Yelp Advertising, Reviews, AI, and the Power of Fast Response: A Conversation with Kelly Miller at Yelp Summit 2025

Podcast: 3D Media Live
Host: Dmitry Hanuka
Guest: Kelly Miller
Guest Title: Director of Partner Program at Yelp
Event: Yelp Summit 2025 at Pelican Hill
Topics: Yelp advertising, Yelp Partner Program, AI tools, request-a-quote leads, review trust, service-business growth, home services, agency partnerships, and small business marketing

Introduction

In this episode of 3D Media Live, host Dmitry Hanuka sits down in person with Kelly Miller, Director of Partner Program at Yelp, during Yelp Summit 2025 at Pelican Hill in Southern California.

Kelly previously joined the podcast virtually, but this episode brings the conversation into a more personal setting, with a deeper look at how Yelp’s Partner Program has grown, how agencies are helping small businesses scale, and why Yelp continues to be one of the most trusted platforms for high-intent local search.

The discussion covers Yelp’s evolving tools, AI-powered improvements, response-time strategy, review trust, home services growth, agency partnerships, and the real-world impact of advertising done the right way.

 

Meeting Again at Yelp Summit 2025

Dmitry opens the episode by welcoming Kelly Miller back to the podcast, this time in person at Yelp Summit 2025.

The previous episode performed especially well on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, largely because of the quality of the information shared. This follow-up conversation builds on that foundation with updated insights from 2025 and a more current look at the Yelp Partner Program.

Being together in person at Pelican Hill also reflects the growth and maturity of the program. Yelp Summit brings agency partners together to share insights, celebrate success, and discuss the future of local advertising.

 

The Growth of Yelp’s Partner Program

Kelly explains that the Yelp Partner Program has continued to grow in response to the marketplace.

Digital agencies have expanded significantly over the years because small businesses increasingly recognize that they cannot manage everything alone. Advertising, content, reporting, automation, lead response, and platform strategy require expertise.

This is where agencies like 3D Media come in.

Instead of a business owner trying to figure everything out independently, a partner agency provides a team, strategy, tools, and ongoing support. Kelly notes that as agencies have become more sophisticated, Yelp has had to grow alongside them by providing better tools, stronger integrations, and more partner support.

 

Why Businesses Benefit from Working with a Yelp Partner

Dmitry explains that one of the biggest advantages of working with a Yelp Partner is that advertisers get access to a full team rather than relying on a single point of contact.

A local business owner may be excellent at plumbing, HVAC, remodeling, electrical work, or another trade, but that does not mean they have the time or expertise to manage digital advertising, content, technology, and lead response.

A partner agency can help with:

  • Yelp Ads strategy

  • Campaign optimization

  • Lead response

  • Content creation

  • Review response guidance

  • Reporting and data analysis

  • Website and marketing support

  • Technology integrations

  • Customer communication systems

For service-based businesses, this can be the difference between getting leads and actually converting those leads into booked jobs.

 

Yelp’s New Tools for Partners

Since the previous podcast, Yelp has expanded the tools available to partners.

Kelly discusses how partners are using reporting tools, leads APIs, ads APIs, and newer integrations with platforms such as Hatch and Zapier.

These tools help agencies better manage campaigns, automate communication, respond quickly to leads, and extract more useful data from advertising activity.

Dmitry explains that an API allows agencies to connect with platform data and build workflows beyond what a typical advertiser might access through a standard dashboard. This gives partners the ability to customize campaigns, improve response systems, and create more advanced advertising strategies.

 

Why Speed-to-Lead Matters

One of the biggest themes in the episode is speed-to-lead.

Kelly explains that Request a Quote continues to be one of Yelp’s fastest-growing search behaviors. Consumers on Yelp are often ready to hire, and they expect fast responses.

Dmitry gives a practical example: if someone needs a plumber, they may not need one tomorrow — they may need one immediately. If a business responds hours later, the customer may have already hired someone else.

This is one of the most common reasons businesses think leads are not working. The lead may be valid, but the business responded too late.

Dmitry explains that when response times move from several hours to under 10 minutes, conversion rates can improve dramatically.

 

Automation Helps Small Businesses Compete

Many small businesses do not have staff sitting at a desk waiting to respond to messages. The best service providers are often out in the field doing the work.

Automation can help bridge that gap.

Through tools like autoresponders, AI-assisted responses, and agency-managed lead response, businesses can engage customers quickly even when the owner or technician is unavailable.

Dmitry explains that 3D Media offers different levels of response support, including:

  • Basic autoresponders

  • AI-assisted custom responses

  • Human response support from agency staff

Each option serves a different need and budget, but the goal is the same: connect with the customer before the opportunity is lost.

 

AI and the New Standard for Immediate Response

Kelly explains that AI has raised consumer expectations. People are increasingly used to getting immediate answers.

That shift makes fast response even more critical in local services.

AI is not just about automation for its own sake. It is about improving the customer experience, making businesses more responsive, and helping advertisers compete in an environment where consumers expect speed, relevance, and personalization.

The strongest results happen when speed is paired with quality. A fast response matters, but a useful, personalized, professional response matters even more.

 

Human Touch Still Matters

Dmitry points out that while automation is powerful, some customers still prefer to interact with a real person.

This is one reason an agency can be valuable. A small business might not have the staff to personally respond to every inquiry right away, but an agency can provide that support.

The best approach often combines technology with human service:

  • Automation for speed

  • AI for efficiency

  • Human support for personalization

  • Strategy for better conversion

This balance helps businesses respond quickly while still creating a personal experience.

 

Why Yelp’s Partner Program Is Different

Dmitry compares Yelp’s Partner Program to other major advertising partner programs, including Google, Bing, and Meta.

One major difference he highlights is access.

At Yelp, agency partners can build real relationships with the people running the program. Dmitry points out that he is sitting directly with the Director of Partner Program, something that would be almost impossible with many larger platforms.

He describes the Yelp Partner team as responsive, personal, and efficient. That relationship helps partners give feedback, request improvements, and ultimately provide better service to advertisers.

The partnership works because it is not only technical. It is relational.

 

Yelp Consumers Are High-Intent Buyers

Kelly explains that one of Yelp’s greatest strengths is the intent of its users.

Consumers on Yelp are often at a critical decision-making moment. They are not just casually browsing. They are looking for a business to hire, a service to book, or a reservation to make.

This makes Yelp different from platforms where consumers may still be in the research phase.

Dmitry explains that in many cases, a customer journey may begin on Google, but the final decision often happens on Yelp. A person may research a problem broadly, then go to Yelp when they are ready to choose a professional.

This is especially important in local service categories like plumbing, HVAC, remodeling, pest control, and other home services.

 

Yelp’s AI Enhancements and Personalization

Kelly discusses how Yelp is using AI, machine learning, neural networks, and large language models to improve search relevance and consumer experience.

These tools help Yelp better understand what consumers are searching for and connect them with the most relevant business information.

AI can help tailor:

  • Search results

  • Review relevance

  • Photo categorization

  • Business content

  • Service matching

  • Consumer recommendations

For example, Yelp can better understand the nuance of natural language searches, identify relevant reviews, and surface photos that match what a consumer is trying to evaluate.

For advertisers, this means content matters more than ever. The more accurate and useful content a business provides, the better Yelp’s systems can connect that business with the right consumer search.

 

Why Reviews Are Central to Yelp’s Trust

A major part of Yelp’s value comes from trust.

Dmitry explains that he originally liked Yelp as a consumer because reviews were difficult to fake compared with many other platforms. That trust made Yelp attractive not only as a user, but eventually as an advertiser and partner.

Yelp’s review system helps consumers evaluate businesses based on real experiences. For high-stakes services — especially work done inside someone’s home — trust is essential.

If someone is hiring a plumber, HVAC technician, remodeler, or contractor, they want to know the business is reliable, ethical, and capable.

 

Why Reviews Sometimes Disappear

Dmitry raises a common question from business owners: Why are my Yelp reviews disappearing?

Kelly explains that Yelp uses an algorithm designed to protect both consumers and businesses. While Yelp does not disclose the exact details of the algorithm, it evaluates many data points to help ensure that reviews are authentic, unbiased, and based on first-party experiences.

The purpose is not to punish good businesses. The purpose is to protect trust.

Dmitry adds that, in his experience, businesses that try to manipulate reviews often create problems for themselves. If family members, employees, fake accounts, or solicited reviews are involved, the system may treat the profile differently.

His advice is simple: do not try to cheat the system. Be authentic, do excellent work, and let real customers share their experiences naturally.

 

How to Get Good Yelp Reviews Without Soliciting

One of the biggest questions business owners ask is how to get good Yelp reviews if they cannot solicit them.

Dmitry offers a practical answer: if a business can get bad reviews without asking, it can also get good reviews without asking.

Bad reviews usually come from an emotional response. A customer is frustrated enough to share their experience publicly.

The same can happen in the other direction. When a business delivers exceptional service, customers may feel excited enough to share that experience voluntarily.

The best strategy is not manipulation. It is excellence.

Businesses that want better reviews should focus on:

  • Better service

  • Faster communication

  • Honest pricing

  • Strong customer follow-up

  • Accountability

  • Clear expectations

  • Outstanding customer experience

Great reviews are often the result of great service.

 

Responding to Negative Reviews the Right Way

Kelly and Dmitry also discuss how businesses should handle negative reviews.

A one-star review can feel devastating to a business owner, but it can also become an opportunity.

If a review violates policy, a knowledgeable partner can help flag it appropriately. Dmitry gives an example of a review involving discriminatory language that was removed after being flagged.

But if the negative review is legitimate, the best response is not defensiveness. It is accountability.

A business can publicly acknowledge the issue, explain what it is doing to improve, and show future customers that it takes feedback seriously.

Dmitry explains that negative reviews can sometimes serve as free consulting. If a customer points out a real problem, the business can use that feedback to improve operations.

 

The Myth That Advertising Influences Reviews

Dmitry and Kelly directly address an important misconception: paying for Yelp advertising does not influence reviews.

There is no amount of money a business can pay to control which reviews are recommended or filtered.

Whether a business spends a large amount, a small amount, or nothing at all, the review system is separate from advertising.

This separation is part of what protects trust on the platform.

 

Home Services Continue to Grow on Yelp

The conversation then shifts to industry trends.

Kelly shares that home services continued to grow strongly in 2024, following a record year in 2023.

Home service categories like plumbing, HVAC, pest control, and related trades continue to perform well because consumers need trustworthy, responsive professionals.

Yelp is especially valuable in these categories because consumers often need help quickly and want to compare trusted businesses before making a decision.

The platform’s Request a Quote behavior, review trust, and local search intent make it a strong fit for service businesses.

 

Why Price Is Not the Only Factor

Some advertisers worry that Yelp users are shopping around too much.

Dmitry acknowledges that Yelp consumers may compare options, but he explains that this is not necessarily a weakness. It can actually benefit businesses that provide strong value.

Consumers do care about price, especially in a cost-conscious market. But price is rarely the only factor.

Other major deciding factors include:

  • Response time

  • Trustworthiness

  • Reviews

  • Professionalism

  • Clear communication

  • Value

  • Availability

  • Confidence that the job will be done right

As Kelly notes, people with money often do not have time. They may not want the cheapest provider. They want a fair estimate, a fast response, and confidence in the business.

The goal is not to be the lowest price. The goal is to provide the best value.

 

How Yelp Helps Strong Businesses Scale

Dmitry shares several examples of businesses that grew dramatically after improving their marketing strategy, content, Yelp advertising, and lead response.

One cabinet company went from approximately $300,000 per year in revenue to around $15 million per year after changing its marketing strategy and using Yelp effectively.

Another air conditioning business grew from a single-person operation into a multi-state, multi-location company with dozens of technicians.

These examples highlight a key point: Yelp is not magic by itself. It works best when the business has the right foundation, provides a quality service, responds quickly, and has the right marketing strategy behind it.

 

Yelp Partner Awards and Shared Values

Kelly discusses the Yelp Advertising Partner Awards, which recognize agencies that perform strongly and align with Yelp’s values.

3D Media previously won in the Core Values category and was named a finalist in multiple categories for 2025, including Partner of the Year, Core Values, and Innovation.

Dmitry explains that winning for core values was especially meaningful because 3D Media’s values align closely with Yelp’s. The agency focuses on customer success, retention, innovation, and helping businesses grow sustainably rather than chasing short-term wins.

Kelly notes that Yelp is not looking to work with every agency. The program is focused on agencies that care about their advertisers, share strong values, and create a good end-user experience.

 

Retention as a Sign of Success

Kelly highlights retention as one of the clearest signs that partners are doing good work.

In a competitive advertising marketplace, businesses have choices. If advertisers stay with a partner and continue investing in Yelp, it usually means the agency is helping them see value.

Strong retention reflects:

  • Better campaign management

  • Better communication

  • Better strategy

  • Better customer support

  • Better advertiser outcomes

For agencies, retention is not just a business metric. It is proof that clients are being served well.

 

Key Takeaways from the Episode

  1. Yelp’s Partner Program continues to grow because small businesses need more support.

  2. Agencies help advertisers by providing strategy, tools, content, reporting, and lead response.

  3. Speed-to-lead is critical, especially for Request a Quote and service businesses.

  4. AI has raised consumer expectations for fast, relevant responses.

  5. Automation works best when paired with quality and human support.

  6. Yelp users are often high-intent consumers ready to hire or book.

  7. Yelp’s AI tools help personalize search results, reviews, photos, and content.

  8. Reviews are central to Yelp’s trust and cannot be bought through advertising.

  9. Businesses should not try to manipulate reviews. The best strategy is excellent service.

  10. Negative reviews can become opportunities when handled with accountability.

  11. Home services continue to grow strongly on Yelp.

  12. Consumers care about price, but trust, speed, and value often matter more.

  13. The best Yelp partners share values around client success, integrity, and innovation.

  14. Retention is one of the strongest signs that an agency is delivering real value.

 

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