Yelp Ad Goals: How to Optimize for Website Clicks, Calls, or Direction Requests

The difference between being seen and being chosen? It starts with your ad goal.

With over 90 million monthly users, Yelp is where buyers go when they’re ready to act. And every click, call, or direction request is a shot at conversion.

That’s why setting the right Yelp ad goals is the most important move you’ll make in any campaign.

This isn’t passive browsing. Yelp users search with intent, and that intent can be your biggest advantage.

Want to get it right the first time? A trusted Yelp Marketing Agency can help you cut through the guesswork. 

They’ve seen what works, what doesn’t, and how to tailor your Yelp ad goals to match real customer behavior. 

And if you’re serious about driving results, expert guidance is a game-changer.

In this guide, we’ll break down how each goal works and show you why dialing in your strategy is non-negotiable.

Pick Your Path: The Real Impact of Yelp Ad Goal Settings

Ad results don’t just depend on how much you spend — they hinge on one decision you make right out of the gate: choosing your Yelp ad goals. 

It sounds simple. But it’s the difference between getting clicks that convert and wasting money on attention that goes nowhere.

Let’s break down the three core ad goals, the types of businesses they work best for, and how each one fits into the Yelp customer journey.

Source: Yelp

1. Website Clicks

This one’s for businesses that live online — retailers, restaurants with online reservations, salons with booking systems, or anyone with a site that converts visitors into customers.

It meets the customer right when they’re ready to compare options and take action.

Use it if:

• Your site is designed to convert (think: booking, buying, scheduling).
  
• Your product or service is easy to understand without a conversation.
  
• You want to funnel Yelp traffic into your existing sales system.
  

Customer mindset: “I’m comparing a few options — I’ll click through and check them out.”

2. Phone Calls

Ideal for service-based pros: contractors, legal services, healthcare providers, realtors — anyone whose business thrives on direct, one-to-one communication.

This goal turns intent into immediate interaction.

Use it if:

• You close most of your business through phone calls or consultations.
  
• Your audience typically has questions before they commit.
  
• You can respond quickly — leads go cold fast.
  

Customer mindset: “I want to speak to someone now and ask a few quick questions.”

3. Direction Requests

If your business relies on foot traffic, this is the move. Great for gyms, cafes, boutiques, or any place where proximity + timing = conversion.

Use it if:

• You’re in a walkable area or rely on locals popping in.
  
• Your Yelp listing is visually strong (photos, reviews, updated hours).
  
• You want to capture people who are ready to go somewhere today.
  

Customer mindset: “I’m nearby, this place looks good — let’s go.”

Why It Matters: Goals = Alignment

Each goal is a signal. You’re telling Yelp who to target, how to deliver the ad, and what action to optimize for. 

That’s how Yelp ad goals sync with the Yelp customer journey — you’re throwing out ads, and meeting people at the exact right step in their decision-making.

Let Yelp Handle It? Actually, Yes — Here’s Why That Works

When it comes to ad optimization, most business owners fall into one of two camps:
Team Control Everything or Team Just Make It Work.

Good news: Yelp AI gives you the best of both.

Behind the scenes, Yelp’s platform uses machine learning to test, tweak, and perfect your campaigns, specifically your Yelp ad goals. 

That means less time fiddling with settings and more time getting results.

What Is Yelp’s “Automated Goal Setting”?

It’s a feature that lets Yelp dynamically test and choose the goal (calls, clicks, or direction requests) based on what’s most likely to perform for your business. 

Instead of you picking one static outcome, the system adapts in real time based on what users respond to best.

And no — this isn’t guesswork. Agencies and advertisers who’ve tested it (including Yelp partners) have seen lower CPC, more clicks, and higher impression counts just by switching to automated goal mode.

Real Talk: What Yelp AI Actually Does

Yelp AI constantly A/B tests the key ad components:

• Which CTA drives the most conversions (Call Now, Request a Quote, Visit Website, etc)
  
• Which photo pulls more clicks
  
• Which goal aligns best with the audience’s behavior that day/week/location
  

You don’t have to manually change and monitor every lever. You just set the budget, upload your assets (or let Yelp test your reviews/photos), and let the platform do the rest.

One Switch, Big Results

A leading Yelp Marketing Agency shared a test they ran with multi-family property clients across four major metros. 

All they did was change the goal setting from “Get More Website Clicks” to the optimized goal option.

The outcome?

• Over 3,700 more impressions
  
• An additional 114 clicks
  
• Lower cost-per-click by $0.21
  

No extra budget. No new creatives. Just smarter targeting via automation.

Source: GTMA

When to Use Automation (And When Not To)

Use it when:

• You’re new to Yelp Ads and want a fast learning curve
  
• You serve a variety of customer intents (some want to call, some want to visit, some just want to browse)
  
• You’re too busy to test 10 variables a week
  

Go manual when:

• You have a crystal-clear goal (e.g., your funnel only works if users land on your website)
  
• You’re running a short-term promo with a specific CTA
  
• You want to A/B test your own creative separately from Yelp’s algorithm

Clicks, Calls & Conversions: Crafting Ad Creative That Actually Converts

Setting the right Yelp ad goal is only step one, but if your creative doesn’t match the action you want people to take, you’re sending mixed signals. 

Think of your ad like a handshake: it should be firm, clear, and give people a reason to lean in.

Let’s break down what great ad creative looks like when you’re optimizing for each goal — and how to build it using real examples, not just theory.

If You Want Clicks: Be Worth the Tap

Your ad copy needs to pull them out of decision fatigue.

When optimizing for Website Clicks, focus on:

• Value-first headlines: What do they get if they click?
  
• Clarity over cleverness: This isn’t brand-building, it’s click-driving.
  
• Proof points: “Book Online in 2 Minutes,” “See Today’s Menu,” “100+ 5-Star Reviews”
  

Source: Yelp

Pair it with clean, compelling visuals. If you’re a restaurant, skip the stock photos — show your food. A boutique? Spotlight your top seller.

Pro tip: Use review-based content as ad text — Yelp lets you feature a customer quote. That’s built-in social proof baked into your Yelp ad copy.

If You Want Calls: Spark Urgency & Trust

Calls come from confidence. The person clicking that “Call Now” CTA is ready — they just need to feel that you’re ready for them.

For Phone Call goals:

• Use words like “Free Estimate,” “Same-Day Service,” “Talk to an Expert.”
  
• Highlight differentiators that close the gap: local, licensed, 24/7
  
• Avoid overloading with details — you’re trying to get them on the phone, not close the deal in the ad
  

Visuals? Keep it real. A photo of your actual team, truck, or worksite builds familiarity and lowers hesitation.

If You Want Direction Requests: Be Local, Be Obvious

You’re after the “I’m nearby and ready to go” crowd. So your creative should smell like the neighborhood.

For Direction Requests:

• Use location-based phrases in the copy: “Downtown Favorite,” “5 Minutes from Main Street,” “Voted Best in West LA”
  
• If you’re running a promo? Mention it: “Free Coffee Before 10 AM” or “Drop-in Class Available Today”
  
• Visuals should scream open, inviting, and real. Exterior shots, clean interiors,and  crowds if it works for you.
  

Remember: Yelp search ads are often shown above competitors in local listings. This is your chance to stand out, not blend in.

Target Smarter, Not Wider: Winning with Geo + Keyword Precision

Do you really need all the eyes on you? Not even close. You just need the right ones.

Yelp makes that possible through two powerful levers: location targeting and keyword targeting. Used together, they can make your Yelp ad goals hit with sniper-level accuracy.

Let’s break down how to get more of the right clicks, calls, or direction requests — from people already close enough to convert.

Source: Yelp

Local Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All

Whether you’re a boutique on a busy street or a mobile service business covering a metro area, you can customize how far Yelp shows your ads.

Nail your geo-targeting by asking:

• Are my customers usually nearby or coming from other parts of the city?
  
• Is convenience the trigger (e.g., coffee shop)? Or are people willing to travel (e.g., specialized services)?
  
• Is your business in a dense zone with lots of competitors — or a more spread-out area where distance matters?
  

If you want:

• Direction Requests → Focus on a tight radius. People searching on the go aren’t driving across town.
  
• Phone Calls → Mid-range radius works. People may call before deciding if you’re worth the trip.
  
• Website Clicks → Expand your radius a bit more. If your funnel lives online, your reach can too.
  

Yelp Keyword Targeting: Your Campaign’s Secret Weapon

Here’s what many business owners don’t realize: Yelp keyword targeting isn’t just passive. 

You can review and tweak the keywords Yelp uses for your ads, and that matters a lot when aligning to your goals.

Source: Yelp

Let’s say:

• You’re a dentist → Exclude keywords like “orthodontist” if you don’t do braces.
  
• You’re a home cleaning service → Prioritize “move-out cleaning,” “deep cleaning,” etc.
  
• You’re a bakery → Push keywords tied to wedding cakes if that’s your money-maker.
  

You’re shaping intent here. The more dialed-in your keyword list, the more relevant each ad becomes to what your customer is actually searching for.

Pro Targeting Move: Combine Geo + Keywords

Here’s how the real pros do it:

Target affluent zip codes plus high-intent keywords.
Or target walkable neighborhoods plus impulse-based searches like “open now,” “near me,” or “quick service.”

This creates micro-intent zones where your ads appear only when both location and search behavior signal readiness.

Know What Good Looks Like: Metrics That Actually Matter

Let’s clear something up: running Yelp Ads isn’t a success. Getting the right outcomes from them? That’s the win.

Your Yelp ad goals define what success should look like, so the metrics you track have to align with that. Otherwise, you’re just watching numbers move without knowing what they mean.

Here’s how to know what to track, when to pivot, and how to turn insights into smarter performance.

If You’re Optimizing for Website Clicks

You’re not paying for eyeballs — you’re paying for action. If your goal is to drive traffic to your site, here’s what matters:

• Click-Through Rate (CTR): Are people clicking your ad at all?
  
• Bounce Rate: Once they land on your site, do they stick around?
  
• Conversion Rate: Are those clicks turning into sales, bookings, or leads?
  

Pro Tip: Use UTM parameters or connect your campaign to Google Analytics to see exactly how Yelp traffic behaves on your site. This is where most advertisers drop the ball.

If You’re Optimizing for Phone Calls

Calls are gold — but only if they lead somewhere. Here’s how to gauge value:

• Total Call Volume: Obvious, but start here.
  
• Call Duration: Longer calls often signal real leads. A bunch of 7-second calls? Something’s off.
  
• Time of Day/Week Trends: Are you missing peak windows because you’re not answering?
  

Yelp logs your ad-driven calls inside the dashboard. But pro tip: track missed calls and follow-up timing too — that’s where the conversions live or die.

If You’re Optimizing for Direction Requests

Here, the value comes from foot traffic, so you want to measure how often people are taking that final step:

• Map Views & Direction Clicks: Tracked inside Yelp’s ad dashboard
  
• In-Store Conversions: Tie this data to POS spikes or local offer redemptions
  
• Mobile Device Engagement: Most of this traffic is mobile, so make sure your Yelp listing is optimized for small screens
  

And yes, measuring walk-ins can be tricky. But tracking day-to-day or week-to-week lifts after campaign changes? That gives you a real pulse.

What About Yelp App Reach?

If you’re running advanced campaigns (especially with products like Yelp Audiences or Spotlight Ads, you’ll want to track your Yelp app reach. 

Source: Yelp

That’s the total number of times your ad was surfaced in-app — it’s not a conversion metric, but it is a strong indicator of exposure and brand awareness at scale.

The Optimization Loop

Here’s the truth: Even a great campaign needs refinement. Set a review schedule — weekly or bi-weekly — and look for:

• Underperforming goals that need to be swapped (e.g., switch from calls to clicks)
  
• Keywords that aren’t converting
  
• Ad creatives that need a refresh
  

Yelp gives you real-time data. The best-performing businesses? They use it.

Goals First, Growth Follows

Running Yelp Ads without a clear objective is like handing out flyers in a crowd without knowing who you’re trying to reach. 

But when you align your Yelp ad goals with your customer’s intent? You stop wasting budget — and start creating results that move the needle.

The right goals drive the right actions:

• More qualified clicks from people who are ready to buy
  
• More calls from customers who actually need what you offer
  
• More foot traffic from locals looking for your business, not just any business
  

And the truth is, setting goals is about building a campaign around real behavior. Around what your customers are actually doing on Yelp.

At [A] Growth Agency, we’re performance engineers. 

As a trusted Yelp Marketing Agency, we’ve helped businesses scale smarter by aligning strategy with intent, creative with conversion, and budget with return.

We know the platform. We know the playbook. And most importantly, we know how to turn Yelp into a high-performance channel for real, trackable growth.

So, whether you’re optimizing for clicks, calls, or foot traffic, remember:

Set smarter goals. Watch better results follow.

And if you’re ready to go beyond guessing, let’s grow.

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