from the business page. You must keep track of this filter as many positive reviews often get filtered.. Removing them from filter purgatory to public view can increase your overall Yelp rating.

On the other hand, handling negative reviews respectfully is as important for your online reputation management. Addressing the complaints directly and reassuring your customers that you'd do things differently is a good way to deal with negative feedback. These lead to building great customer relationships, and in turn, boosts sales!

What do you think of these strategies? What has been your experience with Yelp so far? Let us know in the comments section below! You can find helpful resources on the official Yelp for Business Owners section to reap interesting benefits of this most-trusted review site. Even a little time spent on improving your online reputation will well worth the investment.