More Businesses Can Now Offer Booking Options on Yelp Through new partnerships, Yelp users can now book a hair appointment, order flowers or set up a consultation with a lawyer directly through a company's Yelp page.
By Nina Zipkin
It's one thing for people to find your business online. It's another for them to actually buy what you're selling.
In a move that could help more companies close that gap, reviews site Yelp added new categories today to Yelp Platform, which allows consumers to book services directly through Yelp. Through the new partnerships, Yelp users can now book a hair appointment, order flowers or set up a consultation with a lawyer right from a company's Yelp listing.
Related: Got a Bad Yelp Review? Here's How to Defend Your Business Online. (Infographic)
Yelp's latest partners include Vimbly, a platform that lets users search and book everything from dance classes to horseback-riding lessons in 17 U.S. cities, and GolfNow for booking discounted tee times. The company is also teaming up with salon finder Vagaro, florist finder BloomNation, legal advice hub LegalZoom and making its foray into the nightlife with TableList.
Yelp Platform launched in 2013, starting with food delivery powered by Delivery.com and Eat24 (and later with EatStreet ChowNow and Ordr.in), and spa and salon appointments powered by Booker. Last fall, the company added hotel and winery reservations supported by Hipmunk and CellarPass.
In a blog post published today, the company said Yelpers have booked and ordered from local businesses within Yelp about 1.5 million times to date.
Related: Researchers Are Using Yelp to Predict When a Restaurant Will Shut Down
