We Ask ChatGPT If Yell Websites Are Any Good
- Peter Quinn
- Performance , Support
- 14 Apr, 2025
We wanted an impartial answer to a question we get all the time from small businesses:
Are Yell websites actually any good?
So, we asked ChatGPT — one of the most advanced AI models in the world — to give us a straight answer.
The result? It confirmed what many of us in the industry already knew.
🤖 Here’s What ChatGPT Said:
Yell.com (formerly Yellow Pages) has developed a very poor reputation in recent years for charging high fees while delivering minimal real-world value for small businesses.
It then listed 6 core issues:
- Overpriced services
- Poor SEO performance
- Locked-in contracts
- Pushy sales tactics
- Lack of transparency
- Low-quality websites
There’s a screenshot of the full repsonse at the bottom of this article!
📉 Trustpilot Reviews Say the Same
ChatGPT isn’t the only one ringing the alarm. Check out these recent reviews:
- Trustpilot: 1.6 ★ average for Yell
- Bowler Hat: Why not to use Yell
- Ilkeston Web Design: Yell Review Warning
- JDR Group: Why not to market on Yell
These independent articles expose poor site quality, hidden fees, and bad SEO performance — all consistent with what ChatGPT shared.
🔍 The Hidden Costs
Yell websites might sound simple at first — but you’re often:
- Renting, not owning your site
- Tied into costly monthly contracts
- Given generic templates that don’t reflect your brand
- Promised SEO that doesn’t deliver
And worst of all — if you stop paying, you lose your site.
💡 What We Recommend Instead
If you’re a business owner who values transparency, ownership, and results, consider alternatives where:
- You own your website and domain
- SEO is baked into every page
- You get real, custom support
- You’re not tied down
At Vanilla Websites, we offer fast, mobile-first websites with:
- Full ownership
- One-off pricing or simple hosting
- SEO-first structure
- Optional extras — never forced
Final Thoughts
Yell might work for some, but the overwhelming feedback — from ChatGPT, customers, and web developers — suggests it’s not the best investment for most small businesses.
✅ Want help moving away from Yell? Or need a free website audit?
Just get in touch with us — no pressure, no sales script.
Click an image below view the response from chat GPT
