Dealing with "Unofficial" Facebook Business Pages

[dank402]

Some time in the last year, I lost the ability to merge/remove those pesky "unofficial" business pages on Facebook with verified ones for my client businesses.

I am not sure if this is an issue at my account level, but I have seen reports of others experiencing the same problems: https://www.facebook.com/business/h...8136551392614&answer_id=611484605724475&rdrhc

I went ahead and created a GIF of what I am seeing when I attempt to go through the recommended removal process from Facebook: http://giphy.com/gifs/wQ9DqFaD4CSZO

The button simply doesn't work. Very frustrating.

Official Verified Page: https://www.facebook.com/NebraskaSpineandPainCenter/

Duplicate Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Donovan-Liane-E-MD-Spine-Pain-Center-of-Nebraska/1105307679508998

 

[Tyson Downs]

FB doesn't do anything about it.

It doesn't matter if you try and merge it with a page that you own that is the same business, or report it in another way. FB doesn't do anything.

I've reporte dozens over the past year and I've never had even 1 merged or deleted.

 

[RyanFireRock]

Glad to hear I am not the only one. I have looked high and low for an answer. FB has several black holes for business owners which is frustrating because I think they are the ones that pay the bills.

 

[dank402]

I was contacted yesterday by what felt like a human being from Facebook Support. I used the "Get Started" button at the bottom of this page: https://www.facebook.com/help/282489752085908?helpref=popular_topics

The conversation was stored in my support inbox...Here is the reply I got...

Hi,


Thank you very much for the response.


I have submitted your merge request on your behalf. As soon as I have any updates, I will notify you immediately.


Thanks for your patience!


Best,


Peyton H.
Facebook Support

I will let you guys know what I hear.

After speaking with Moz about this issue, I've come to the conclusion that their tool can't even tell the difference between these different types of pages...So I am left with some listings that use the data from the "unofficial" pages as the "managed" listing, and then pick up verified pages as duplicates.

For the longest time, the Moz site stated that all you needed to get started was to be "verified" on Google or Facebook. If they are using these "unofficial" business pages, they are starting with an unmanaged and inconsistent data source. Facebook even has a verification process for businesses, but it's clear that is not even a consideration for Moz Local yet.

 

[JoyHawkins]

I checked with our social team and they said you should actually be able to get these merged in about 5 minutes. While logged into the account that you use as an admin on the verified page, go to the unverified page and click the "Is this Your Business" button.

That should lead you to a page that asks you if you want to merge it with an existing page and you select that you do.

Let me know if that works.

 

[dank402]

I checked with our social team and they said you should actually be able to get these merged in about 5 minutes. While logged into the account that you use as an admin on the verified page, go to the unverified page and click the "Is this Your Business" button.

That should lead you to a page that asks you if you want to merge it with an existing page and you select that you do.

Let me know if that works.

This is the process I had been using up until about 7 months ago.


I went ahead and created a GIF of what I am seeing when I click "Is This Your Business" on Facebook. This window pops up but I am unable to select the first radio button which should allow me to merge the "unofficial" page with a verified page I manage: Animated GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY (sorry if blurry)


The button doesn't work. Very frustrating.

 

[JoyHawkins]

We recently opened a help ticket with Facebook on it because apparently it's happening to us too. My thought is that it's a bug but our social team told me they'd let me know when they hear back so I'll post the response here.

 

[JoyHawkins]

Updtate: The inability to merge pages using this button is a known bug. If you have a Facebook ads account, you can reach out to them to assist you in merging the pages in the meantime. This link only works if you use Facebook ads:

https://www.facebook.com/business/support/contact-us?origin=422313114601355

Facebook Support will merge/delete the page on your behalf once you contact them. However, when they say they have completed this process, I recommend double checking and ensure the pages are merged, there have been occasions when they haven’t been merged.

 

[JoshuaMackens]

We just claim them and then delete them. This should work unless you need likes/reviews to carry over. But typically on these pages neither of those issues exist.

Have you tried this?

 

[dank402]

This thread prompted me to write this post about dealing with these pages on Facebook: The Official Guide to Unofficial Pages on Facebook | Corporate Three Design 402-398-3333

 

[JoshuaMackens]

Hey [MENTION=5787]dank402[/MENTION].

I've tried to merge duplicates and report them as well.

These haven't worked for me.

The only fruit I've seen is from claim the page and deleting it.

Have you seen any fruit from merging or reporting?

 

[Cherie Dickey]

I've had success working with the client to claim the duplicate page, so that I'm admin on both, and then using this link to merge: https://www.facebook.com/pages/merge/

Link for Facebook Business Manager: https://business.facebook.com/pages/merge/

You have to be an admin on both pages for this to work. I haven't done in a while, so I'm not sure if it's being affected by the bug, but it's worth a try!

Thanks,
Cherie

 

[JoshuaMackens]

I've had success working with the client to claim the duplicate page, so that I'm admin on both, and then using this link to merge: https://www.facebook.com/pages/merge/

Link for Facebook Business Manager: https://business.facebook.com/pages/merge/

You have to be an admin on both pages for this to work. I haven't done in a while, so I'm not sure if it's being affected by the bug, but it's worth a try!

Thanks,
Cherie

Thanks Cherie!

I didn't try it by claiming it first.

I'll try that next time.

How long did it take to happen the last time you tried it?