Just as with Google and Facebook pages, it is essential that you take the simple step of claiming your veterinary hospital’s Yelp page. This not only prevents strangers and competitors from taking control of your practice profile--it’s also the first and most important step toward having a complete profile, which according to Yelp will mean more customer leads for your business

Though they won’t reveal specifics, it appears that Yelp has automatically begun “unclaiming” pages that have been inactive for 90 days or more. Hospitals that have a claimed Yelp profile also saw a 51% increase in number of reviews over those that did not, and as stated earlier in this report, an active Yelp page means a higher profile in Google search results.

Without a claimed Yelp listing, your hospital is essentially flying blind on this platform, which has all the free tools necessary so you can personalize and get maximum value from your page. Adding photos, responding to reviews, and making offers are just a few of the things your practice can do to make your listing more attractive and informative. Yelp has also created timely (and free) new features that can be of real help during the pandemic--they showcase “Updated Services”, “Health & Safety Measures”, and more so you can let your clients know the latest about your hospital’s procedures and protocols

To claim your hospital’s Yelp page, search for your hospital on Yelp. If your page has not been claimed, there will be a link that says, “Claim your business.” Select this link, and it will lead you through a series of steps to create a business account. Once your account is set up, continue the instructions to claim the business. Yelp will call the number listed on the business page and provide you with a code. Once you get this code, type it in to verify.