Fix your Yelp business page
10 guides, last checked 13 Nov 2026
Yelp works differently from Google in ways that surprise owners: it asks businesses not to solicit reviews at all, it hides some reviews with its recommendation software, and it does not remove reviews just because an owner disputes them.
These guides explain Yelp’s owner tools as Yelp describes them, so you spend time on what can change: claiming the page, keeping details right, replying well and reporting reviews that break Yelp’s rules.
- How to claim your business page on Yelp: Go to biz.yelp.com/claim, find your business (or add it), create a free business account and enter the verification code Yelp sends by email, text or a call to the page's phone number.
- Can you get a Yelp review removed?: Not on request. You can report a review, and Yelp's moderators remove it only if it breaks the Content Guidelines. Yelp won't settle factual disputes between you and a customer.
- Why Yelp hides some of your reviews as not recommended: Yelp's automated recommendation software decides. Reviews it sees as unreliable, solicited or tied to the business go to a not recommended section and don't count toward your stars. No employee can override it.
- How to respond to Yelp reviews: From your claimed page in Yelp for Business, open Reviews, find the review and choose Comment (public) or Direct Message (private). For 4- and 5-star reviews there's also a private Thank button.
- Can you ask customers for Yelp reviews?: No. Yelp's Don't Ask for Reviews policy says not to ask anyone, including customers, friends or mailing lists. Its software filters reviews that look solicited, so asking can lower your visible rating.
- How to update your hours and details on Yelp: Claim your page, then open Business Information on biz.yelp.com (Biz Info in the app) and edit your hours, phone, address, website and amenities. On a claimed page, Yelp says updates take effect immediately.
- Can you close or remove your business page on Yelp?: Yelp generally doesn't delete business pages, even if you close your account. What you can do is mark the business temporarily or permanently closed, and unclaim the page or close your business account.
- What a Yelp Consumer Alert means and how it goes away: A Consumer Alert is a public warning Yelp puts on a page after it finds rating manipulation, or during a news-driven surge of reviews. If the behavior stops, Yelp says the alert is generally removed after 90 days.
- What you get free on Yelp and what costs money: Claiming and running your Yelp page is free, with 20+ tools. Paid options are the Upgrade Package (about $6 a day on average, 14-day free trial) and Yelp Ads, which charge per click. Both buy visibility and features, not reviews.
- How to fix a wrong category or duplicate page on Yelp: Change categories in Yelp for Business by editing Categories and services; you get up to three. For a duplicate, open the extra page, click Edit, tick the duplicate box, link the other page and submit.
What changed
Yelp adds an AI agent that replies to quote requests for $30 a month
Smart Lead Reply answers questions inside the message thread when a customer sends a Request a Quote, collects project details and flags qualified leads for you to review. You can add a scheduling link, services, pricing and the questions it should ask. Yelp says it rolls out in November 2026 for $30 per month in the Business Owner Account.
Yelp links quote requests to ServiceTitan, Housecall Pro, Jobber and Workiz
Service pros who schedule with ServiceTitan or Housecall Pro can let customers book appointments from their Yelp page, search results and messages. Request a Quote leads can flow into Jobber or Workiz with the job details. Businesses with several locations get one leads center that combines quote requests from all of them.
Yelp Host takes OpenTable bookings and phone takeout orders
Yelp's AI phone agent for restaurants can now book, change and cancel OpenTable reservations by phone, and take pickup orders that connect to POS systems such as Toast, Square and Clover without commission. This opens Yelp Host to restaurants without table service. Yelp lists the price from $249 per month, or $199 for Yelp Guest Manager customers.
Yelp adds lead status labels and an AI support chat for advertisers
The Yelp for Business inbox now has status labels and filters for leads, such as contacted, scheduled, in progress and done. Advertisers can ask an AI chatbot in the Business Owner Account about their account and billing, with handoff to a person when needed. Owners without photos on their Yelp page can import images from their website for ads.