It wouldn’t be too hard for small businesses to make Yelp work in their favor, or even outsmart it. Servers KNOW when they have happy customers, and who their regulars are. Train your staff to recommend that satisfied consumers report good experiences on Yelp. They could even offer incentives (coupons, small freebies), though that wouldn’t exactly be in the spirit of social media.

Yes, some business owners stage positive reviews disguised as patrons to boost their average star count. And yes, a disgruntled employee or impossible-to-please customer will inevitably post negative feedback. That’s the nature of a review forum; a part of the Yelp package. Users expect the good, the bad and the ugly when a patron reviews a business. By allowing businesses to counter negative feedback, we make Yelp a forum for debate which will only devalue the user experience.

Though I’m not worried about the change. Consider this: How many ways can a business refute negative critique without seeming defensive, or even desperate? As an advertising specialist, I can think of only two responses that could constructively spin a negative Yelp review. Any other response poses the potential to be “the second punch”, which can only further damage a business’s reputation. In this case, the best damage control measure is a hands off approach. What’s posted on any online review forum is no different than what’s spread through word of mouth. Neither can be controlled and countless other influences are in play.