If you want to build trust with customers, it’s a good idea to display reviews directly on your site. One way to do this would be to somehow integrate Yelp with your site and have the reviews display automatically. In this post, I’ll show you some interesting WordPress plugins that allow you to do this.
In this post, I’ll take a look at three of the best plugins for the job. Then, I’ll show you how to use one of them to post reviews on your website. Let’s jump right in!
Widget for Yelp Reviews | Customer Reviews Collector for WooCommerce | WP Yelp Review Slider | |
Number of review platforms | 1 | 100+ | 1 |
Reviews as widgets | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Variety of templates | No | Yes | Yes |
Customization options | Some | Some | Lots |
Price | Free | Free or $120 per year for the premium version | Free or $29 per year for the premium version |
Shortcode support | Yes | Yes | No |
The best plugins to add Yelp reviews to your site
Fortunately, there are many good Yelp plugins on the market, and some of them come with plenty of customization options. All you have to do is create a Yelp app, enter your API key in the plugin’s settings, and add the widget to your sidebar. Then, you can start displaying glowing reviews from happy clients.
I’ve put together a list of the best Yelp plugins to help you add reviews to your WordPress site. Let’s look at the features offered by each tool.
1. Widget for Yelp Reviews
First on our list, we have Widget for Yelp Reviews. One of the best things about this WordPress Yelp plugin is that it saves reviews in the WordPress database. Therefore, you don’t have to depend on other platforms (like Yelp) to display this content on your site.
Additionally, you’re able to embed reviews in your sidebar so that they’re visible from every page. If a comment is long, you can trim it with a “Read More” link. This way, users can either skim through the different posts or click to read the full review.
Key features
- Reviews in sidebar
- “Read More” link for long reviews
- Reviews stored in the WordPress database
- Up to three business reviews per location
- Support for popular page builders, including Elementor, Beaver Builder, WPBakery, and Divi
Price
Widget for Yelp reviews is available for free, but if you want to merge reviews from different platforms (like Yelp, Google, and Facebook), you’ll need to upgrade to the Pro plugin for $120 per year.
2. Customer Reviews Collector for WooCommerce
As the name suggests, this WordPress Yelp plugin is a great option for ecommerce websites. When a customer makes a purchase, you can automatically send emails to collect feedback.
Better yet, Customer Reviews Collector for WooCommerce has an intelligent email invitation system, which can help you stop negative reviews from being shown on your website. If a client chooses between a one and three-star rating, they will not get redirected to write a review – instead, they’ll be encouraged to contact your team to resolve the problem.
Meanwhile, users who give you 4 or 5 stars will be redirected to a page where they can share their feedback. Plus, you can gather reviews from over 100 platforms including Yelp, Trustpilot, and Google.
Key features
- Automated invitations (unlimited)
- Customizable email templates
- Follow-up emails
- Intelligent system (begins with star ratings)
- Fully responsive widgets (and shortcode support)
Price
This plugin is completely free.
3. WP Yelp Review Slider
WP Yelp Review Slider works similarly to an image slider, so you’re able to display lots of reviews on your site without taking up too much space. Plus, all reviews feature the Yelp logo, which means customers know that the feedback comes from a reputable platform.
There are also plenty of ways to customize the appearance of your reviews. For example, you can show only your best reviews, create a grid layout, add a “Read More” link, and show/hide star ratings.
Key features
- Best reviews filter (or display newest/random reviews)
- Multiple templates
- Ability to display reviews on posts, pages, and widget areas
- Customization options like colors and backgrounds
- Hide no-text reviews
- “Read More” link
Price
The WP Yelp Review Slider is a free WordPress Yelp plugin, but you can upgrade to the Pro version for more features. Plans start at $29 per year for one website. If you want to use the plugin on multiple sites, plans start at $59 per year.
How to use a Yelp plugin to add reviews to your site
Now that we’ve reviewed some of the most powerful Yelp plugins for WordPress, let’s look at how to add reviews to your website in four steps. For this tutorial, we’ll be using the Widget for Yelp Reviews plugin.
Step 1: Get a Yelp API key and create a new app
Before you start using a WordPress Yelp plugin, you’ll first need to set up a Yelp account. If you already have one, you may need to claim your business page.
When you register for a Yelp account, you’ll be asked to verify your email. Click on the link that is sent to your inbox and log into Yelp. This will take you to the Yelp for Developers portal:
Here, select Yelp Fusion from the options listed below and click on Manage API Access:
Now, enter a name for your app. This is just for your reference, so it can be anything:
Then, complete the rest of the fields and click on Create New App.
At this point, you should see a success message and your App ID and API key will be displayed at the top of the page:
You’ll need to make a note of your API key as you’ll need it in the next step.
Step 2: Install the Widget for Yelp Reviews plugin and insert the API key
Now, you’re ready to add the Widget for Yelp reviews plugin to your website. So, go ahead and install the plugin through the WordPress dashboard.
Then, go to Settings → Yelp Reviews Widget and switch to the Settings tab:
Paste your Yelp API key into the box provided, and click on Save.
Step 3: Create your Yelp widget
Now that you’ve got the plugin all set up, it’s time to add your Yelp reviews to WordPress. To get started, head to Appearance → Widgets in your dashboard.
Choose a widget area like the WordPress footer or sidebar, and click on the + icon to add a new widget. Then, select Yelp Reviews Widget:
Here, enter the link to your Yelp business page and click on Connect Yelp:
Now, you can customize the layout of the reviews. For example, you might give the section a title and define how many characters to show before the “Read More” link.
You can also use the checkboxes below to enable the “Read More” link, apply a dark background, refresh reviews, and more. When you’re ready, click on Update to save your changes.
Step 4: Preview and publish your Yelp reviews
Next, you’ll want to view your reviews on the frontend to make sure they look good.
Open your site in a fresh tab and navigate to the review section:
If the content is displayed neatly and correctly, then there’s nothing left to do. But if you want to make changes, you can simply return to the Widgets page in your WordPress dashboard.
Conclusion
Customer reviews demonstrate the value of your products and act as social proof. Therefore, it can be a great idea to showcase your Yelp reviews on your website. This helps you encourage trust from customers and boost sales.
To recap, here are four steps to display Yelp reviews, using a plugin:
- Get a Yelp API key and create a new app.
- Install Widget for Yelp Reviews and insert the API key.
- Create your Yelp widget and customize the appearance.
- Preview and publish your Yelp reviews.
Do you have any questions about how to feature Yelp reviews on your website? Let us know in the comments section below!
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