Facebook Page Recommendations Vanish—What Wineries Should Do Now
If your winery’s Facebook page suddenly stopped showing recommendations, you’re not alone—and you probably didn’t do anything wrong. Northwest Wine Report’s Sean P. Sullivan has been tracking a widespread issue where Facebook appears to have suspended recommendations for millions of pages, including those in wine, beer, and spirits. His take is refreshingly calm: resist the urge to retool your entire page and stick to minimal, sensible checks.
Why This Matters
The wine world moves fast, and this story captures a pivotal moment. Whether you’re a casual sipper or a dedicated collector, understanding these shifts helps you make smarter choices about what ends up in your glass.
Key Takeaways
- Key themes: Facebook recommendations, wine marketing, social media—stay informed on these evolving trends.
- The takeaway? Keep exploring, keep tasting, and don’t be afraid to try something new.
What’s actually happening (and why you should stay chill)
Sullivan’s view is blunt and helpful: “My strong feeling is that this is an algorithmic error” (Sean P. Sullivan, Northwest Wine Report). Translation: Facebook likely flipped the wrong switch, and it’s cascading through alcohol-related pages. He adds that his own page’s recommendations were restored without making any changes—proof that this may be less about your content and more about Facebook’s internal mess.
So, before you purge posts or overhaul your name, branding, or tags, don’t. As Sullivan puts it, “I would not delete old content.” (Sean P. Sullivan, Northwest Wine Report). Chasing fixes that don’t work wastes time, stresses your team, and might even make things worse.
The one setting to check (and a big gotcha)
There is one legit move: confirm your age restrictions. Go to Settings > Followers and public content > Age restrictions, and select the appropriate setting (for most wineries, “Alcohol-related” is correct). If you’re already set, leave it.
Here’s the gotcha: “Age-restricted pages cannot be part of groups.” (Sean P. Sullivan, Northwest Wine Report). If you add an age restriction to a page that previously didn’t have one, Facebook will automatically remove that page from every group it belongs to. That also means age-restricted pages can’t post directly to groups. Individuals can still share page content into groups, but your page itself won’t be a member.
For wine businesses, that matters. Groups can be powerful for local community building—think wine club chatter, event posts, or regional food-and-wine groups. If your strategy leans heavily on groups, weigh the trade-offs carefully before adding age restrictions. And if you need the age restriction to comply with policy, backfill your group engagement through personal accounts that share page content.
Don’t get scammed while you wait
When platforms glitch, opportunists swoop in. Sullivan flags misleading advice floating around, especially on YouTube. His advice could not be clearer: “Do not download anything.” (Sean P. Sullivan, Northwest Wine Report). Add “do not install anything” and “do not run any scripts” to your personal mantra. If someone promises a quick fix that involves new software or access to your page, hard pass.
Why this matters for the wine world
Wine marketing runs on trust and momentum. Those tiny recommendation widgets and social proof moments—fans recommending your tasting room, club, or Sunday rosé releases—help convert curious browsers into visitors and buyers. When the algorithm erases that signal, page owners panic, and understandably so. But burning down your social house won’t bring the signal back faster.
Sullivan’s approach underscores a reality many of us in wine marketing know well: the healthiest strategy is consistent, brand-right content and community engagement, not hacky workarounds. If Facebook borked an algorithm, only Facebook can un-bork it. Keep posting your tasting notes, vineyard updates, events, and seasonal pairings at the same cadence. Maintain your voice. Don’t let a platform hiccup turn into a brand identity crisis.
Action plan for wineries and wine pros
- Check age restriction settings and confirm “Alcohol-related” if applicable.
- Do not delete content, rename, retag, or overhaul your page.
- Avoid scripts, downloads, or “secret fixes.” If it sounds shady, it is.
- If you rely on groups, remember age-restricted pages can’t join or post. Use personal accounts to share page content.
- Document the issue, keep screenshots, and continue routine posting.
- Monitor updates from reputable sources like Northwest Wine Report.
The bottom line
We’ve all seen social platforms trip over their own shoelaces. It’s frustrating, especially for wineries managing tight seasonal calendars and hospitality traffic. But the smartest move here is patience. Sullivan’s recommendations were restored without changes—a good sign that this is on Facebook to fix. Keep your page compliant, your content steady, and your scam radar on high. When the algorithm comes back to earth, your brand will be right where it should be: consistent, confident, and ready to pour.