How to Remove a Yelp Review About Your Business

As a business owner, discovering a scathing Yelp review about your company is enough to ruin your day. Your first instinct may be to log in and try to remove the offending post to protect your hard-earned reputation. But can you actually remove negative Yelp reviews? The answer, in short, is no – but that doesn’t mean you’re powerless. In this guide, we’ll explain Yelp’s review policies, how to report content violations, and proven strategies to tactfully respond to negative feedback and fortify your online image.

How to Remove a Bad Yelp Review: A Quick Overview

To remove a negative Yelp review:

• Determine if the review violates Yelp’s Content Guidelines or Terms of Service.
• Log into your Yelp for Business account and locate the review.
• Click the “Flag” icon and select the reason for reporting the review.
• Provide necessary details and submit the report.
• If the review violates Yelp’s policies, their moderators will remove it.
• If the review remains, respond professionally and consider legal options for defamatory content.

Can Businesses Delete Yelp Reviews?

No, businesses cannot delete Yelp reviews simply for being negative. Yelp prohibits removing reviews just because the business disagrees with the opinions expressed. However, Yelp will consider removing reviews that violate their Content Guidelines, such as:

• Inappropriate content like threats or hate speech
• Conflicts of interest (e.g., reviewing your own business)
• Promotional or irrelevant content not reflecting a personal experience
• Violations of privacy or intellectual property rights

Businesses can flag reviews for Yelp to evaluate against these criteria, but there’s no guarantee of removal. The best approach is delivering great service, responding professionally to negative reviews, and encouraging happy customers to share their experiences.

Yelp’s Content Guidelines: What Warrants Removal?

While most negative reviews simply reflect a customer’s personal experience and opinion, certain types of content violate Yelp’s Terms of Service and may be eligible for removal. These include:

• Inappropriate content: Reviews containing threats, harassment, lewdness, hate speech, and other displays of bigotry have no place on Yelp and should be reported.
• Conflicts of interest: Reviews should reflect an unbiased customer experience. Posts from a business’s employees, relatives, or competitors are considered conflicts of interest and may be removed.
• Promotional content: Yelp is intended to share personal consumer experiences, not advertising or promotional content. Reviews that appear to exist solely to promote a business or contain irrelevant promotional material may get taken down.
• Violations of privacy: Sharing other people’s private information, like names, contact details, or financial info, without permission is prohibited on Yelp. Reviews doing so are subject to deletion.

The vast majority of negative reviews do not fall under these violation categories. Customers are free to share their subjective opinions and criticisms of a business, even if the business disagrees with their perspective. Yelp carefully evaluates flagged content to uphold its content integrity and won’t arbitrarily remove a review just because it’s unfavorable.

When Negative Yelp Reviews Cross the Line: Identifying and Combating Defamation

While businesses can’t simply delete negative Yelp reviews they disagree with, there is one notable exception: defamatory reviews. If a review contains demonstrably false statements that damage your business’s reputation, you may have grounds for legal action to have the review removed.

What constitutes defamation on Yelp? Defamatory reviews go beyond expressing a negative opinion or sharing a disappointing customer experience. They make provably false assertions of fact that harm your business’s reputation. Some examples might include:

• Falsely accusing your business of illegal activity, such as claiming your restaurant serves contaminated food or that your store sells counterfeit goods.
• Making demonstrably untrue statements about your business practices, like alleging you overcharge customers or engage in false advertising.
• Personally disparaging or making false claims about individuals associated with your business, such as attacking a store owner’s character or lying about an employee’s behavior.

If you believe a Yelp review crosses the line into defamation, it’s crucial to consult with an experienced internet defamation attorney. A knowledgeable lawyer can review the content in question, assess whether it meets the legal standards for defamation, and advise you on the best course of action.

In many cases, the first step is sending a cease and desist letter to the individual who posted the defamatory review. This formal notice demands that the false statements be retracted and warns of further legal action if the demand is not met. Oftentimes, a firmly worded letter from an attorney is enough to prompt the reviewer to remove the offending content voluntarily.

If the cease and desist letter doesn’t achieve the desired result, your attorney may recommend escalating the matter by filing a defamation lawsuit. In this case, you’ll need to present compelling evidence that the statements made in the review are factually incorrect and have caused demonstrable harm to your business. Potential damages could include lost revenue, damage to your professional relationships, or harm to your business’s overall reputation.

How to Report a Yelp Review for Removal

1. Log into your Yelp for Business account: To report a review, you must have claimed your business page on Yelp. If you haven’t done so already, visit biz.yelp.com to claim your page.
2. Locate the review you want to report: Once logged in, navigate to the Reviews section of your Yelp for Business account. Find the review you believe violates Yelp’s guidelines.
3. Click the “Flag” icon: Next to the review, you’ll see a Flag icon. Click on this icon to begin the reporting process.
4. Select the reason for reporting: Choose the most appropriate reason for reporting the review from the options provided, such as “It contains false information” or “It violates Yelp’s Content Guidelines.”
5. Provide additional details: Explain why you believe the review violates Yelp’s policies and should be removed. Be as specific and factual as possible, citing relevant sections of the Content Guidelines or Terms of Service.
6. Submit the report: Once you’ve provided all the necessary information, submit the report to Yelp for review.

After submitting your report, Yelp’s moderation team will assess the review and determine whether it violates their guidelines. If they find that it does, they will remove the review from your business page. However, if they determine that the review does not violate their policies, it will remain visible.

Responding to Legitimate Negative Yelp Reviews Professionally

While you can’t control what customers write about your business on Yelp, you can control your response. Replying to negative reviews is a golden opportunity to demonstrate your commitment to customer satisfaction and show readers (aka potential future customers) how you handle feedback.

Keep these tips in mind when crafting a response to a bad Yelp review:

• Thank the reviewer for sharing their experience and acknowledge their perspective, even if you disagree. This shows empathy and open-mindedness.
• Apologize sincerely for any shortcomings in their experience, taking ownership where appropriate. A genuine “I’m sorry” can go a long way.
• Address any specific issues raised in the review head-on. Provide context or clarification if needed, but avoid making excuses or getting defensive.
• Highlight any remedial actions you’ve taken or will take to prevent similar issues in the future. This could be staff training, process improvements, facility upgrades, etc.
• Invite the reviewer to discuss their concerns further offline, either via direct message or by providing your contact information. This de-escalates the public dialogue.
• As a token of goodwill, consider offering the reviewer a discount or incentive to give your business another chance, but be careful not to come across as trying to buy a better review.

Here’s an example of a reply that you can send to the review poster:

“Dear [Reviewer], thank you for dining at [Restaurant Name] and sharing your candid feedback. I sincerely apologize that your experience fell short of expectations due to the long wait time and cold entree you received. We pride ourselves on prompt, attentive service and well-executed dishes, so it’s disappointing to hear we missed the mark during your visit.

I’ve shared your comments with our kitchen staff as a training opportunity and we’ve implemented a new food runner system to expedite getting hot, fresh meals from the pass to the table. We’d welcome the chance to deliver the 5-star experience you deserve. Please contact me directly at [Email] and I’ll personally ensure you receive VIP treatment on your next visit. Thanks again for helping us improve!

Sincerely,

[Owner Name]”

See how the response addresses the specific complaints raised in the review, acknowledges responsibility, outlines corrective measures, and invites further engagement, all while maintaining a grateful and professional tone? That’s the goal when responding to critical feedback.

Proactively Generating Positive Yelp Reviews

While you can’t control or remove every negative review on Yelp, you can dilute their impact by consistently delivering exceptional customer experiences that result in 5 star reviews. Positive reviews serve as powerful social proof, boosting your business’s credibility and appeal in the eyes of potential customers.

To encourage happy customers to share their experiences on Yelp, try these tactics:

• Incorporate Yelp into your post-purchase communication. Include a link to your Yelp page in follow-up emails or texts, thanking customers for their business and inviting them to share feedback.
• Place “Find us on Yelp” signage or stickers prominently in your place of business, on your receipts, or on your product packaging. This reminds satisfied customers to leave a review.
• Train your staff to mention Yelp in positive customer interactions. For example, if a diner compliments their meal, the server might say, “That’s so great to hear! We’d love it if you’d share that feedback on Yelp so others can discover our amazing cuisine.”
• Leverage your email list or loyalty program to occasionally prompt customers to write a Yelp review, perhaps offering a small incentive like a discount code or entry into a prize drawing for those who share their experiences.
• Respond to all reviews, both positive and negative, in a timely, appreciative manner. Seeing that you’re active on Yelp and value customer feedback may inspire others to contribute their opinions.

The key is making it easy and appealing for customers to write Yelp reviews without being pushy or aggressive in your approach. Focus on providing a memorable, share-worthy customer experience, and positive reviews will follow.

Legal Options for Dealing with Defamatory Yelp Reviews

In some cases, a negative Yelp review may cross the line into defamation, where false statements are presented as facts with the intent to damage your business’s reputation. If you believe a review is defamatory, you may have legal options to address the situation.

The first step is to assess whether the review meets the criteria for defamation:

• The statement must be false and presented as fact, not opinion.
• It must be published or communicated to a third party.
• It must cause harm to your business’s reputation or financial standing.
• If the review meets these criteria, you may consider the following legal options:

Legal Methods to Stop the Defamation

• Send a cease and desist letter: Have a lawyer draft a letter demanding that the reviewer remove the defamatory content and refrain from making further false statements.
• Pursue a defamation lawsuit: If the reviewer refuses to remove the content, you may need to file a defamation lawsuit to seek damages and a court order to have the review removed.
• Seek a court order for removal: In some cases, you may be able to obtain a court order requiring Yelp to remove the defamatory review if the platform refuses to do so voluntarily.

It’s important to note that pursuing legal action can be costly and time-consuming, and there’s no guarantee of success. Before taking legal action, consult with an experienced defamation attorney to assess your case and discuss your options.

Minc Law Can Help You Rebuild Your Online Reputation

At Minc Law, we know that negative Yelp reviews can feel like a punch in the gut for business owners. You’ve poured your heart and soul into building a company you’re proud of, only to see your hard-earned reputation tarnished by a few scathing words from an unhappy customer or a malicious actor. But you don’t have to face this challenge alone.

Our team of experienced reputation management attorneys is here to help you take control of your online presence and fight back against defamatory and misleading Yelp reviews. We offer a comprehensive suite of services designed to protect and defend your business’s good name, including:

• Defamation Removal: If you’re dealing with false and harmful statements on Yelp that meet the legal criteria for defamation, our attorneys can help. We’ll work swiftly to build a strong case and take aggressive action to get the defamatory content removed, whether that means sending a forceful cease and desist letter or pursuing litigation.
• Anonymous Poster Identification: Many business owners feel helpless when confronted with negative reviews from anonymous Yelp users. But with Minc Law’s sophisticated investigative techniques and legal tools, we can often unmask the identity of your attackers and hold them accountable for their false statements.
• Online Reputation Management: Your Yelp presence is just one piece of your overall online reputation. Our team can help you develop and implement a comprehensive ORM strategy to fortify your digital presence across multiple platforms. From crafting compelling responses to negative reviews to proactively promoting positive content that showcases your brand’s value, we’ll help you take control of the narrative surrounding your business.
• Public Relations Consulting: In some cases, negative Yelp reviews can balloon into full-blown PR crises that threaten your company’s very survival. When the stakes are high, you need a seasoned team of communications experts on your side. Our PR consultants can help you develop an effective crisis response plan, craft strategic messaging to mitigate reputational damage and leverage media relationships to get your side of the story heard.

Contact Minc Law today to schedule a consultation with an attorney. We’ll listen to your concerns, assess the scope of the problem, and develop a customized action plan to help you reclaim control of your online presence and get back to what you do best – running your business.