Apparently Facebook is testing widgets that asks users whether they’d like to write a recommendation of a page — including a popups after they’ve clicked the like button.
The screenshots in this post explain the test better than mere words can.
We’d received the top right image from David Hutnik, social media specialist at PhotoBiz.com.
He explained that he first saw the recommendation prompt after he clicked like on a page he doesn’t administer, then proceeded to his own and discovered it also worked there — after he unliked and then reliked the page.
We forwarded Hutnik’s screenshot to Facebook’s media relations team and asked whether the image showed a bona fide test feature or the work of a third-party plug-in. A spokesperson replied:
We’re always testing new features with small percentages of users to provide us feedback to help improve the service. The tests inform many of the improvements we make to the site and help shape new products.
Completed recommendations appear in a box in the top right-hand corner of the page where this test feature appears; this box includes a prompt asking people to submit their own recommendations.
In the upper right corner of this box, the linked words “see more” pops up a larger box over the page, with an accordingly bigger prompt to recommend the page.
Interestingly, while I never saw any pop-up prompts to write a recommendation after liking the PhotoBiz page, nor any other page, for that matter, I do see the suggestion to write a recommendation beneath the other recommendations on the page, then also above the expanded recommendation box, plus on the profile walls of the people who recommended the page. Again, the screenshots explain this better than any words can.
This test feature seems like it would benefit pages a great deal; perhaps one of the testing objectives here is not whether to ask users for written recommendations, but rather, how many prompts are optimal. Or, which is the best location for placing the prompts?
Readers, where and when do you think Facebook ought to prompt people to write a recommendation for a page?
Har sakt ifra før at jeg overhode ikke liker denne nye facebooksiden eller de nye.Har sakt ifra før at jeg vil tilbake til den gamle facebooksiden slik at den blir som før.Alle de forferdelige oppdateringene hele tiden er bare tøys.Fikk melding om at epostadressen min var feil.jeg vet da for pokker min egen epostadresse
Comment by Marit Dalseng — September 3, 2011 @ 5:29 pm
thank you for sharing.so great !
Comment by wxs123 — September 3, 2011 @ 10:39 pm
how do I get this on my page? I've been looking all over for it!
Comment by Tanya — September 12, 2011 @ 5:13 pm
There is something I discovered today when testing the facebook page I'm developing. If you choose not to recommend, clicking on "No Thanks", you will not be brought to the designated tab (such as welcome, or contest), but you will be brought to the wall of that page. Obviously not what we want when we build those "like us" tab.
Comment by @stsanto — September 22, 2011 @ 2:00 am
I'd like to know how to get this on my Fan Pages too. I think it depends on the type of page.
Comment by James Winsoar — December 2, 2011 @ 2:55 am
has anyone figured out how to get this on your fan page? I would love to know, thanks!
Comment by Brooke Fay Bullard — December 7, 2011 @ 11:55 pm
We are having the same exact problem. Have you or anyone else figured out a way to get rid of the prompt?
Comment by zach — December 14, 2011 @ 11:04 am
I THINK it has to do with having an address listed on your Page. It seems that pages that are integrated with place pages automatically have the recommendations on the right.
Comment by Kelse Follett — January 18, 2012 @ 11:22 pm
I manage the page for an online business. How can we get this function (i.e. they click like and it immediately asks them if they want to recommend us) without having a physical address? Our product is not in our office… it's online. Look forward to your answers. Thanks guys
Comment by @JohannaScott — January 27, 2012 @ 3:12 pm