Monday, 23 Dec 2024

Yelp’s new ad types aim to connect national advertisers to local users

Sponsored Collections may appeal to brands that typically don’t advertise on Yelp and Seasonal Spotlight Ads might help multi-location brands create another touchpoint to showcase their seasonal promotions.

Why we care. Sponsored Collections offer brands that typically might not advertise on Yelp with a potentially relevant way to reach its users. Brands like Impossible Foods, for example, could use Sponsored Collections to promote restaurants that serve its plant-based products.

Seasonal Spotlight Ads may also provide advertisers with another opportunity to get their seasonal deals and promotions in front of potential customers, which can help encourage store visits.

Advertisers should be aware that they can’t yet reach users on Yelp’s Android apps as these ads are currently only showing on the iOS version.

Sponsored Collections. This feature enables brands, with or without a physical storefront, to highlight local businesses based on a common theme. For example, the Kraft Heinz Company has partnered with Yelp to showcase local restaurants that are likely to carry Heinz Ketchup products.

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Sponsored Collections as they appear on the iOS app homepage (left) and what they look like once users tap on a Collection (right). Image: Yelp.

This ad unit will also be arriving on Android, although Yelp hasn’t released a specific timeline.

Seasonal Spotlight Ads. This ad type is designed to drive in-store traffic for multi-location brands while informing potential customers about the brand’s seasonal deals, promotions and products. Seasonal Spotlight Ads are carousels of posts from brands with details about the brand’s seasonal campaigns.

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Seasonal Spotlight Ads. Image: Yelp.

These ads are available to multi-location brands on the Yelp mobile app and must be accompanied by another Yelp advertising campaign (either on-platform with Yelp Ads or off-platform with Yelp Audiences).