A 2014 local consumer review survey by BrightLocal found that 88% of users read online customer reviews to determine the quality of a local business; 85% read up to 10 reviews before making a purchasing decision; and 88% of consumers say they trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations!
With such weight placed on online endorsements, it’s essential to pay some attention to reviews on Facebook, which is the preferred social network when it comes to local business recommendations.
What are Facebook Ratings and Reviews?
If you have an FB page for a business that offers a product or service, Facebook enables users to rate your business (out of 5 stars) and leave a written review.
How do I enable the Ratings and Reviews feature on my page?
To have this feature available, your page needs to be a business with a physical address:
1. Go to your page’s About section
2. Select Page Info and edit the Address field and add an address
3. Click Save Changes and then a map will appear in your Overview
4. Now go to your Page Info again and click to edit the Address field
5. At the bottom of the map that appears, check the box that says “Show map, check-ins and star ratings on the Page”
6. Click Save Changes again
How are my reviews displayed?
When somebody clicks on the Reviews section of your page, they can view them by order of star rating; “most helpful” (based on the engagement—likes and comments—that a review receives); and the date that a review was posted.
How is my page’s overall star rating determined?
According to FB, the main rating that shows on your page is the average of all the public ratings that you have received. So if the audience of a user’s rating is set to “Friends”, that rating won’t be calculated in your average.
Can I delete a review that I don’t like?
Page managers cannot delete negative reviews. It’s frustrating, but it’s FB’s way of ensuring that your company is represented as accurately as possible. However, there are times when—for example—spam accounts post fake/1-star reviews, or competitors write damaging feedback to defame your business.
In those cases, you should report the review if it doesn’t follow Facebook’s Community Standards, if it doesn’t focus on your product or service, and/or if it’s not based on a user’s personal experience.
Sometimes negative feedback is warranted, but remember that users can always change/edit or delete their review. If someone leaves a bad review for a valid reason, then take it as an opportunity to improve your business and gain a new fan. Respond to the feedback politely and try to make a compromise. A company I worked with received an undesirable FB review due to a misunderstanding with a customer. The company reached out to the displeased individual and they reached an agreement that satisfied both parties. Afterwards, without anyone even asking him to, the client changed his rating to 5 stars!
In the same vein, once someone has left a positive review, “like” it and write a thank-you comment. Maintain that good relationship.
Pingback: 3 Social Media Mistakes that Businesses Make
Pingback: What Customers Expect from Your E-Commerce Site (Part 1)