Yelp has been around for over a decade, and it has become a popular platform for people to find local businesses. However, despite its popularity, Yelp may not always be the best option for businesses. In this article, we will explore why Yelp may not be the best choice for your business and what other alternatives you can consider.

1. Negative Reviews: One of the main reasons why Yelp may not be the best choice for your business is the potential for negative reviews. While it is important to have a platform where customers can voice their opinions. Unlike Google where all reviews are seen. Yelp’s algorithm filters out reviews and some of them may be positive reviews, which can make it difficult for businesses to showcase their positive feedback and appearing to have a lower rating than you actually do.
2. Yelp Advertising: Yelp’s advertising options may not be a good investment for some businesses. Yelp’s advertising fees can be quite expensive, and some businesses may not see a significant return on their investment. Yelp’s advertising program can be complex, and it may require more time and resources than some businesses are willing to invest; especially since there are a lot of add-ons just to get your account seen on top of ad spend. 
3. Competitors: Another potential downside of Yelp is the competition. In some industries, businesses may have to compete with other companies in the same industry to appear on the first page of search results. This can already make it difficult for businesses to stand out, especially if they are a smaller or newer business. Whereas on Yelp they will advertise your competitor directly on your personal Yelp page unless you pay them not to. 
4. Limited Customization: Yelp’s platform has limited customization options, which may not be suitable for all businesses. Unless you pay for add-ons you cannot have your logo, images, or share updates like sales or promotions. Their free option allows you to have your name, address, and phone number and that is pretty much it.
5. Alternative Platforms: Fortunately, there are many alternative platforms that businesses can consider to showcase their products or services. Google My Business is an excellent option for businesses that want to appear in search results and have a more customizable profile. Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram can also be useful for businesses to reach new audiences and engage with customers.

In conclusion, you should still have a profile on Yelp as a link to your site. However, other than that,Yelp has become useless unless you want to spend money on add-ons for your account that do not actually benefit your bottom line. Negative reviews, expensive advertising, competition, limited customization options, and alternative platforms are all factors to consider when deciding whether to use Yelp. Businesses should weigh the pros and cons of using Yelp and consider other options to help them grow and succeed.