Facebook retired its old five-star ratings a while back and replaced them with Recommendations. Instead of picking a score, a customer answers one simple question: "Do you recommend this business?" Yes or no, a few words, sometimes a photo. It feels more human, and it changes how you build your reputation online. So when you weigh Facebook Recommendations vs Google reviews, the real question isn't which one wins. It's how they work together.
How Facebook Recommendations Work
When someone lands on your business Page, they see how many people recommend you. A lot of those endorsements come from people in their own network, which gives them extra weight. A positive recommendation can even surface in a friend's feed.
For it to work, a few things have to be in place:
- A business Page, not a personal profile.
- The "local business" category set up properly, with address and hours.
- Reviews and recommendations switched on in your Page settings.
Skip those settings and your customers simply won't see the button to recommend you.
Why It Matters for a Local Business
Facebook Recommendations don't replace Google. They complement it. A customer on the fence often checks two or three places before deciding to visit. If they find you on Facebook with honest, friendly comments, they feel reassured.
Facebook's edge is the social layer. A recommendation isn't an anonymous review. It comes from a real person with a face and a network. For a neighborhood cafe, salon, or garage, that digital word of mouth is worth a lot. Google reviews still carry more weight for "near me" searches, but Facebook backs them up with a face your customer might actually recognize.
The Real Challenge: Asking at the Right Moment
The best review comes from a happy customer who just had a great experience. The catch is that the moment passes fast. Once they're home, they've forgotten.
So plenty of businesses pile on the signage: a sticker for Facebook, another for Google, a third by the menu. It gets cluttered, and the customer no longer knows where to tap.
Make the Ask Easy at the Counter
This is where a plate — also known as an NFC review card, stand, or sign — earns its keep. Sitting on the counter, it lets the customer tap their phone (NFC) or scan the QR code. One motion, and the right page opens.
Braavu makes a plate for each goal. The Facebook plate (blue) sends customers straight to your Page to grow your recommendations. The Google review plate (green) points at your Google reviews. And if you want more than reviews, the link-in-bio plate bundles every link you have — Facebook, Instagram, menu, booking — behind a single tap.
You pick the plate that matches your priority. The customer always gets the same simple move: tap the phone, done. No app to download, one-time purchase, backed by a lifetime warranty.
Where to Start
- Confirm your Facebook Page is in business mode and recommendations are turned on.
- Reply to the recommendations you already have, the good and the not-so-good. It shows you're listening.
- Give customers an easy way to leave a word the moment they're happy.
- Tie it all back to your Google Business Profile, which is still the first place people search.
Takeaway: Facebook Recommendations lean on your customers' social networks to reassure the undecided. Make the ask easy at the right moment with the plate that fits your goal, and keep both Facebook and Google alive and well.