This article is here to appeal to any foodie, cocktail lover, clubber or anyone who wants to help other community members decide where to spend their money when they decide to go out. Writing reviews for restaurants, bars, clubs, hotels, tourist attractions, parks and more can help people ensure they will decide on a place that aligns with their desires and where they will feel safe, comfortable and leave having had the experience they looked for.
As someone who has been a member of the Yelp Elite Squad (YES!) since summer 2024 (a small period of time compared to the majority of members), I can sincerely tell you that writing reviews on sites like Yelp is not only helpful for the business you review, but beneficial for you as well.
Yelp Elite Squad is a group of locals in many big cities and regions in the U.S. who write reviews for and take photos of places they go to help others pick out the business that best suits their wishes. Anyone over 21 can be a Yelp Elite by having a profile photo, writing a variety of reviews, posting photos and demonstrating interest.
I was nominated before I turned 21 and was ready to join as soon as my birthday came around last summer, and I haven’t been disappointed since (besides the fact that YES! doesn’t exist outside of North America). I’ve been able to attend all kinds of events, from pop-up markets with specific benefits for elites to exclusive trivia nights with an open bar and a multi-course meal to receiving a month-long membership at a recently opened gym in downtown Denver.
My personal favorite was an event for International Women’s Day hosted at Roxy on Broadway that highlighted many women-owned local businesses in Denver, from the bar itself to almost a dozen other restaurant pop-ups.
Why is it worth your while to write reviews and join the Yelp Elite Squad? Let’s talk about the benefits, from what I consider most to least appealing.
- Free events
Yelp elites are invited to a variety of free events where you get to try local food, drinks and experiences, though of course, service is never free and good elites never forget to leave a generous tip for their server, bartender, etc.
- Discovering local gems
The type of events I have been able to experience with YES! have been at places I never otherwise would have discovered, expanding my view of Denver and inviting me to continue trying new things. I hope to go back to many of the venues someday.
- Support local businesses
As someone who has worked in the service industry for over six years, I can confirm that writing reviews can be very helpful as an employee and as a business owner. Good reviews can help businesses attract customers and improve their reputation as well as make sure customers will feel comfortable and safe visiting a business.
- Exercising a positive mentality
It’s a common idea that people only go onto Yelp or Google to write a review if they had a negative experience, but actually, about 70% of reviews are 4 or 5 stars. Writing reviews to share about all kinds of experiences is a good practice in focusing on the positive in life rather than emphasizing the negative.
- Non-academic writing practice
The quality of my reviews has drastically improved throughout my time as a Yelp Elite, mainly due to inspiration from other reviewers, which has allowed me to be more creative and exploratory with my writing style, something I don’t get a chance to experiment with in an academic setting.
So there you have it, five reasons why it’s worth it to start writing reviews on Yelp. I’m certainly glad I was invited to the Yelp Elite Squad when I was and have had the opportunity to grow and experience new things through it, even within less than a year of membership.
