What are Facebook reviews vs. recommendations?
Facebook reviews and recommendations both allow users to leave reviews on business pages. For years, Facebook used a traditional review system using a five-star review scale and an optional space for a comment supporting the given star rating. In 2018, they updated the star rating system to “Recommendations,” which asks users if they recommend a business, yes or no.
Facebook reviews
Facebook reviews used a five-star rating and the option to leave an accompanying comment. Anyone can like and comment on reviews. Existing star ratings and Facebook reviews are still available for social media users to see, and Facebook will continue to display them.
Facebook recommendations
Facebook recommendations is an updated version of reviews. The current “Recommendations” section does not show five-star ratings. Instead, it tells social media users whether their social network recommends a business.
When users click the “Reviews” tab, Facebook sends them to the “Recommendations” feature, which asks, “Do you recommend (Business name)?” Users respond yes or no, and can add tags, photos or a written review/recommendation of up to 25 characters. Facebook intends for recommendations to be more personal and allows users to see what friends in their network think of local businesses.
How do I leave a review on Facebook?
Leaving a review impacts a business’s online reputation. The more customers that leave reviews on your business page, the more social trust you build with new potential customers.
If a Facebook user has a friend ask for recommendations, they can write a comment and tag your Facebook business page. Customers can also leave reviews directly on your page. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to leave a review on Facebook.
- Log into Facebook
- Go to the page of the business you want to review
- Click the “Reviews” tab in the left-hand corner
- Click “Yes” or “No” when prompted at the bottom of the page under “Do you recommend (Business name)?”
- Write a recommendation of up to 25 characters
- Add tags or photos
- Post the recommendation
Where do I find Facebook reviews?
Facebook has made it easy to find reviews all in one place. Follow these straightforward steps to see what customers think of your local business.
- Log into your business Facebook account
- Click “Reviews” to navigate to the recommendations and reviews
Respond to all reviews to show customers you appreciate their feedback. When responding to positive reviews, you can simply like the review or write a quick reply personalizing it to their name and getting specific when thanking them for their feedback.
It’s a good idea to respond to negative reviews to show customers you care about their experience. When responding to a negative review, customize your response to the reviewer. Acknowledge their feedback, give them your business phone number or email address and offer to work toward a solution outside of the reviews page.
A customer might edit their initial negative review or leave a second review explaining how you handled the situation. Potential customers might see your effort, and a negative review could benefit your business.
Are Facebook reviews public?
Yes, Facebook reviews are public on a business page’s “Reviews” tab for anyone to see. They cannot be made private.
Can I delete or edit my Facebook reviews?
Only review authors can delete their reviews. Business owners cannot delete individual comments, but you can report recommendations that go against the Facebook Community Standards. Sometimes Facebook takes down posts before you report them, and others will stay up even after Facebook admins review them. Facebook will review all reports and remove recommendations they deem to violate their rules.
You can choose to disable the reviews tab of your Facebook business page by navigating to the “Settings” tab, clicking “Templates and Tabs” and switching the “Reviews” section toggle from on to off.
Taking down your reviews will also remove all positive reviews. If there are only a couple of negative or fake reviews, it might be better to get more reviews from customers. There are several simple ways to ask customers to leave reviews.
- Ask customers in person after they purchase something from your business
- Send an email or text message with a direct link to your reviews page
- Place signs in your waiting room or lobby asking customers to leave a review and provide a QR code to your reviews page
- Embed positive Facebook reviews on your website
- Offer an incentive to customers who check-in
If you have enough positive reviews, the negative and fake ones will stand out as outliers.
How do I rate a seller on Facebook?
Facebook goes beyond businesses and allows sellers to offer items on Facebook Marketplace where all Facebook users can see the post and interact with the seller. Buyers can only rate sellers after purchasing something or interacting with them. These are the steps to leaving a rating for a seller: