Lou MC Yelps a Lot

2017 was a thrilling year for me. I spent a lot of time on taking better photos and sharing more with the communities. Not just Yelp, I also Google a lot.  Funky YES! Here is my status on Yelp : Completed 111 reviews in 2017 Updated 14 reviews in 2017 Uploaded total of 8025 media files (7549 photos & 476 videos) since the day I started Yelping, March 2011.   As of December 30th, I had 6 Baronies. Somehow, it's no longer visible in 2018 (Android). I could never broke my record of 300 reviews from 2016. Due to reviews disappearance, I've included a counter at the end of each review. I also saved the direct link to each published review with my archive. This process was extremely time consuming. I completed my 111 reviews in 2017. You can only see 110 reviews because 13th review was removed. Here is my story .  As of January 2, 2018, before I added more stuff. As for Google, I joined Local Guides sometime last year. I am currently Level...

Whenever I write a review, I have to check if the biz page has been claimed by an owner or not. It makes big difference on the outcome. Claimed biz vs Unclaimed biz It doesn't mean I would give a claimed biz a 5-star for no reason or purposely write reviews at claimed biz. But reviews at claimed biz are likely to be read more often than unclaimed biz. However, biz owner can later claim a biz. It would change the dynamics. Biz owner can then delete my review if it's not to their expectation without warning. They can also remove my photos with undesirable caption. For example, my photos were removed from the page of Bel Furniture before I wrote a 5-star review. Anyone with less than 5-stars are removed, as I saw it happened.

To reply my Yelper friend's question from awhile back, "Why do I see some people on my feed but they are not my friends?" Answer: You marked to follow them. Doesn't matter if you are friends or not, anyone you follow will be showing on top of all feed, reviews and tips. It's good to follow someone on Yelp. It's completely anonymous until November 28, 2017. After that, any new follower will be visible ( updated per Yelp Blog 11/02/17 ). They don't know you are following them. Befriend with someone on Yelp will reveal each other's check-in messages. I don't see any harm to follow your friends. Except, the contents from people you follow will go to the top of everything. I like extremes. Porsche posted over 17k media. From what I know besides reviews, tips, photo post notifications, you'll receive notifications from your friends' interests in Events and posts on Talks on the feed. It's much easier to read them on the app because...

I'm addicted with #Yelfie. I wrote a blog last December about Take a Yelfie . Since then, there are so many good things happening. So, let's start with how to use it. First, you need Yelp app on iPhone or Android phone. Second, check in at a biz. Click on the rectangle on the upper left side. 4 easy steps on Android phone. Easy to use on iPhone as well. Third, point at an object what is a least 5 feet away and tap on the circle button on the bottom of screen. Fourth, take a selfie of you or something within 2 feet (flip the camera). Fifth, edit your Yelfie with the features available. see below. Feature  on  Android phone - move biz name & selfie photo Feature on iPhone - change font on biz name & move selfie photo. Finally, tap "check in" or the check mark. Your Yelfie will be shared to the destinations of your choice. Yelfie shared on Facebook from iPhone & Android phone. Yelfie shared on Twitter from iPhone (below) an...

How cool is that? Take a Yelfie to proof you were there. Read this blog on Yelp . Well, it's kind of annoying at first. But, okay. I admit. It's fun once I get used to it. Taking this Yelfie bumped my data usage. I noticed this on a recent Android release 9.0.1 in December. But  someone  in Canada received this feature in November. Huh. Nu Ice has free WiFi. Don't expect my Yelfie at all check-ins. The only time I can share Yelfie is when I find free WiFi to use. Sorry.

As much as I love Yelping with my app, I have to slow down on checking in everywhere. Because check-in slows me down with my daily routine. First, I have to take time to pull out my phone. Second, the moment I turn it on, it started to use cell phone data. Third, I don't mind using phone data much but some apps start to synchronize to their servers (such as Google Maps app), which slowing me down. Moreover, I'd rather spend time enjoying life than getting distracted with the apps. I can live without technology when I really don't have the time. This was captured a year ago.  As you may have seen I claimed so many baronies before. At one time, I had 8. Now, I only want to focus on Baron of Chinatown. It's the neighborhood I know best and the area I explore often on my days off. I want to be the go-to person or the Local Guide in Chinatown. If Yelp offered an ambassador position in Houston, I would apply. Starting 2017, I have a few projects lined up to help ...

Really? I want some Poké. The raw fish kine from Hawai'i, right? Please tell me this is real. After I checked in at Church's Chicken, I saw this question on local knowledge. I busted out laughing. Few days ago, I clicked on a Google Map link just out of my curiosity on this Pokémon Talk thread . Look, my map is filled with weird stuff every time I search on Google. This is absurd.  Give me a moment. I don't know what to say. I need to regain my composure first.

Know where you parked is important After my HoustonRodeo visit last year, I wanted to try  HoustonRodeo on a Budget , I decided to go even cheaper - Value Wednesday. The admissions are at half price for both ground and rodeo/concert every Wednesday. Kids carnival and wine garden were not affected by this change. I have never thought there was so many people around NRG Stadium on a Wednesday afternoon. I blame it on Spring Break. I had no problem finding parking at a nearby lot. However, I paid $15 at Medical center. It's very close by and only available after 5 pm. Afterwards, I learned there were other cheaper lots a little further out. From the moment I entered the lot, parked my car, walked to shuttle stop and to the bus taken off, it took around 45 minutes. During the afternoon commute hours, travel time was about 20 minutes on a 5 minute route. All of these are compensated from daylight savings time - I've got one extra hour of sunlight. I had to buy admission t...

This is about a biz page I added 2 years ago - Melita's Restaurant . One day, I was driving to James Lee Park and saw this untapped treasure. I thought they should be on Yelp. I started to take photos and the bartenders got nervous. I told them I just wanted to share my dining experience with my friends. I think they were nervous because they never seen Asian guy speaks Spanish and eat Salvadorian food. I grew up in South America and this ain't nothing new to me. I don't remember how I told the owner Melita about Yelp. It might be after I took a photo of storefront or after I wrote the review. I also added photos to Google Places. I was over there few months ago. Upon check in, I noticed 4 more reviews and a "From the Business" section on the bottom. I think her daughter may have claimed the business. Not bad. They are catching on. I'm going back this spring after daylight savings time start. I got my Fitbit. I will walk the park and eat pupusas at M...

This is a question for business owners. If you had a business recently relocated, do you change the address on Yelp page or tell the world that you moved to a new address? It prompted me to this blog. I recently go contacted by a business owner in Chinese: Subject: 百利中医皮肤科 ( TCM Acupuncture & Herbs Clinic ) Mr lou  您好!谢谢您在yelp帮我们!我们现在搬到新址所以­还得麻烦您帮我们把旧的照片删掉!多谢多谢!   杨晓娜 (Hi, Mr Lou! Thank you for helping us on Yelp! We moved to a new address. Please delete the old photos you posted. Thank you. Xiaona Y.) I got very curious and found out the storefront  and store hours  photos were removed. I suspected that the biz page owner already removed them. My first expression was, "oh no. They did it all wrong." I was a little pissed off at first. But then, I realized Chinese are getting more adoptive to new methods of advertising. That's what Yelp is about. I drove by to see the old location. It is occupied by a massage therapist and TCM is still on the wall. ...

Someone asked me if dukedoms and barons can cash in to become Elites. Uh, no. They are two different things.  I missed these popup on the app. Since late 2014, the dukedom crowns are no longer customized. Dukedom badges are just for fun. Yelpers use apps to earn badges. But you'll see some Elites don't have any badges. Because their contributions came from reviews.  So, the bottom line is... reviews sell ads. Dukedoms don't generate any revenue for Yelp. For those of you who are interested to become an Elite member, here is a good article to read and understand how to become Elite Yelper.  http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-become-yelp-elite-2014-8

I was approached by a few acquaintances who were not familiar with Yelp. They often ask, "you had so many check-ins. How much do you spend to eat out?" Yelp is not just a review site for restaurants, it is a resource for different types of businesses in our community. Really, I don't eat out much. However, I like to cook my own food. So, I'm always shopping for good values.  I'm out there searching for outrageously low prices. As I said in my check-in chat: Don't go broke when you think you have to eat out to be active. Don't think eating out often is the ticket to be an effective Yelper. If you can't control your spending, try to log your spending and tally up at the end of day. 

To HQ, Where was the page I added http://www.yelp.com/biz/imperial-medical-center-sugar-land It's redirected to  Imperial CPR Training Center . CPR training center is at suite 220. As soon as you sent an email to confirm the  page I added on August 6 was approved. However, it was redirected. My intention was to mark a general area for this awesome location. So, all of my check-ins, tips, photos and video are merged with a place I never intended to be. Imperial Medical Center exists on Foursquare , why couldn't it be one on Yelp? Please remove the redirect and restore the link. Thank you.

This is one of my favorite feature - Yelp Royalty but I call it "Check-in Meter". I had the opportunity to see both Android and iOS to choose my next Smartphone. As for Android, you can see when you last checked in, but you can't see the dukedom status. For iOS, you can see the dukedom crowns and regular icons. Uh... I like both versions. I know it's too much to ask to combine them. Android (left) vs iOS (right)  According to an article on TechCrunch in 2010, "iPhone app (4.2.1) includes a feature called Yelp Royalty. It rewards users with the most check-ins at a venue the title of 'Duke' or 'Duchess.' Those with the most titles in their neighborhood become the 'Baron.' Those with the most it the city become the 'King.'" To my understanding, check-in is a way to quantify how often you patronize a business. Yelp created a way to compete. Among the regulars, the most frequent visitor wins a duke or duchess badge. At...