Facebook: from Ratings to Recommendations

The world of online marketing is always changing with creating newer and better ways to connect with customers on this infinitely large platform. While keeping up to date with all the latest changes can be exhausting, it can also be the key to staying one step ahead of your competitors. One of the changes that has taken place in online marketing recently is in the Ratings and Reviews system on Facebook. The new system is known as Recommendations and allows your customers to say whether or not they will recommend your business compared to rating it on a scale of 5 as they used to.

How does Recommendations on Facebook work?

The Recommendations feature will be on the same space that the Ratings and Reviews system initially was on Facebook, so it is easy for customers to access. However, customers will now be posed with the question “Would you recommend (name of business)?” to which they can click “Yes” or “No” to. Depending on the answer they choose, Facebook has a pop-up to ask your customers why they have chosen this before they finally submit their response.

What does this mean for local businesses?

Facebook has also given businesses the option to add specific tags in this Recommendations system that you would like customers to associate with your business when they use this feature. Through having these tags in this system, it not only helps customers easily choose the best things about your business but also test whether customers share the same views on your strengths. For example, a hairdresser can add tags such as good service, friendly staff, value for money, good styles, etc. onto the system. After clicking “Yes” customers can choose the tags that they want to recommend about your business. If customers don’t choose the tag “value for money” as much as the other tags, it may entail that they perceive the business as more expensive than the hairdresser does. The hairdresser can then use this information and to price more competitively or promote themselves as a high-end business instead.

Of course, this also works the other way and you can add negative tags so that when your customers click “No”, they can choose the tags that they think your business can improve on. A hairdresser can add tags such as too much waiting time, not enough staff, noisy, etc. onto the system and check whether their customers associate these tags with the business. While looking at the negative associations can be a little daunting, it is also a great opportunity to see what you can change about your business. Tags such as “not enough staff” can be easily addressed by understanding the peak times of your business and adding more staff to cater to the needs of your customer.

Benefits of Recommendations on Facebook

Recommendations can help expand the reach of your business on Facebook. As Facebook users can ask for recommendations for a particular category on their timeline, it allows Facebook Friends to recommend each other businesses that fulfil their needs. When current customers do recommend your business, it can link back to your Facebook page so that customers can engage with it. As your business is being recommended by a friend, it has more weight while they make their decision on whether to purchase or not from your store.

The last thing you need to know about this Recommendations Feature is that you can take advantage of is Authentic Reviews. Authentic Reviews allows businesses to monitor and report reviews that are not real to Facebook. This can help protect your business from fraudulent reviews and form a positive connection with the true customers of your business.

While it may take a little time to get used to, this Facebook’s new Recommendation feature can take you closer to your customers and improve your business to stay ahead of your competitors. If you would like to know more about how you can market your business successfully online, contact Redsteps today. We can manage your social media pages and help you run successful online advertising campaigns.