So here is the thing: we have seen even the best companies getting bad reviews. It is impossible to satisfy every customer who buys your products or hires your services. Globally, business owners try to provide excellent customer service, products, and services.
But what happens when your Business page receives reviews you differ from? Or what if you notice the reviews your business is getting are suspicious? Maybe removing those sounds like the best option, but is it possible to do it? Let’s dive into it here.
What Are Reviews on Facebook?
Facebook reviews, now known as Facebook recommendations, are a Facebook Business page tool that allows clients to leave a comment sharing their experience with your business.
Facebook users have had the chance to leave feedback on business pages since 2013 and saw the change from reviews to recommendations in 2018. Previously, the platform had a 5-star rating system in its reviews section. There, users left a 1-to-5-star rating and a comment. Once reviews became recommendations, the Facebook page ratings were based on the binary yes or no system implemented in the platform.
Of course, not everything is great about Facebook reviews and recommendations. Many business owners have had to deal with fake or malicious feedback, resorting to Facebook Business Manager help to see what they can do.
Reviews and Recommendations: A Tool to Build Your Online Presence
Building an online reputation is crucial in today’s world. Most customers resort to search engines or social media platforms to find the product or service needed. This is where recommendations come to play for your team. One of the most effective ways of gaining visibility online is by having positive reviews on your website or preferred social media platform.
Reviews on your Facebook page also are a great way of showing your business is trustworthy. Recommendations make your page easier to find, meaning they might be shown on potential customers’ Facebook timelines.
Despite all this, it is important to understand that Facebook reviews and recommendations will not be successful on their own. Reputation management is crucial to ensure you are making the most out of this Facebook page feature.
Managing Your Online Reputation
Managing your online reputation requires interacting with your customers, paying attention to their complaints, listening to their suggestions, and more. Here is everything you need to know about it.
Possitive Reviews Management
Handling your business’ positive reviews might sound easy, but that doesn’t mean it is not an essential part of this task.
Some of the things you might want to consider when addressing your positive feedback are:
- Thank your customers for their comments and let them know how glad you are they had a good experience with your business
- Be polite, friendly, and professional. Show them you are approachable.
- Try not to keep it impersonal. Maybe use their last name if they are a newcomer.
- Ask if they have any suggestions.
- Try personalizing your answers in any way possible. Make your reputation management stand out.
Negative Reviews Management
As you know, customer feedback won’t always be great, and that is something you must learn to handle. Don’t think of a few negative reviews as a sign of your business quality. Instead, think of them as room for improvement.
If you want to know what to add to a negative review reply, take a look at these starting points:
- Be open to what your customers are saying in their feedback.
- Be concise. Don’t add any fluff language, but don’t be curt. Show your sympathy to your customer.
- Approach the situation from a place of honesty. Let them know you are thankful for their comments and that you will take measures to make things right.
- Apologize for the situation.
Logically, not every negative feedback comes from wanting to share constructive criticism with business owners. Sometimes, your competitors could leave reviews promoting their businesses, or you might get a rude, crude comment that does not align with what your company stands for.
Deleting Facebook Reviews
The most common question regarding recommendations is if you can choose to delete a bad review. The truth is no, you cannot delete Facebook reviews and recommendations. The platform allows business owners to report feedback or deactivate submissions entirely.
Spotting Fake Reviews
You might be wondering what happens if you get a fake review but cannot delete it. Furthermore, you might be wondering how you can spot these recommendations. Here is what you can look for:
- The account’s creation date. If the account was created on the same or the previous day the recommendation was posted, and the comment is mostly negative, it could be fake.
- If the review promotes your competitors direct or indirectly.
- The recommendation has an inaccurate description of the products or services your business offers.
When you get feedback that has these sorts of characteristics, you must consider contacting Facebook Business Help and reporting it.
So, How Do I Remove a Facebook Review?
Let’s start by rephrasing the question. Remember, you cannot delete a Facebook recommendation per se. What you can do is report it, and ask Facebook to remove it for you.
Facebook community standards state that you can report a recommendation a user left it has the following content:
- Violence, threats.
- Hate speech.
- Bullying and harassment.
- Lewd language.
There are other aspects you can look into on their platform. So here is the new query: how do I report a Facebook Business page review?
Reporting Facebook Reviews
After spotting the reviews from your page, here is a step-by-step guide on how to do the report:
- Start from your Business page.
- Head over to the Reviews section. In there, select the one you want to report.
- Click on the three dots that will show up in the top right of the review.
- Click on Report Post and follow the instructions Facebook provides.
Keep in mind that reporting it does not ensure Facebook will remove it. However, if you consider the platform’s community standards, chances are your report will be approved.
Disabling Reviews on Your Facebook Business Page
When you create a new Facebook Business, you can go to your page settings and enable the reviews tab on your Business page. Similarly, you can also choose to disable them.
This option might sound appealing considering the odds of getting negative feedback, but in reality, this option is not the right path for all businesses.
To many potential customers, reviews are social proof of your business quality. They can provide a glimpse of the customer experience it awaits them, and help the customers purchasing decisions. Even negative feedback can help, as it could show you’re using the platform to see what your customers think might be better for your service.
Facebook Review’s Impact on Small Businesses
Facebook reviews and recommendations have been an excellent instrument to help boost small businesses online. These days, marketers and small business owners see reviews as a powerful social media marketing strategy.
Reviews benefits on small businesses go beyond just creating an online brand. It helps owners increase their profits, gain more customers, and even have the chance for their business to expand.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Reviews Necessary?
Yes, they are. Reviews are a crucial tool for online branding. Sites like Facebook, Yelp, and Google Reviews have become a staple within businesses, promoting their pages on their establishments through stickers, direct links attached to their emails, and QR codes.
Can Anyone Leave a Review on Facebook?
Yes, anyone can leave a review on Facebook. The only requirement the platform has is that you need to own a Facebook account to do so. As stated, the only thing that can prevent users from leaving their feedback is deactivating the reviews tab.
Can Facebook Reviews Be Anonymous?
No, Facebook reviews cannot be anonymous. Since it is required to have an account to leave a review, users can’t hide their identities when posting their feedback. However, Facebook users can choose to share the review with their network.
How Many Recommendations Do You Need on Facebook to Get a Rating?
These calculations depend on several factors, such as the industry your company is in and your competition rate. Despite that, approximately 50-100+ recommendations can help your Facebook Business page rating.
Who Can See Facebook Reviews?
Once a review is posted, anyone can see it. If you don’t turn this feature off on your Business page, anyone that visits it can see all the reviews on your page.
Conclusion
It might be a frustrating situation for many business owners to find that they cannot delete Facebook Business page reviews. It is necessary to know how to handle these situations, to not let your emotions get the best of you, and to know when it could be helpful to reply to feedback or report it to the platform.
Remember that online management reputation is just as important as having excellent customer service since it also is a way of showcasing how your business treats its clients. The more you pay attention to the way you manage your online reputation, the better results you get.
