Facebook Business Page Verifications are No More | What This Means for Small Business Owners

Poof, they’re gone! Facebook announced that it will remove the gray verification badges from Pages because they were, “more confusing than helpful.” And just like that, they’re outta here.

Facebook’s gray badges were introduced in 2015 to help users identify which Pages were legitimate. Business owners could navigate the Pages’ Settings and apply for the gray badge to boost credibility in an online world which can sometimes be… not incredible.

But now that option is gone, and it’s likely not coming back. Facebook points users to these Best Practices to make sure your Facebook page is appealing to users. Here are the highlights.

Make sure your Categories are up to date.

There are two specific categories I recommend for a pool and spa business: 

• Local Service - Swimming Pool & Hot Tub Service
• Local Service - Swimming Pool Cleaner

Check the important images.

Make sure your Business Page has a Profile Picture and a Cover Image.

Update the About section of your Facebook page.

Include your physical address, website, phone number, and hours. Remember to update your hours around holidays so these are always up to date! 

Turn on Recommendations.

This will allow people to leave reviews on your page. Make sure you monitor these so nothing surprises you!

The last recommendation from Facebook’s Best Practices is where it gets a little gray (no pun intended…)

If only it were that easy.

Running an effective Facebook Page is about so much more than posting an update from your phone. Yes, you should create posts, but you should also upload your videos to Facebook. Are you using GIFs and memes? You should be! And if you’re not using Facebook Live, you’re missing out!

Even still, you’ll get the most bang for your buck when you use paid ads.

Adding this to your Facebook management toolbox opens up Lead Ads, Carousel Ads, Landing Page Ads, and a whole lot more! Facebook rewards you for using its tools, and the tools available when you start using Paid Ads opens up many opportunities for small business owners. 

Bottom Line: The only thing that stays the same about Facebook is that it's always changing. My advice to small business owners: keep your page up to date, post a variety of different types of updates, and incorporate paid ads as much as possible. And when you decide you want to take it to the next level... give me a call. I'm happy to help!