Right now in the market, two platforms are largely responsible for setting the reputations of national businesses and multi-location brands today: Facebook and Google. Combined, these two platforms receive a higher volume of reviews.

Then we count any other sites typically responsible for reputation management, including Yelp, TripAdvisor, and industry-specific sites like OpenTable and Zomato….

For franchise and local businesses, specifically, Facebook is critical. The platform has rolled out new Location functionalities to help companies manage all facets of their online reputation.

In order to leverage the Facebook platform as a true reputation management tool, businesses must get used to the three following features, which can be used to enhance the online reputation of every location and control public perception of your overall brand.

• Local pages

Business can now manage their locations via Facebook. It allows users to “check in” to specific business locations and leave reviews, now newly called Recommendations for that location.

The user can only perform these actions if the location has a local page. When a user tries to perform either of these actions for a business without a local page, Facebook will automatically create the local page for that business. The user who checked in or left the Recommendation then becomes the page admin. This is where problems arise.

Left unclaimed, local pages can accumulate content such as an incorrect logos, inaccurate business information (hours, address, phone number), and unverified posts from rogue page admins.

Claiming local pages is the first step to manage an online reputation.

Local pages represent the individual business locations but perform best with corporate oversight. A collaborative effort between corporate and the local page admin is the best way to ensure it has the correct logo, business information, consistent brand messaging and photos.

A study by the Local Search Association revealed that 55% of consumers used social media to find local business information within the previous month. Businesses with accurate, up-to-date local pages will earn more foot traffic than those that have inaccurate information.

• Recommendations replace reviews

Facebook changed the reviews feature to a consumer feedback tool called Recommendations. This simplified feature asks users to respond yes or no when asked, “Would you recommend this business?”

After a user answers yes or no, they are prompted to add photos, tags, and additional feedback. This additional feedback must be at least 25 characters long, a rule that — according to Facebook — “should help ensure authenticity and relevance.” The feedback, tags, photos, and recommendation (or “no” response) then populate on the business’ Facebook page.

According to Facebook, two out of three users visit a local business page at least once a week and one in three use Facebook to look for Recommendations of local businesses.

Business owners must enable Recommendations before customers can begin using the tool. Once a customer posts a Recommendation, the page admin can respond to it. Businesses can leverage this feature, responding to all Recommendations and sharing positive Recommendations on local pages.

• Localized organic posts provide opportunities to leverage your reputation

Through organic posts on local pages, Facebook gives every local business the opportunity to leverage user-generated localized content.

72% of brand engagement happens on these local pages as opposed to brand pages. Sharing localized content on these pages gives your business the best chance to earn engagement.

Multi-location businesses have the unique challenge of managing local pages in a way that both empowers local teams and maintains corporate oversight.

Learn how LOCALTRAC can help you managing your online reputation. To talk with an expert, click here.