Facebook has been making a lot of changes recently and there is some controversy whether they’re all good or not. I’m here to tell you that I really “Like” the new “Facebook Recommendation” feature that Facebook is rolling out.  When you visit a page as a Non Fan that does have the recommendation feature enabled and proceed to like the page you will see this message “Help your friends discover great places to visit by writing a recommendation for xyz Company”

Your choices are a) Write a recommendation, b) Recommend or c) No Thanks. If you choose either A or B the fact that you recommend this place will be posted on your profile with a thumbnail of the business. Any business that has this feature already enabled will also have a “Recommendations” tab in the right column of their profile. This will allow any person that’s already a Fan to leave a recommendation.

I have been using Facebook Apps and contests to get people to post comments about my clients on their profile’s. The only way to do that is for that person to “Allow the App” so the post will show up on their profile. The problem I have had is that fewer and fewer people are allowing the APP.  The Facebook Recommendation looks after the Allow the App problem. As soon as someone clicks on Recommend, the clients thumbnail along with any comment they make is posted on their profile. You can see an example on my Facebook page for Auto-Tech one of my clients who also happens to be the auto repair facility I use.

Some Business Pages have set up a Review tab to collect reviews from clients. In order to see those Reviews you have to click on the Review tab. I have heard but not confirmed that Facebook will be removing the Review tab along with the reviews that exist there on October 31st.

Recommendations will always appear on your Profile page in the right column along with the number in brackets like this: Recommendations (5).  Your Online Business did a recent email for a Dentist. Our goal was to get existing patients who had opted in to our mailing list to like our page. At the time of the mailing we didn’t know that the Recommend feature even existed. Out of 179 emails that were opened we received 25 likes and two great recommendations. Our next QVew email will suggest that our patients leave a recommendation.

Facebook recommendations and reviews in general are difficult to get. Facebook has given us a great way to spread the word.  Watch for the Facebook Recommendation tab to appear on your page and start taking advantage of what it can do for your business right away.

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