Reading online reviews is a major part of the decision-making process for customers. It’s common for people to spend time reading what other customers have to say about a business before committing to a purchase. As well as trusted review sites like Trustpilot and Google My Business, potential customers will frequently visit a business’s Facebook page and other social media accounts to check out what’s being said there.

This blog post focuses on Facebook reviews (now called Facebook Recommendations), giving tips on how to get reviews on Facebook for your competitions and pointers for responding to customer feedback.

 

 

Why are Facebook reviews important for your competitions?

Facebook Recommendations are important for all B2C companies, regardless of the industry they operate within. Prize competition and raffle businesses, however, are especially reliant on what customers say about them.

Positive reviews signal to potential customers that you are a trustworthy business and compliant with industry regulations. You need to make it clear to anyone thinking about entering a competition that there is a real chance at winning and you choose your winners fairly.

Your Facebook page will be receiving a lot of attention. Not just because it’s the first place people often look when they discover a new brand, but because it’s where most competition websites run their Live Draws and send out updates for giveaways. So it’s important that you manage your Facebook reviews.

As well as providing social proof for customers, Facebook reviews can be beneficial for your own insight. Reading what people say about your business allows you to identify strengths and weaknesses in your processes. It’s also an opportunity to demonstrate the high level of customer service you promise to your customers.

 

Setting up Facebook reviews.

Facebook reviews are automatically activated when you create a Page. If for any reason they aren’t, you can switch them on manually via the Manage Page menu on the left side of your screen.

Access Settings in this menu. Then click on Templates and tabs. Scroll down and toggle the reviews option to on.

Deleting Facebook reviews.

Currently, there’s no option to delete individual Facebook reviews. You can only disable your reviews, effectively hiding all of them. This can be done by repeating the above actions and toggling the reviews to off.

We don’t recommend disabling reviews because it removes the important social proof needed to attract more customers to your business. You only have the option of removing a review if it contains spammy content or doesn’t meet terms of use and content guidelines.

 

 

Asking for Facebook reviews.

There’s many ways you can go about asking your customers to recommend you on Facebook. These include posting on social media, sending out an SMS or emailing your customers. Research shows that the best time to start asking for reviews is around 2-3pm or 6-7pm.

You should never buy reviews. This will call into question the credibility of your business to any potential customers who suspect what they are reading isn’t authentic. Similarly, you should be careful with how you go about incentivising people to leave reviews. It’s a risky tactic and best to avoid it if you want to play it safe.

We recommend including Facebook reviews as part of your social media goals. Track the number of Facebook Recommendations you receive over time, as well as looking out for similar comments in reviews which suggest where you need to improve.

 

Responding to Facebook reviews.

Begin all reviews by addressing the reviewer directly and thank them. You may wish to personalise your response further by signing off the review from a specific team member.

If you’re responding to a good review, it’s a good idea to cite the positives back in your response. For example:

“Hi [CUSTOMER NAME], thanks for taking the time to review us. We’re delighted that you found our check-out system quick and simple. Wishing you the best of luck on this competition!”

Responding to bad reviews.

If a customer leaves you a bad review, you should still thank them. Responding to negative comments about your business is difficult. It’s natural to feel upset and angry, especially if the review is unnecessarily cruel or you suspect that it might be fake.

Getting confrontational in response to negative comments looks unprofessional. Deleting negative comments can often backfire and draw more attention to the issue. It’s better to deal with the situation in a timely and open manner.

While your response will need to change based on the situation, all responses to negative feedback should include an apology which sympathises with the reviewer’s situation. Effective apologies will take responsibility and show how you plan to make things right. They are also framed in a way which shows a commitment to customer service. For example:

“Thanks for bringing this to our attention. Your feedback helps us get better. Our team is currently looking into resolving the issue promptly and accurately.”

Another option is to include contact details so that the unhappy customer can contact you directly and have the issue resolved. This saves any further embarrassment on your side and prevents interference from outside sources. It also shows a personalised approach to dealing with poor experiences.

In short, make it personal but don’t get personal.

One final tip for managing Facebook reviews (as well as reviews on other sites)… Know who in your organisation is responsible for responding to reviews and have a policy in place for dealing with negative PR. What we’ve discussed above are pointers and you’ll need to adjust your responses based on the specific situation addressed in the review.

 

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