TL;DR:
- Yelp leads and messages arrive in Exoserva via webhooks — no manual monitoring of Yelp's inbox required
- Auto-response capabilities let you acknowledge inquiries instantly, even when no one is available to respond manually
- Lead routing rules direct Yelp leads to the right team member based on service type, location, or other criteria
- Message history is stored per lead in Exoserva so every conversation has full context
- The same workflow that handles Thumbtack and other lead sources works for Yelp, giving you one place to manage all inbound leads
Why Yelp Leads Deserve Faster Attention
Yelp occupies a specific position in the contractor lead funnel. Unlike Google, where a customer might be doing early research, Yelp inquiries typically come from people who have already read reviews, compared options, and decided to reach out. The customer who messages you on Yelp is often closer to booking than the customer who filled out a general "get a quote" form.
That means response speed matters even more. A Yelp inquiry that goes unanswered for four hours is a lead that likely went to a competitor who responded in 20 minutes.
Monitoring Yelp's inbox manually — alongside your phone, email, and other lead sources — is not a system. It's hoping you catch things quickly. The Exoserva–Yelp integration makes it systematic: every Yelp inquiry routes to the same place you already manage your business, with auto-response to cover the moments when immediate manual response isn't possible.
How the Integration Works
Webhook-Based Lead Inbound
When a customer submits an inquiry through your Yelp business page, Yelp sends a webhook event to Exoserva. The lead appears in Exoserva's lead management view with:
- Customer name and contact information
- The service or project they're inquiring about
- Their initial message
- Timestamp
Webhook delivery is near-real-time. You're not waiting for a poll cycle — leads appear in Exoserva within seconds of the customer submitting the inquiry on Yelp.
Auto-Response
Auto-response is one of the highest-leverage features for any lead source, and it's especially important for Yelp. When a new Yelp inquiry arrives, Exoserva can send an immediate acknowledgment response automatically.
A well-crafted auto-response:
- Confirms receipt of the inquiry
- Sets expectations for when a human will follow up
- Provides a phone number for customers who want to reach someone immediately
- Can include basic qualifying questions to speed up the follow-up conversation
Auto-response doesn't replace a human follow-up — it bridges the gap between inquiry receipt and when your team can respond personally. For after-hours leads, it means customers get an immediate acknowledgment instead of silence until the next business day.
Lead Routing Rules
Not every Yelp lead should go to the same person. A plumbing inquiry should go to your plumbing dispatcher. An HVAC inquiry in the north part of your service area should go to the technician who covers that zone.
Exoserva's lead routing rules let you define how Yelp leads are distributed based on criteria you configure. When a new Yelp lead arrives, the routing rules evaluate the lead and assign or notify the appropriate team member automatically.
This prevents the common situation where leads land in a general inbox that everyone assumes someone else is watching — and therefore no one is watching.
Message History Tracking
Every message in a Yelp lead conversation — inbound from the customer and outbound from your team — is stored in Exoserva's message history for that lead record. You can see the complete thread from the initial inquiry through to booking confirmation.
This is particularly important for:
- Hand-offs: If a lead is assigned to a team member who then goes on leave, the next person can read the full history without asking the customer to repeat themselves
- Follow-up context: When you pick up a lead that's been quiet for a few days, the history tells you where the conversation left off
- Quality review: Managers can audit how leads are being handled and identify coaching opportunities
From Yelp Lead to Booked Job
The lead management view in Exoserva provides a pipeline view of all active leads across your lead sources. Yelp leads move through stages — new, contacted, quoted, follow-up, won, lost — with the stage updated as the conversation progresses.
When a Yelp lead converts to a booked job, the customer information from the lead record populates the job. You're not re-entering contact details or service addresses that Yelp already captured. The job enters your standard Exoserva workflow: scheduling, technician assignment, invoicing, and completion.
Setting Up the Integration
Step 1: Access Integration Settings
In Exoserva, go to Settings → Integrations → Yelp. The integration uses a webhook-based architecture — Exoserva will provide a webhook URL to register with Yelp.
Step 2: Register the Webhook with Yelp
Log into your Yelp for Business account and navigate to the developer or integrations settings. Register Exoserva's webhook URL as the destination for lead and message events.
Yelp's webhook setup may require verification — a test ping to your endpoint that Exoserva will respond to correctly. The integration settings in Exoserva handle this automatically.
Step 3: Configure Auto-Response
In Exoserva's Yelp integration settings, compose your auto-response message. Keep it brief, friendly, and action-oriented. Include your phone number and a realistic follow-up timeframe. Enable auto-response for after-hours, or for all times if your volume justifies it.
Step 4: Set Up Lead Routing
Configure routing rules based on how your team is structured. Options typically include routing by service category, by geography, or to a specific default assignee for Yelp leads.
Step 5: Verify with a Test Inquiry
Have a colleague submit a test inquiry through your Yelp business page. Confirm the lead appears in Exoserva, the auto-response was sent, and the routing assigned it correctly.
FAQ
Can I see my Yelp reviews in Exoserva as well, or just leads? The Yelp integration handles lead and messaging webhooks. For review management, see the Google Business Profile integration guide — managing reviews across platforms is covered there.
What if a customer sends multiple messages before I respond? All messages in a Yelp conversation thread are captured in Exoserva's message history. If a customer sends an initial inquiry and then a follow-up message, both appear in the lead record in order. You see the full context of what they sent when you review the lead.
Does auto-response work during business hours, or only after-hours? Auto-response can be configured to run at all times or only outside your defined business hours, depending on your preference. Many businesses use it only after hours to ensure human-first response during the day, with the auto-response as a fallback when no one is available.
Related Guides
- Thumbtack Lead Integration: Capture Every Lead
- Google Business Profile: Reviews, Analytics, and Growth
- AI Voice: After-Hours Call Handling
Ready to Stop Losing Yelp Leads to Slow Response Times?
Connect the Yelp integration and every inquiry lands in Exoserva automatically. Auto-response acknowledges customers instantly. Your team handles follow-up with full context, no platform switching, and no leads falling through the cracks.