There are many secret societies around the world, but when it comes to reviews on the internet the Elite Yelpers are the chosen ones. Selected by a secret Elite Counsel based out of San Francisco, this group of reviewers share their candid experiences of restaurants and businesses for the world to see. Their opinions and words can have the same value as world renowned restaurant critics and food bloggers, but who exactly are these online critics?
So Who are These Elitists?
You may be wondering who exactly are these “Elite” status holders. Well they are no different than your average consumers. Yelp claims that it’s not about the quantity of their posts but rather it’s about the quality of their posts. Elite Yelpers can’t buy their status and are not professional critics. They give a voice to the real consumers just like you and me.
They are treated to special private Elite Yelper events thrown by businesses looking to expand their online reputation and brand. These reviewers are bestowed a celebrity status, treated to free events on private yachts, and sometimes even trips to wine country for their online opinions.
Not Everyone Is On board
Some critics of the program say this system takes away from the level playing field on what online reviews were truly meant to be. The concept of the customer defines the brand of a business based on the level of service or quality of the product can now be slightly bought or sold through these lavish private events. Elite Yelpers would disagree. In a recent Business Insider article, Ruggy Joesten, a community director for Yelp in New York stated, “It’s a small group of people making a large impact that a lot of people can enjoy.” Elite Yelpers say it’s not about the quantity of their reviews, but it’s all about the quality.
Whether you agree or not with the concept of crowdsourcing opinions of businesses on the internet, it’s definitely here to stay. With over 80 percent of consumers saying they trust an online opinion as much as they trust a personal source, businesses need to find a way to stay engaged with their online reputation if they want to have a say in the development of their brand.
