Facebook Timeline for Businesses Explained
There have been mixed feelings concerning the new Facebook Timeline which users now have to get used to. Facebook are now rolling out the Timeline to Facebook Pages too but it isn’t all that bad as new features mean that brands have an opportunity to really push their internet marketing strategy.
Now there is just ten days remaining before Facebook will automatically update all brand pages so that they have the Facebook Timeline. On 30th March 2012 Facebook Pages when clicked on will show the Timeline and already in preparation for this some businesses and companies who have Facebook pages have already adopted the new layout and are branding it in order to utilise the new move to their advantage.
Brick technology web design explains the new features and how you as an owner of a Facebook page can get the most out of Facebook Timeline:
Cover Photo
Previously before the Timeline for Facebook pages was introduced brands only had a thumbnail image on their profile in order to express their identity. Now there is the cover photo which is a going to stretch over the whole top of your profile page and this will be the first thing that a visitor to your page will see.
This image needs to represent the brand; it needs to show who you are and what you are about so please ensure that when selecting a photo to use here you do so carefully and you do not just put something in there to “fill the gap”.
Now before you get all excited about putting in your contact information or calls to action, references to purchases such as prices or encouraging a person to like the page this is banned. The photo cannot contain any of the above information so you need to use a strong image which will show off what your brand is about.
Customisable Tabs and Apps
Previously before the Timeline for Facebook pages was introduced Brands would show all their apps or tabs to a visitor underneath their profile picture. Now they have the ability to be able to choose what you want people to see. There is a limit of twelve apps or tabs which you can use but at one time only four will be visible and one of these must be photos.
Again you should think about these tabs and apps carefully because these are where as a brand you can promote other items such as their Twitter account, any upcoming events, video channels like YouTube or even their Latest News. Whatever it is you promote through these tabs and apps you need to ensure that they are well maintained and current to the brands marketing objectives and goals.
Be Selective with Your Posts
Now brands can be highly selective with what posts will appear on their page and if there are any important ones then you can make them more prominent by highlighting them and “pinning” them onto their page and this will put them at the top of the page and thus be the first thing that a user will see. Once an item has been pinned it will remain there for 7 days although it is important to note it can be unpinned at any time.
Optimising content in such a way as above is going to be important and now through the Timeline brands can place four types of more important content higher in their profile and therefore at the top of their Timeline:
- Important or relevant posts which have been highlighted (pinned)
- Interactions that a user’s friend are having with the brand
- Posts exclusively made by the brand
- Posts by others in which the brand has been specifically mentioned
The way in which content is ordered is going to affect how visitors to your page will perceive your brand, company or business. If you do not take the time to organise your content then users may miss important information because they do not want to scroll down your profile page and through your timeline. By pinning it further up the page and highlighting it then you make it easy for them to access.
These are a number of On-Page Developments but read our article on Facebook Off-Page Developments for even more ways to utilise your Facebook for Business.