Star Ratings for Facebook Local Pages!

Now, this is becoming interesting. Facebook used to have a Reviews slot in the Page timeline for local pages. But now the star ratings are showing up absolutely at the top and are very visible.

For a local player it means that it now has a place where it can show up reviews, ratings and can also converse with the audience and get word of mouth! All this at one place.

Does this mean Facebook is officially competing with the Yelps and Zomatos of the world?

After all Facebook apps can showcase Menus and can also allow users to book seats, and click to call integration can allow people to order stuff. (Just like you can view the menu and order from a Zomato)

The questions are:

1. Whose rating will you trust for a , say, restaurant? Zomato or Facebook ? Given that Zomato has FB connect and open graph integration, it can show your Fb friends’ reviews and what your friends like etc on it’s platform. However
you may see an entirely different rating on Facebook for the same restaurant.

2. Is Facebook enhancing itself as a platform or as a contender to local platforms? If it’s acting like a platform, then no doubt the star rating system will soon be a part of open graph and may show up at Vertical Platforms like Zomato as well.

Whatever the case it looks like a boon for the local businesses!

PS: We recommend dotConverse as a specialized digital agency to manage local businesses’ digital programs. dotConverse is a startup by Google and Nokia alumni and have worked on the most controversial local brand in India-Lemp Brewpub * Kitchen after the controversy hit them and helped revived their online reputation and business

Here’s an interesting read on Why Restaurants and Pubs should invest in digital and social media programs