Most review advice says to ask every customer. Yelp is the exception. Its guidance for businesses is plain: do not ask for reviews. This guide explains what that means and what you can still do.
Checked on October 28, 2026 against Yelp's guidance for business owners, which is titled "Don't ask for reviews". Rules change, so read the current version before you act on anything here.
What Yelp asks of businesses
Yelp wants reviews to come from people who chose to write one on their own. Its guidance tells businesses not to solicit reviews and not to offer anything in exchange for them, whether that is a discount, a gift or a free item.
That is different from Google, where asking every customer in the same way is accepted. If you use one message for every site, you will break Yelp's advice. Treat each site on its own terms.
Why it matters to you
Yelp uses software to decide which reviews to recommend, and reviews that look solicited may not be shown prominently. If you push customers to write reviews, you risk wasted effort and action by Yelp against your page. Honest, unprompted reviews are the ones that last.
A calmer way to think about it
On most sites, more reviews means more trust. On Yelp, a handful of unprompted reviews from real customers can be worth more than a long list that looks arranged. That takes pressure off you. You do not need a system for collecting Yelp reviews. You need a page that is accurate, replies that are kind, and customers who have a reason to write.
What you can do instead
- Claim your free business page. You can fix your hours, photos, services and contact details, and you can reply to reviews.
- Let customers know you are on Yelp, without asking. A sign or a line on a receipt that says "Find us on Yelp" tells people where you are. It does not ask for a review. Check Yelp's current guidance on signs and badges before you print anything.
- Reply to every review, politely. Thank people by name, mention the job and keep it short. If a review is unfair, reply calmly and, if it breaks Yelp's content rules, use the report option.
- Do the work that earns reviews. Reliable service, clear prices and good communication are the only approach that fits every site's rules.
What not to do
- Do not offer discounts, gifts or entries for a review.
- Do not write reviews for your own business, or ask friends and family to.
- Do not review competitors.
- Do not send review requests by email, text or card that point to Yelp.
How this fits with other sites
Keep a separate habit for each site. For Google, ask every customer the same way. For Facebook, follow its recommendation rules. For Yelp, claim the page, reply to what arrives and do not ask.
Next steps
You can see how your public reviews look with the free review score checker. If you want help keeping profiles current and replying to reviews, see our reviews service.