Problems with Facebook’s Location feature for Local Businesses

It became a nightmare for a client. Us local SEOers all agree on the facet of citations that have authority. And Facebook is surely a place a local business wants to have a profile.

Take this situation. A business that manufactures high end, high tech products for the home. They install the products with a team they manage. They are small and growing, have 5 locations in a few short years located in the US.

They decide to invest into their online marketing and recognize they are not representing the 5 locations on Facebook, however clients from all locations have been engaging and leaving reviews for a few years.

This business decides to take advantage of Facebook’s new location feature for local businesses. It makes sense, Facebook highly recommends this and each location will end up with a ‘place’ on Facebook. This is good for Local SEO!

But I caution you. If you are adding your 2nd location to your business, and you are a car dealer, the model Facebook has for you will work. But it won’t work if you want to manage a national brand and already are even a little established in 2+ markets.

Current situation

A local business with 2+ locations that manages a national brand and currently has one facebook page. The page is a ‘local business’ page with a single address.

Challenge

The problem arises when adding the location feature. This creates a ‘brand page’ and location page, using the original local address. Reviews and likes are moved to the location page, posts remain on the brand page.

Problem

Most reviews are moved to the location page. This is a problem for an existing business that has acquired reviews from the multiple current locations. This is also a problem for a business that chooses or requires aggregating brand reviews, since locations may only be installation locations and the brand is a physical product.

Solution

Provide greater options for business owners to manage how reviews, likes and posts are managed when activating the locations feature.

Let’s see if Facebook is listening…..

For more FREE articles and videos like this, simply give your name and email below and we'll send this TOP 10 Local SEO Strategies Report. We respect your privacy. We will NEVER sell, rent or share your email address.