Facebook has just made some pretty big changes to the reviewing system for business pages and we would give it 5 stars… if we could. If you have tried to go on to Facebook lately and check out which hipster café is the best in your local area or which bar is the best place for a few cheeky bevies on a Sunday afternoon then you may have noticed the days of the simple 5 star rating are gone. But why you ask…this was so easy and convenient. How will I be able to 1 star rate that café for bringing my smashed avo and soy latte out too slowly because they had the enthusiasm of Malcolm Turnbull on his way to his second leadership spill meeting. Well don’t fret because Facebook has devised a new plan which switches reviews for Facebook recommendations in the hope to improve authenticity of reviews and prevent fraud and spam ratings.
So what does this mean for you and your business?
Instead of being asked to give a rating out of 5, customers will now be asked a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question as to whether they would recommend your business to others. They are then able to include photos and comments supporting their recommendation. Customers can also select tags for a business which provide a theme for the recommendation as to what the business is best know for such as ‘Great Service’ or ‘Child Friendly’. Therefore, making it easier for customers to identify positive trends and selling points for your business.
According to data noted on Facebook’s business page 1 in 3 people on Facebook use the platform to look for recommendations and reviews. Facebook has recognised the importance of authentic and quality recommendations in getting and retaining new customers. This latest change has made it easier to report any content in recommendations that are misleading, fraudulent, spam or paid for. Businesses pages are still able to have a numerical rating. However, the way in which this is determined is now based on multiple factors like:
- The number of people who recommend or don’t recommend your page
- Any past star ratings and reviews it may have
- Other factors such as response time
What should your business be doing to optimise Facebook recommendations?
Facebook recommendations and all its new features can give your business a competitive edge and maximise your online reputation. It is therefore important to reevaluate your marketing strategies surrounding social media and customer satisfaction as customer referrals and opinions matter now more than ever. This means you need to figure out ways to engage your customers and educate them about these new changes and what they can do to help your business grow. Implementing a strategy to educate and then ask for recommendations is definitely a good starting point.
How to use Tags
The current reviews on your page will not be removed and the star ratings will still contribute to the new system which delivers an overall score. However, because of the introduction of tags within a recommendation, it would be beneficial for your customers to update their reviews to include favourable tags and comments to maximise your business reputation. Tags highlight positive aspects of a businesses services, products and customer experience. The more customers that recommend your business using favourable tags, the more likely you are to woo new customers. We see tags being a key influence moving forward with Facebook recommendations.
What if your business is not recommended
Customers who choose not to recommend a business can also select tags embodying what they would improve. This is also a positive for businesses comparing to the previous review model as it now gives the business a chance to gain better insight in to their customer experience and improve it.
Recommendations within posts
Another feature of Facebook recommendations is that customers have the ability to recommend within posts. This provides more exposure directly to intent-driven potential customers so its important to ensure your Facebook business page is up to date, active and informative giving you the best chance at converting them.
Need help with online reputation management?
Our team at Shuttle can help you with your social media management and online reputation. We can develop a strategy to help you boost positive Facebook recommendations. Contact us today!
