We typically remove ineligible business pages from our search results once we are made aware of them, and request third party search engines like Google to do the same (though they act on their own timetable). Note, however, that ineligible pages may still be accessible directly via their URL, or from a user’s content (like photos, reviews) that reference that business.
Here are some guidelines to keep in mind:
- Ineligible businesses
- Opening Soon
- Businesses without physical locations
- Multiple pages for businesses
- Closed Businesses
- Countries where Yelp is not available
Ineligible businesses
We try not to list e-commerce businesses, businesses that primarily serve commercial customers, direct-seller businesses, lead-generation businesses, and other businesses that we believe aren’t a good fit for the Yelp community, but there are some gray areas where we need to make a tough call about whether a business belongs on Yelp or not. Please let us know if you think you see an ineligible business page on Yelp.Opening Soon
We typically do not show businesses in search results that are not scheduled to open for more than one month, though you can add a business as soon as there’s verifiable information about the business available. If a business would like to have a page on Yelp prior to opening, we encourage claiming its page and let users know about its opening date through the From the Business section or add “Opening Soon” to their biz name.Businesses without physical locations
There are service-based businesses that are mobile and do not have a fixed location. For example, many local home service providers such as plumbers, electricians, and roof cleaners show up at a customer’s residence to do work - while customers rarely visit their offices. These businesses should have a service area (which is limited to a 50-mile radius or 100-mile diameter between the two furthest points), rather than using multiple business pages in different geographic areas. Although some of these businesses may work out of their home, we avoid adding a home address to a business page unless specifically requested by the business owner.Multiple pages for businesses
In general, a business should have a single page per location. However there are some other scenarios where multiple pages may be warranted:- Discrete service offerings: Businesses offering a variety of services in which users will have distinctly different experiences may require separate pages. One example is a car sales/repair business - a user can have a 5-star experience buying their car but may have a 3-star experience getting their car serviced. These separate service departments also typically have different operating hours and phone numbers as well, therefore it makes sense to keep them separate.
- Businesses within another location: Businesses located inside another location should have separate pages. For example, a restaurant located in a hotel should maintain a separate page. Certain departments within larger businesses, such as a pharmacy within a department store, may also warrant separate pages, particularly if hours or contact information are different.
- Individual providers vs. group practices: Some individual service providers, whose work tends to be evaluated separately from their shared practice group, have their own business pages. For example, individual doctors will typically have their own business pages, which are separate from any business pages for the hospitals, medical offices, or group practices where they may perform their services. Not every situation is the same, so submit a report if you think we need to merge two pages or create a new one.