Yelp’s 20th anniversary hub for businesses

Yelp is turning 20—and it wouldn’t be possible without local businesses. Since Yelp’s founding in 2004, more than 80 million businesses have launched on the platform,* making connections and providing unforgettable experiences to the Yelp community.

To celebrate Yelp’s 20th anniversary and honor the businesses that have been part of Yelp’s journey over the years, here is a collection of some of our favorite milestones, inspirational stories, and more to help kickstart the next 20 years.

Explore the hub:

Did you know?
From the Yelp Blog
How Yelp started
Tips from Yelp leaders
Insights from 20-year Yelp businesses
How to get involved in Yelp

Did you know?

•  Yelp compiled a list of the Top 20 Most Photographed Spots and Top 20 Most Popular Businesses, including Vox Kitchen from Kei Concepts. 
• There are more than 1,500 different business categories to choose from on Yelp, and the list is always growing.
• You can get a free “Find us on Yelp” sticker to help let customers know about your presence on Yelp. To request a sticker, simply fill out this form. Stickers are sent out once a month.
• You can get a free Asian-, Black-, Latinx-, LGBTQ-, veteran-, and/or woman-owned business sticker in the mail by filling out this request form (eligible for businesses with a physical location listed on Yelp). Stickers are sent out monthly.

From the Yelp Blog

How Yelp started

Tips from Yelp leaders

As Yelp’s Chief Diversity Officer, Miriam Warren helps ensure a level playing field for the Yelp community, from Yelp employees to small business owners. Below, she shares some of her favorite insights and moments since joining the company in 2007.

Advice for businesses: Tell your story 
“I would think really hard about what your business narrative is. What do you care about? Why do you wake up every day and do this business? People on Yelp want to know what fuels your work, and the more you can convey that through photos and through [the “From this business” section of your Yelp Page], the better off you’ll be.” 

Key Yelp milestone: Black-owned business attribute
“We realized that consumers have a really deep desire to vote with their dollars. They want to put their values, their support for the community, and what they care about into where they spend their money. Prior to our implementation of these business attributes, there was really no good way to find a women-owned business, an LGBTQ-owned business, or a Black-owned business. Increasingly, we’ve seen values-driven spending being something that consumers desire… particularly in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in May of 2020. Launching the Black-owned attribute on Yelp allowed many more people to find Black-owned businesses and patronize them, and I think that really changed how people thought about businesses that they work with.”

Favorite Yelp feature: Review responses
“I love the ability for business owners to respond publicly to reviews. Sometimes [a Yelp reviewer will say]: ‘This is the best bagel, the best cocktail, the best park for your kid to play in.’ And [business owners] write back and say: ‘We are so glad. We exist to be the best bagel, the best cocktail.’ It’s really cool when you see that interaction because I think really great business owners know how to engage with their consumers.”

Yelp’s Senior Vice President of Local Sales Paul Reich joined Yelp as a sales representative in 2007. Since then, he’s helped countless local businesses grow and find more leads while overseeing the company’s local sales team. Discover his proudest Yelp moments, tips for new businesses on Yelp, and more.

Advice for businesses: Give it time 
“Be patient. It takes time to develop a new sales channel. Businesses who earn over $1 million in sales a year from Yelp have typically been advertising with us for 3+ years. Claim your page, use your free tools, and consider this a multi-year exercise in building your brand. If you plan to be in business in three years—we’ll be here—this could be your primary source of customers by then.”

Proudest Yelp achievement: “I think we’ve played a role in elevating the importance of customer experience across all categories, beyond hospitality to services, medical, and everywhere else. Those who provide a great overall experience—not just do the job, but do it with great customer service—are most richly rewarded in the long run.”

Favorite Yelp feature: Request a Quote
“If you’ve ever had an issue where you’ve had to call multiple service pros in order to get something done, you’ll understand how much of a game-changer Request a Quote is for consumers. It’s just more efficient to briefly describe your need, then field multiple responses from capable pros, than to do that over the phone over and again. It doesn’t just benefit consumers, though—like our core Yelp Ads in search and on competitor pages, Request a Quote levels the playing field for less-established businesses, who can compete for and win leads by the thoughtfulness of their replies.”

Insights from 20-year Yelp businesses

Local businesses have been an integral part of Yelp’s 20-year journey. Meet five businesses that have been on Yelp since the beginning—including a dog trainer who got his first review from Yelp’s co-founder and CEO Jeremy Stoppelman—and get inspired by their learnings.

How did you find out about Yelp?
“I met Jeremy and [his co-founder] Max Levchin first, and they were just starting Yelp. They were telling me about how they were just getting this review thing off the ground. Jeremy said: ‘Why don’t you set up an account? It’s free.’ So I did.”
—Michael Wombacher, owner of Dog Gone Good 
Bonus: Check out Jeremy’s review.

What helped you succeed on Yelp?
“Yelp in the early years provided me with guidance on how to communicate with customers. Whenever I would get a bad review, Yelp would send an email that would say things like: ‘Now remember when you reply, keep it short. Don’t get angry.’ I really listened to that stuff, and I think that really helped me.”
—Paul Stoll, owner of Body Manipulations

What would you tell your younger self?
“In hindsight, I wasn’t always comfortable with who I was and who [Tattooed Mom] was at the time. Maybe I should have been a little bit more like, ‘You’re probably going to f*** this up, but that’s okay.’ Self-doubt is not really a helpful tool to have. Just allow yourself to be and trust who you are and trust what you’re building.”
—Robert Perry, owner of Tattooed Mom 

What do you wish you knew when you were starting out?
“You have technical skills, but you also need business skills. You can be the best mechanic technician in the world, but if you don’t know about profit margins, you’ll fail. If you’re making a pizza, what’s your gross profit margin on every pie that you’re selling? That’s how you’re going to know whether you can financially succeed or you’re going to be working hard for the rest of your life.”
—Steve Lite, owner of Steve’s Auto Care

What gave you confidence as a new business owner?
“Own what you don’t know and own your vulnerability. Being a new business owner, I felt like I had to be tough and make it seem like I knew what I was doing or people would be nervous to follow me. What I’ve realized now is people really appreciate [when you say], ‘I’m not sure of the best direction, but let’s figure it out together.’”
—Jenny Lightstone, owner of Psoas Massage 

How to get involved in Yelp

If you’re looking for ways to strengthen your presence on Yelp or connect with Yelp’s community of reviewers, there are many avenues to get involved.  

Welcome to the party. We’re so glad you’re here! The best way to get into Yelp is to use it yourself through the lens of a consumer. Look for things that you’re interested in your own community; check out what appeals to you. The business owners who use Yelp most effectively are people who just understand what people want—and most people want a great experience (not merely a transaction). They want to be heard, they want to be seen, they want to feel included. The more you can do that, the better.

—Miriam Warren, Chief Diversity Officer at Yelp

• Subscribe to Behind the Review, Yelp & Entrepreneur Media’s weekly podcast that explores the question: Every business wants good customer reviews. Every customer wants a good experience. So what happens when both sides click? 
• Follow @yelpforbusiness on Instagram to stay up to date on the latest news and content. Plus you can fill out and submit this form to potentially be featured in video content on the Yelp for Business Instagram page. 
• Check out the Yelp Business Blog for helpful guides, tutorials on Yelp products, inspirational stories from business owners, and more.
• If you’re interested in hosting a Yelp Elite event and would like to connect with your local Community Manager, please submit an inquiry. Plus check out www.yelp.com/events to see local events happening in your area. 
• Anyone can become a Yelp Elite—even business owners on Yelp. If you’re interested in becoming a Yelp Elite reviewer or know someone who would make a great member of the Elite squad, you can nominate them at www.yelp.com/elites.

Note: If you’re a Yelp user and have questions about how to use Yelp, visit our Consumer Support Center to find detailed answers to frequently asked questions.

* Yelp internal data as of August 2024