FEB 2020 UPDATE: YELP ELITE MEMBERSHIP STATUS ACHIEVED
- As of Feb 2020, I’ve officially been accepted into the eliteness that is Yelp Elite.
- This article was originally posted in October 2019, but I’ve updated it a ton to reflect all of the lessons that I’ve learned, as well as the steps that I took to make it onto the Yelp Elite Squad. It works y’all, trust me!
- Want in? Find out how to become a Yelp Elite Squad member here.
JAN 2022 UPDATE: POST YELP ELITE
- As of Jan 2022, I’m no longer a part of the Yelp Elite Squad. Find out why here.
What Does it Mean to be a Yelp Elite?
As the title suggests, I was on a mission to become a member of the Yelp Elite Squad. And since you’re here, you probably are looking to join the Yelp Elite Squad too. But what is the Yelp Elite Squad? It’s just the ultimate Yelp distinction that any real foodie could ever want. This members-only community is dedicated to providing exclusive experiences for active Yelp members.
There are numerous influencers and bloggers who have boasted about their exclusive experiences and adventures. I mean come on, who doesn’t want that?
What Are The Yelp Elite Squad Requirements?
So you want to know how to become yelp elite? These are the bare minimum requirements that you must meet, according to the official Yelp website:
- Use your real name on your Yelp profile.
- Have a clear photo of yourself as your primary photo.
- Be of legal drinking age in your country.
- Be active, send compliments, post food & restaurant photos, vote on reviews, and be helpful on Talk.
- Don’t be a business owner or do not manage a business account.
The requirements above are clearly posted on the website and are extremely easy to knock out. The next few steps take a bit more work. To stand out in your community, you must also:
- Check-in: Check-ins are extremely easy. When you’re onsite at a restaurant or a local business, go ahead and click the check-in button in your Yelp app. Don’t limit your check-ins to restaurants either, Yelp spans everything from your local shoe store to your car wash.
- Write Helpful Reviews: Try to write insightful reviews for each of your check-ins! A quick little paragraph won’t do, and you need to put some thought into it. I often break my reviews down into 3 key sections. I talk about the parking, the atmosphere & service, and of course, the food & prices. If you get stuck, keep these sections in mind! Also, y’all, take some bomb food pictures! Find the light in the restaurant, and use your flash! (scroll down to see a few examples!)
- Diversify Your Buds: Step outside of your comfort zone a bit, and diversify your tastebuds while you’re at it! If you do a bit of research, you’ll see that the Yelp Elite Squad is comprised of people who are eating at and visiting local spots in the community. So next time someone suggests Chipotle or McDonald’s why not pull out your Yelp app and support a local business instead!
- Engage With The Yelp Community: Start networking within the Yelp Community! Add friends, like reviews, and leave comments whenever you can. You never know who you’ll meet.
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How Do You Become an Elite Squad Member on Yelp?
So, once you’ve done all of the above, it becomes evident to the Yelp Elite Community Council that you’re serious about supporting your community. You’ll know that you’re on your Community Manager’s radar because she/he may even reach out to you! If they do happen to reach out, this means that you are definitely on the right track and are providing value in your community! Once you feel like you’ve gotten the hang of Yelp and a good sense of what your community has to offer you have 2 options:
OPTION 1: Nominate Yourself for the Yelp Elite Squad at yelp.com/elite. Craft a thoughtful paragraph about why you would be a bomb AF Yelp Elite Squad member. If you’re stuck, think about the 5 W’s, and use them as your foundation.
- Who are you?
- When did you start using Yelp?
- Why Yelp, and not one of the competitors?
- Where do you like to go to eat, drink and play in your city? Are these businesses local/native to your area?
- What type of reviews do you focus on / What do you hope to gain from & contribute to the Yelp Elite Squad?
OPTION 2: Phone a Friend! If you’ve done a decent job networking, you’ve probably come into contact with someone who’s currently a Yelp Eliter in your city! This is a good thing. If you believe that you’re close enough to the Eliter, then you can nicely ask them to nominate you! They will still have to write a pretty convincing paragraph as to why they think you’d make an excellent addition to the Yelp Elite Squad in your city. Give them a headstart by at least providing them a few reasons why you want to join, and what you’d like to contribute to the Yelp Elite Squad!
What Are the Pre-Yelp Elite Squad Perks?
This is all cool, but I bet you’re wondering what kind of perks non-Yelp Elite members receive. Despite getting the side-eye from my eating companions, because of my overdramatic way of announcing my Yelp “Check-Ins” and capturing my steaming hot plates of food, as they hit the table, I was able to successfully clock in my fair share of reviews.
Because of this tenacity, during my journey to Elite Status, I was able to also collect a few cool little perks. This included free appetizers, extra toppings, free dessert offerings, and even a free t-shirt from my local car dealership! You can reap the same rewards just by simply checking in, and being active!
What Are the Yelp Elite Squad Perks?
Before joining, I dreamt read about secret members-only events, like beauty bashes featuring free samples, masquerade balls, rooftop dinners, concert invites, festivals, and FREE fitness classes. Now after officially being admitted onto the Yelp Elite Squad, I SEE the proof. Lol. There will be upcoming and past events listed on your community’s page. So, these cool events that I’ve read about indeed DO happen.
Of course, once you’re in, your experience will vary depending on your community’s activity level. I assume the city that you live in (big/small/the amount of diversity, etc.) all contribute to the types of experiences that are offered as well, BUT, I will say that you can never argue with a FREE event! Right? With that being said, I’m going to keep an open mind, and I encourage you to do the same if you’re invited to join the Yelp Elite Squad. RSVP to everything that you can, even if you don’t think the event is up your alley.
I can’t forget about the community aspect! A lot of people have praised the selective Yelp Elite Squad process because they’re able to meet other like-minded foodies as well. I’m all about that! I’m so excited to start meeting my crew!
POST YELP ELITE UPDATES
Spoiler alert. I’m no longer a part of the Yelp Elite Squad. I spill the tea below!
Can You Lose Elite Status on Yelp?
Yes. In fact, I lost Yelp Elite Status. For a whole year, I cut back on my reviews. I still took pictures, but I opted to put them on my Food Instagram and Food TikTok instead, and briefly write blurbs about my experiences there, instead of on my Yelp profile. Why? You might ask? For one, I knew my goal was to leave Atlanta for an extended period of time, so I wouldn’t actually get the benefit of being a Yelp Elite. Secondly, the time commitment was too much, and the events weren’t worth it to me.
Does the Yelp Elite Squad Get Paid?
In food, yes. In coins, no. Being a food blogger/reviewer is essentially a full-time job. And when you think about it, as a Yelp Elite Squad Member, that’s what you become. After a while, it gets to be overwhelming, time-consuming, and might not be worth it, even if free food is involved (and this is only sometimes!)
Is Being a Yelp Elite Squad Member Worth It?
I’d say it depends on your community manager and the experiences that they host. I’d say that I didn’t really get the full experience because I achieved Yelp Elite status during the pandemic. The events were sparse, and the experiences that I mentioned above that other cities were doing (i.e. masquerade balls) were definitely not happening during my time as a Yelp Elite Squad Member.
A lot of the events that I attended happened at apartment complexes. We’d have free food, a few drinks, and then tour an apartment complex. Or we’d get an offer to get discounted food from a local restaurant. That was all fine, but what I really wanted were those extravagant parties, free access to new restaurant openings, exclusive tickets to sporting events, etc.
Again, every city is different, and every community manager is different. So in some cities, they might be having extravagant events, but in Atlanta, they were not. So in my honest opinion, being a part of the Yelp Elite Squad is not worth it.
Can You Get Yelp Elite Status Back?
Yes, I think it’s possible. If I started consistently posting on my Yelp profile again, and really became more active on the platform, then I believe I could get my Yelp Elite Status back. The real question is, do I want it? Right now, the answer is no. There’s nothing exciting happening that would entice me to be a part of the Atlanta Yelp Elite Squad. But a little birdie told me that Atlanta might be getting new community managers so… maybe, we’ll see.
THE BOUJEE PALATE: FOOD FINDS
I’ve decided that I shouldn’t be feeding my phone (aka taking food pics, haha) in vain, so here’s a snapshot of some of the hot spots that I’ve run into during and after my quest for Yelp Elite Status!
Check them out below and follow my food Instagram (@deja_eats) for more
Fellow Yelpers, don’t be afraid to connect with me on Yelp. Happy eating & exploring!
This is great because many businesses rely on real Yelp Reviews! Thanks for sharing #TrafficJamWeekend
I agree!! And, no problem! Thank you for reading <3
How interesting about the elite squad! Thanks so much for linking up with me at my #UnlimitedMonthlyLinkParty 12, open May 1 to 26. All party entries shared if social media buttons installed.