Yelp
Connecting Yelp turns each of your Yelp Business locations into a source in Auto-Respond. Every new inquiry is picked up automatically, prepared according to your Messaging Settings, and shown on your Leads page with the full conversation. Yelp requires staff to review AI-generated replies before sending and requires clear disclosure when AI is used. Use approve-each-reply or suggested-reply mode for Yelp.
Yelp is a two-way messaging source - both inbound messages and outbound replies go through Auto-Respond. Each Yelp location is billed separately and can be configured independently.
What gets captured from Yelp
Every Yelp inquiry brings over whatever the customer shared on Yelp, including:
- Customer name
- Phone number (when shared) - see the note below about temporary phone numbers
- Project or job name (for example “Kitchen remodel” or “Move 2-bedroom apartment”)
- Availability status and dates
- Postal code or service location
- Survey answers the customer filled out on Yelp
- Any additional customer description or notes
- Project attachments such as photos
Yelp temporary phone numbers. For privacy, Yelp sometimes assigns a masked, temporary phone number to a conversation instead of the customer’s real number. Auto-Respond shows both - the real phone (once collected) and the temporary phone labeled “temp” - so you always know which number you’re looking at.
Connecting a Yelp source
Open Sources
In Auto-Respond, go to Sources and click Add Yelp.
Sign in and authorize
You’ll be redirected to Yelp. Sign in with the Yelp account that manages your business locations and grant Auto-Respond permission to read your inbox and send replies. Your Yelp password is never shared with Auto-Respond - only a secure access token is returned after you approve.
Pick which locations to activate
After authorizing, you’ll see a list of every Yelp business location your account manages. Activate the locations you want Auto-Respond to handle. Each activated location becomes its own source with its own Messaging Settings, Integrations, and billing line.
Review activation
The Sources page now shows each activated Yelp location as a separate card with a green Active status, the location name, and a link to Messaging Settings. Before sending any reply, confirm that the Yelp source uses approve-each-reply or suggested-reply mode and that the customer receives the required AI disclosure.
What’s different about this source
- One source per location. If your Yelp account has multiple locations, each is a separate source. This lets you use different messaging, pricing, and integrations per location.
- Temporary phone numbers. Yelp may mask the customer’s real number. Auto-Respond clearly labels the temporary number so you don’t mistake it for the real one. See the Yelp Temp Phone via Zapier integration if you want to capture the real phone when Yelp reveals it.
- Rich inquiry data. Yelp provides more structured data than most platforms - project names, survey answers, availability, postal code, and attachments - which the AI assistant can use in its replies.
Messaging Settings for this source
A Yelp source supports the full set of Messaging Settings:
- Conversation Setup - AI assistant or predefined messages
- Follow-ups - nurturing sequences
- Timing - business hours and delays
- Integrations - CRM and team notifications
- Contact Info - what happens when the customer shares a phone number or email
See Messaging Settings for details on each tab.
Pricing
Each Yelp location is $99/month. See Pricing for the full table.
Troubleshooting
- Authorization failed - Make sure you’re signed into the Yelp account that manages the location, then try again. If you recently changed your Yelp password, re-authenticate.
- A location is missing after connecting - Only locations your Yelp account manages will appear. Add your user to the location in Yelp first, then reconnect.
- Messages aren’t arriving - Confirm the source is Active, check that your Yelp account still has Auto-Respond authorized, and open the location in Yelp to confirm new messages are appearing there too.
- Real phone number isn’t showing - Some Yelp conversations stay on the temp number until the customer shares their real one. See the Yelp Temp Phone via Zapier integration for ways to capture the real number.
- Billing warning on the card - Open Billing and resolve the payment issue. The source won’t receive new messages until billing is current.
Questions about connecting Yelp? Email support@auto-respond.com.