How to Reply to Facebook Reviews and Recommendations

Facebook doesn't use star ratings on business Pages anymore. Instead, people choose whether they recommend or don't recommend your business and add a few words about why. Those recommendations show up on your Page, and people often read the comments under them before they message you or visit. A short, thoughtful reply from the owner can make a big difference in how they come across.

Facebook also works a little differently from Google or Yelp. Replies are threaded comments, the reviewer gets a notification, other people can join the thread, and the reviewer can message your Page directly. Here's how to handle each situation.

How replies work on Facebook

When you reply to a recommendation, your comment appears under it as your Page, and anyone who can see the recommendation can see your reply. Other people can also comment in the same thread, which doesn't happen on Google.

That makes two habits important:

• Reply as the Page, not your personal profile. Check the name shown before you post. A reply from "Mike Jones" instead of "Jones Plumbing" looks odd and mixes your personal account with the business.
• Keep it to one or two replies in public. If a thread starts turning into a back-and-forth, move it to Messenger. Long public arguments help nobody.

Replying to a positive recommendation

Positive recommendations on Facebook are often from regulars, neighbors, or people who found you through a local group. A warm, specific reply keeps that community feeling going.

A good reply:

• thanks the person by first name, if they used one,
• mentions something specific they said,
• sounds like a person, not a script.

Example:

Thanks so much, Dana! We're glad the new patio worked out for your daughter's birthday. Tell her happy birthday from all of us, and we hope to see you both again soon.

Example for a short one ("Great service!"):

Thank you, Luis! We appreciate you taking a minute to recommend us. See you next time.

Avoid pasting the same "Thanks for the 5 stars!" line under every recommendation. There are no stars on Facebook anymore, and identical replies are easy to spot when someone scrolls your Page.

Replying to "doesn't recommend"

A "doesn't recommend" post is the Facebook version of a negative review. The approach is the same as anywhere else: stay calm, acknowledge the experience, keep details out of public view, and invite them to continue privately.

Structure:

1. Thank them or acknowledge that they took the time to write.
2. Say you're sorry about the experience (not necessarily admitting fault).
3. Briefly mention what you'll do or check, if that's true.
4. Invite them to message the Page so you can sort it out.

Example:

Hi Karen, I'm sorry your order took so long on Saturday. That's not the experience we want anyone to have. We were short-staffed that night and we've already adjusted our weekend schedule. If you send us a message here on Facebook, I'd like to hear more and make it right.

Example when you can't find the customer:

Hi Tom, thanks for letting us know. I looked through our bookings and couldn't find a visit under your name, so I want to make sure I understand what happened. Could you send us a message with the date and location? We'll look into it right away.

Don't accuse anyone of lying, and don't post their order history, appointment details, or what they paid. A calm, open reply reads better to everyone else scrolling the page.

When to move the conversation to Messenger

Facebook makes it easy to move from a public comment to a private message, which is useful for:

• refunds, credits, or anything involving money,
• order numbers, addresses, or booking details,
• anything involving health, legal, or personal matters,
• a thread where the reviewer is getting more upset with each reply.

A good public line is short and doesn't promise anything specific:

Thanks for the details, Sam. I've sent you a message so we can sort this out directly.

Then actually send the message. Readers notice when a Page says "we've reached out" and the reviewer replies "no you didn't."

Never make a refund or discount depend on the person changing or removing their recommendation. It goes against Facebook's rules for recommendations, and it tends to backfire publicly.

When other people join the thread

Because recommendations are threaded, sometimes a loyal customer jumps in to defend you, or someone else piles on. A few tips:

• Don't encourage customers to argue for you. Thank supporters briefly if you want, but keep your own reply aimed at the original reviewer.
• Don't reply to every commenter. One clear reply from the business is enough in most cases.
• Hide or report comments that break Facebook's rules (harassment, spam, hate speech) instead of arguing with them. Hiding is for rule-breaking content, not for normal criticism.

Mixed recommendations

Some people recommend you but mention a problem: "Food is great, but parking is a nightmare." These are worth answering carefully, because they show you listen.

Example:

Thanks for the recommendation, Priya! You're right about parking on Friday nights. There's free parking behind the bank on 3rd Street after 6 pm, just a two-minute walk away. We hope that makes the next visit easier.

Thank them, address the specific issue with something useful, and stop. No need to over-apologize for a problem they were mostly okay with.

What to avoid on Facebook

• Arguing in the comments. One calm reply, then move to Messenger.
• Deleting criticism you don't like. Hiding normal complaints usually gets noticed and makes things worse.
• Asking only happy customers to recommend you. Ask everyone in the same way, or don't ask at all.
• Offering anything in exchange for a recommendation. Free items, discounts, or entries into a giveaway for recommendations break Facebook's rules.
• Sharing private details. Even if the reviewer posted them first, don't add more.

How fast should you reply?

Facebook users expect quicker replies than on most review sites, partly because the reviewer gets notified and partly because your Page may show how quickly you usually respond to messages. Aim to reply within a day or two for recommendations, and faster for an upset customer. A quick, short reply beats a perfect reply a week later.

Keeping up across Facebook, Google, and Yelp

Most small businesses get reviews in two or three places, and Facebook is the one most easily forgotten because recommendations show up mixed in with notifications. Set a short weekly check of all of them, use the same tone everywhere, and adapt the reply to how each site works.

If you'd rather not write them yourself, ReplyRight can draft human-reviewed replies to your unanswered reviews in your voice, and you approve every one before it's posted.

Related guides

• How to Reply to Hotel, B&B and Vacation Rental Reviews (With Examples)
• How to Reply to Positive Google Reviews (Without Sounding Copy-Paste)
• How to Reply to Reviews About Slow Service or Long Wait Times