Since a lot of businesses are having issues operating their services during the COVID-19 outbreak, Facebook has taken another step to help ease the process. Businesses can announce any temporary service changes on their business page on the platform. These changes will also reflect on the Facebook searches as well.
For example, if a food restaurant is closed but will deliver food at home, they will be able to announce these new changes to customers using their Facebook page. In case a business is unable to provide service during the pandemic, they can also share that they are temporary closed.
How to Update temporary Service Changes?
Any business that has a Facebook page can access these settings by visiting Page settings > Page info > Hours > and then Select “Temporary service changes”. Businesses have the option to either indicate they will be closed or choose from other options under “open with service changes”.
These options include:
- Online services
- Home Delivery
- Pick-up
- Other Changes
The first three options are self-explanatory, but businesses choosing “other changes” are encouraged by Facebook to mention special hours for Elderly customers, gift card availability or anything similar in the settings. You can mention the days when your business will be open, just check the box next to days your business is open and enter the hours. You can add more timings by adding more options by choosing the ‘+’ sign.
Appearance
Once a business has updated these ‘temporary changes’ settings, they will start appearing on the Page, the preview of the Page, in search results on Facebook and in curated lists of local resources on Facebook.
For example, if someone is looking for featured businesses that offer delivery from “events” options, they will be able to see businesses that have updated these settings on their Facebook Page.
Similarly, people searching on the local businesses on the platform, they will have the option to see what services a business is offering such as “pick-up services”, “Delivery services” or “temporary closed”.
