There are 7.753 billion people worldwide, of which 2.91 billion are active Facebook users.
Because of the broad reach and influence of the platform, it has quickly been adopted by medium-sized and large brands. For the same reasons, it has also been included in the digital marketing strategy of every social media agency in Egypt
Over the years, Facebook has worked on adding various business tools; one of these is Facebook Reviews which has recently been renamed ‘ Facebook Recommendations.’
Facebook Reviews, are they Important for Business?
Let’s look at some statistics to answer the question:
- 43.5% of internet users use social media for brand research. (Hootsuite)
- 98% read online reviews for local businesses. (Brightlocal)
- Trustworthy reviews influence 68% of online shoppers. (Statista)
- 89% of consumers are highly likely to buy from a brand that responds to all its online reviews. (Brightlocal)
- 57% of users said they were unlikely to use a business that doesn’t respond to reviews. (Brightlocal)
These numbers tell us that potential customers read reviews before making a purchase; they are influenced by others’ experiences and think highly of brands that respond to all reviews.
Discover how our social media agency in Egypt can provide you with social media marketing services and manage your brand’s online accounts.
How do Positive Reviews Affect Your Business?
1- Build a Positive Brand Presence
When customers recommend your business and post about their positive experiences using your products and services, it builds a solid reputation for your business.
That also boosts your credibility on social media. The more reviews there are, the more trustworthy your brand will appear to users and potential customers.
2- Increase Organic Reach
Facebook’s updated recommendation feature allows users to share their reviews with friends and family.
This form of social proof is not only powerful and leads to excellent word-of-mouth, but it is also completely free.
Facebook users can recommend brands to their direct networks.
3- Indicate Transparency
Even if you don’t have any reviews on your Facebook business page yet, enabling reviews shows transparency. These reviews indicate that you are trustworthy and are open to any thoughts, good or bad.
This candid approach is essential for building a positive image and reputation.
How to Respond to Negative Reviews on Facebook?
Let’s check the Top Lessons learned from our social media marketing agency in Egypt.
1- Reply Immediately
The worst thing you could possibly do is not respond to a negative review or respond late. Please don’t ignore the review and don’t hide from it.
People who post negative reviews expect to hear back from your customer service team. According to a study by ReviewTrackers, 52% of customers expect an answer from a brand within 7 days on social media.
2- Apologize Sincerely
The first step to do is to apologize to the customer for the negative experience that they had. Address the customer politely, and use their first name to build better rapport and establish a sense of friendliness. Also, thank the customer for taking the time to write this review to inform you of their problem.
3- Take it out of the Limelight
Once you’ve publicly addressed a customer’s concerns in the review, move the conversation to a more private setting. That could be done through Facebook messenger, email, or even a call.
In any case, inform the customer clearly which communication channel you will reach out to them.
4- Don’t Overpromise
One of the biggest mistakes that brands make while responding to negative reviews is that they over overpromise.
Keep your response grounded, and don’t rashly try to win the customer back over. Set realistic expectations for the customer over how you are working to resolve the issues and when and how you will communicate with them.
5- Take Action
Show customers that you are actively working on resolving their issues; this indicates that you have already taken steps to resolve the issue once you have seen the complaint.
Aircall provides professional response to a customer’s complaint. He replies immediately and has already taken care of the problem.
Negative Reviews, Can they Be Useful?
Before you say no, let’s take a moment to consider.
Though they can have a negative effect on your brand’s image, negative reviews can also help you improve your services and products. They are a powerful indicator for assessing customer satisfaction.
Perhaps your product has a limitation that your customers drew your attention to, or your service is not delivering the desired results. Whatever the content of the negative review is, this review indicates a problem that needs to be handled.
If you handle negative reviews well and the customer is satisfied, it sends a strong message that your brand is professional and has high-quality customer service.
Can You Remove a Facebook Review?
According to Facebook regulations, you cannot remove a review unless a user posts a review that violates Facebook’s community standards. In this case, you can report the review to Facebook to revise.
While some social media companies disable Facebook reviews altogether, this is not ideal; it sends a message to potential customers that you are unwilling to be open and transparent, leading to a lack of trust.
Final Thoughts
Facebook reviews or recommendations are a great way to get feedback, grow your business and increase your sales.
Be Group is a social media agency that offers professional community management services to help you successfully deal with your current and potential customers. So don’t close your Facebook recommendations, be transparent; become a partner with Be Group.
Further reading : best social media marketing strategy in 2022
Facebook Business Page
Sources:
https://www.hootsuite.com/resources/digital-trends
Local Consumer Review Survey 2022: Customer Reviews and Behavior (brightlocal.com)
U.S. online shoppers purchase influences 2017 l Statistic | Statista
52% of Customers Expect Your Brand to Respond to Their Reviews | Social Media Today
Free Response Messages to Negative Facebook Reviews (embedsocial.com)
How To Deal With Negative Facebook Reviews (7+ Expert Tips) (smashballoon.com)
