The Role of Facebook Reviews in Local Visibility
When it comes to building online reputation, most businesses focus on Google reviews—and rightfully so. But there’s another platform that deserves serious attention: Facebook.
With over 2 billion active users and deep integration into both search engines and social networks, Facebook reviews (now called “Recommendations”) have a direct impact on how your business is perceived—and how often it gets found.
Are Facebook Reviews Still Important?
Yes. Here’s why:
- Facebook is the second most trusted review site after Google (BrightLocal)
- Meta data feeds into third-party apps like Instagram, WhatsApp, and even Apple’s Maps
- Reviews often show up in Google search results for your business name
- Customers research businesses on social media before engaging
In short: Facebook reviews are a major trust signal—both to search engines and to people who find your business organically or via ads.
How Facebook Reviews Work (and What Changed)
Facebook no longer uses a 5-star review system. Instead, users are asked:
“Do you recommend this business?”
👍 Yes or 👎 No
They can also leave a comment, tag friends, and upload media. This creates social proof that spreads beyond the review tab—into the News Feed, search results, and Messenger chats.
How Facebook Reviews Impact SEO
Google and Bing both crawl Facebook review pages as part of their local ranking algorithms. Facebook reviews indirectly boost SEO by:
- Providing fresh, relevant user-generated content
- Increasing branded search CTRs by displaying review volume
- Improving your trust profile across local directories
- Sending traffic to your site via link clicks from your page
If you’re running Facebook Ads or Instagram campaigns, your reviews also influence conversion rate, cost-per-click, and campaign quality scores.
How to Get More Facebook Reviews
- Claim and verify your Facebook Page
Make sure your business is categorized correctly (e.g., “Local Business”) and has a physical address. - Enable Recommendations
Go to Settings → Privacy → Page and Tagging, and make sure “Allow others to recommend your Page” is turned on. - Share your direct review link
You can generate a short URL to send customers directly to the review prompt. Reputory makes this easy with built-in tracking and QR code generation. - Ask politely and consistently
After a positive experience, say: “Would you be willing to leave a quick recommendation on Facebook? It really helps us grow.”
How to Respond to Facebook Reviews
- Thank every reviewer, even if they just clicked “Yes” without comment
- Respond professionally to negative reviews. Don’t delete unless they violate policy
- Use names when possible (e.g., “Thanks, Lisa!”)
- Sign off personally to humanize the response
Pro tip: Reviews on Facebook are often more detailed than those on Google. Take the time to respond meaningfully—it will be visible to all their friends and followers.
Negative Reviews on Facebook: What to Do
If you receive a negative recommendation:
- Don’t panic. Respond with empathy and professionalism
- Take the conversation offline where appropriate
- Report it only if it violates Facebook’s Community Standards (spam, harassment, hate speech, etc.)
One calm, thoughtful reply can do more for your brand than five 5-star reviews. People notice how you handle feedback.
How Reputory Helps
Reputory lets you:
- Track all Facebook reviews in one dashboard alongside Google and other platforms
- Get notified instantly when new feedback comes in
- Respond quickly and professionally without jumping between tabs
- Use QR codes and short links to drive more Facebook reviews
We even offer review sentiment analysis and competitor benchmarks so you can see how your Facebook presence stacks up.
Final Thoughts
Don’t treat Facebook reviews as an afterthought. They are part of your reputation, your SEO, your ad performance, and your customer journey.
If you’re serious about managing your brand online, make Facebook part of your review strategy—and track everything from one central dashboard with Reputory.
Want to see how your Facebook review health looks today?
Start with our free brand health check and get insights on every platform that matters.