Yelp and Small Business Does the ReviewSite Do More HarmThan Good?
“Yelp is destroying my small business.” These words are becoming more and more common. Small-business owners are taking their stories public, claiming Yelp is hurting their brand. But is this true? Can Yelp harm businesses? At a glance, Yelp is a website and app where people can promote their businesses, and consumers can post reviews of those businesses. Yelp can be a consumer’s deciding factor in which restaurant to visit, which cleaning service to hire, which grocery store to shop at, and so on. Business owners claim that Yelp tries to extort them. For example, Yelp calls a business to sell ads. The business declines and, suddenly, good reviews get buried. Some business owners have even claimed that the best reviews disappear
altogether. In their place are the lowest reviews, or even poor reviews that weren’t there before. When people search for the business, the worst reviews are front and center. Additionally, business owners have noted that Yelp cold-called themwith the news that they have won an award for exceptional reviews. However, Yelp charges for the award, which is a plaque that can be displayed in the business, costing hundreds of dollars. While the second example certainly isn’t extortion, it raises questions. The fact is that Yelp does cold-call businesses to get them to sign up for advertising packages, and in this, Yelp has leverage. If you don’t comply, they can alter what people see when they search for your business.
Business owners also point to discrepancies in reviews on Google, Facebook, and Yelp. They may have four- or five-star reviews on Google and Facebook, but their Yelp reviews may be noticeably lower. It’s no secret that advertisements represent Yelp’s primary source of revenue, and cold- calling businesses can help drive that revenue. But can businesses defend against ad extortion? The answer is not really, unless businesses are willing to pay a big expense. Instead, the best defense is focusing on stellar customer service — and directing customers and potential customers to Google and Facebook reviews, ignoring Yelp altogether.
Outrageous Ancient Teeth Whitening Methods SHOW OFF THOSE PEARLYWHITES T he quest for whiter teeth isn’t a new phenomenon. While certain Southeast Asian and Oceanic cultures blackened surface of the teeth and then apply a strong nitric acid. This process was extremely effective for both whitening and rotting teeth. The teeth would become eroded, leading to quicker decay. for whitening teeth, so Dr. William Klusmeier, an orthodontist from Fort Smith, Arkansas, introduced the customized tray bleaching in the last 1960s.
their teeth for traditional or religious purposes, many ancient peoples viewed white teeth as a sign of beauty and wealth. And they developed a number of creative solutions to achieve those pearly whites. The ancient Egyptians were well ahead of the curve and created a whitening paste made of ground pumice stone and wine vinegar. But the ancient Romans were not to be outdone, and they created a whitening concoction using urine and goat milk. The ammonia in the urine acted as a bleaching agent, though we certainly don’t recommend this method. Another whitening strategy we don’t recommend became popular in the 17th century, a time when barbers were the only dentists in town. Europeans who wanted a whiter smile could turn to their barber, who would use a metal file to wear down the
Dr. Klusmeier’s trays wouldn’t become widely accepted until 1989 when Drs. Haywood and Heymann published an article about the method in the journal Quintessence
Modern teeth whitening methods developed when dentists were attempting to improve gum health. In the early 19th century, dentists realized hydrogen
International. After the article, the modern whitening craze really took off with a flood of at-home whitening treatments along with special toothpaste, mouthwash, and chewing gum that claimed to whiten teeth. Today, dental professionals have a number of whitening methods available to offer their patients in-office — and none of them call for urine or filing down a patient’s teeth.
peroxide was great at treating gum disease while also whitening teeth. By 1918, it was discovered that a heating lamp used in conjunction with hydrogen peroxide would help lighten teeth even more. Eventually, an overnight soak was found to be one of the best methods
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