[sizzle]

I have one data point against yelp: I created a website for a small business and they asked me about yelp's services after getting a call since they were not technologically inclined (nice elder couple).

I told them it was not necessary for the success of their website, that the decision was up to them and they should not feel rushed into signing up for extra advertising since the site was just launched. I suggested they wait it out and see how much traffic they received.

They politely declined Yelp's services, and over the period of a month I saw a decline in their yelp ratings due to questionable reviews over very superficial stuff not indicative of overall service quality.

Idunno what to believe, but a couple colleagues know people with similar experiences. If Yelp is in the wrong here, I sincerely hope they are exposed and get the negative publicity they deserve.