This past January, I made it a goal of mine to become a part of Yelp’s infamous “Yelp Elite Squad”. One of my friends Michelle had just been invited to join and was telling me all about the exclusive tastings and special events she had been attending, ranging from yummy tapas at happy hour to hot yoga sessions (and all free of charge)!

Yelp Elite are considered the role models of Yelp and can be invited to the program for a number of reasons: well-written reviews that readers love, high quality tips that users deem useful or high quality photos that convince you to give that new restaurant down the street a try. Yelpers that are part of Yelp Elite have a special badge on their profile and usually have their reviews pushed higher to the top of the list. As part of a new program Yelp rolled out, if you’ve been part of Yelp Elite for 5 years you will receive the Gold Elite Badge, after 10 years you will receive the oh so coveted Black Elite Badge!

YELP ELITE REQUIREMENTS: 

1. Use your real name on Yelp Be sure your profile reflects your real first and last name! If your community manager tries to contact you and sees that you are using an alternative username, they will not invite you to join Yelp Elite.
2. Use a real photo of yourself on Yelp Readers love seeing a reviewer’s face on their profile and feel like they can trust you more when you do so. Not only that, but Yelp treats Yelp Elite like a community and offer many opportunities for you to mingle with fellow Elitists. If you do not feel comfortable sharing a photo of yourself or your name online, this is not the program for you.
3. Are of legal drinking age in your country Many Yelp Elite events are hosted during happy hour or are hosted at locations that serve alcohol. Regardless of whether individual events include alcohol or not, all Yelp Elite members must be of legal drinking age to be invited.

Though there is no concrete number of reviews needed to become Yelp Elite, many of my friends (including myself) were invited to join after writing approximately 30 reviews. That number seems to fluctuate depending on other factors such as how many photos you attach to each review and how many people are actually viewing your content; I saw a large spike in review and photo views right before I was invited to join. At the time I was invited, I had written 28 reviews, had gotten 107 votes on those reviews and 12,494 views on my 123 photos. In addition to writing reviews I was also checking in to at least two locations a day, earned a total of 7 badges on Yelp and also claimed 4 Dukedoms.

TIPS TO BECOME YELP ELITE: 

1. Post a ton of photos with every review! Take photos of the front of the store, the different seating areas, the menu, everything! Yelpers want to look up a restaurant and get an idea of what that place is like and if it has what they’re looking for. The more detailed information you can provide, the better!
2. Check-in at least once a day! It doesn’t matter if you don’t eat out everyday, there’s still tons of ways to get your check-ins in! Check into the Starbucks next to the office every morning on your way in, or to the gym every night on your way to lift with a friend. Most office buildings surprisingly have their own Yelp page and checking in once a day is a great way to increase your Yelp activity!
3. Claim dukedoms by targeting new businesses! Although it is no longer a concrete requirement, in the past Yelp Elite members were required to claim dukedom over a business before being invited to join the squad. Claiming dukedom means you have the most check-ins at that location, so targeting newer businesses that haven’t been reviewed yet is an easy way to boost your profile!

In late February I received an e-mail from Yelp saying someone in the community had nominated me for the program, and that I was welcome to join! No personal information or payment information was collected from me and I saw the beautiful Yelp Elite badge appear on my profile minutes after I accepted. Though I haven’t attended any Yelp Elite events yet, I just RSVP’ed for my very first one at The Mayor’s Table in Newport Beach. This event features a seafood-forward 3 course menu and allows me to bring a plus one to eat with me as well! In exchange for attending this event, I am expected to write a review of The Mayor’s Table and let fellow Yelpers know how my experience was.

I’m looking forward to attending my very first Yelp Elite event and will report back soon! Check out my Yelp profile here and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions! Thank you Yelp for inviting me to be a part of the squad!