Yelp matters differently by specialty and geography. For most cosmetic practices, it deserves attention but should not be your primary reputation focus.
Yelp importance varies significantly by specialty and market. In California, Yelp is much more influential than in other states because California consumers use it more actively for local service discovery. For med spas and aesthetic practices in major California markets like LA and SF, Yelp should be managed actively. In most other markets, Google reviews are substantially more important.
Yelp actively discourages review solicitation and uses filters that can suppress reviews from patients who were specifically asked to leave them. Unlike Google, where asking patients for reviews is standard practice and explicitly encouraged, Yelp reviews should come organically from patients who are already Yelp users. Trying to game Yelp with solicited reviews typically backfires.
Respond to all Yelp reviews, particularly negative ones, with the same professionalism as Google reviews. HIPAA restrictions on discussing clinical details apply equally on Yelp. A professional, empathetic response to a negative Yelp review is often as important for future patient impression as the review itself.
Yelp advertising produces mixed results for medical practices. It can suppress competitor ads from appearing on your listing and increase visibility in Yelp search, but cost per lead is generally higher than Google Ads for most medical categories. In California markets with high Yelp usage, a test is worth running. In other markets, the same budget typically produces better results on Google.