Many companies are offering help as we slog our way through the coronavirus crisis. Yelp may not be donating the most money — though a $25 million relief fund for local businesses is nothing to sneeze at — but they’re planning changes that may be even more important for struggling companies offering long-distance and virtual services during the pandemic.
What exactly? Getting the word out about those services.
Specifically, Yelp has announced plans for:
- A partnership with Grubhub for “contact-free” food delivery
- Banner alerts so businesses can tell customers about changes to hours and closures
- A specific function for businesses to say if they are open for takeout or delivery
- A specific function for businesses to say if they have virtual services, such as classes, online consultations, or performances
- Searchability for all of those new business offerings
How do you utilize these features?
Yelp has information on their individualized COVID-19 business banners (and samples of what other businesses are doing) here. According to them, more than 100,000 businesses are already using their COVID-19 alert. There’s also information on how to update your hours of operation and how to list virtual services.
One final Yelp note: while we don’t know the specifics on this, Yelp has apparently also said that they are going to offer some of their services for free — including free search advertising.
Want the latest info on how businesses can adapt to life under coronavirus? Bookmark the WR Digital Marketing Blog and sign up for our newsletter.
