If your business hasn’t already made the jump, on March 30th, 2012, you will have no choice. That’s the day Facebook is converting all pages from their current linear format to the new timeline format. Because this is a major change, Facebook introduced the new design a little over a month ago. In fact, you’ve probably noticed that box at the top of your Facebook business page that says “Coming Soon: New Facebook Pages.” That’s for you to experiment and get comfortable with the new design before the final transition.
Although there are some big changes, you still have a little over 48 hours left to experiment and update your social media marketing plan. Because this pending transition requires some significant action on your part, the Launch Box Media team wanted to provide you with some useful advice to make sure you’re prepared for an easy transition. Continue reading to get a better understanding of some new features of the Facebook Pages new design and what you can do to adapt and flourish in the social media marketing world of Facebook…
As of 3/27/2012, Publix has not updated to the Timeline format. Their landing page is an example of "fan gating."
1. Say Goodbye to Your Default Landing Pages
Part of this redesign includes getting rid of Facebook tabs such as default landing pages. Unfortunately, several businesses (both large and small) have spent a great deal of time, energy, and budget building these. One main purpose of a landing page was to drive “likes,” but this practice is somewhat antiquated and in reality, this was nothing more than what you would find on a business’s traditional website. We’ve discussed the importance of understanding the difference between your website and social media marketing.
Getting rid of the landing page definitely frustrates some business owners and rightfully so. You’ve probably put a lot of time and effort into promoting your business on Facebook with your landing page. But remember, Facebook has never existed as a medium for brand promotion. No, Facebook is a place where friends can connect and engage in ever-changing conversations. It’s where people come to update and be updated on what is going on in the lives of others. This is no different with business brand pages. Fans like to stay updated on the latest happenings with their favorite brands and the traditional “fan gating” of the landing page put some serious limitations on the forward thinking brands wishing to make an emotional connection with their fans.
With the elimination of Default Landing Pages and the “fan gating” that came along with it, Facebook is forcing businesses to be more human. The challenge? Be yourself, stay in touch and tell your stories in an engaging way.
2. Say Hello to the Cover Photo
You may have seen this on other’s profiles or business pages. The new cover photo is the header of your page, running the full width (850 pixels wide by 315 pixels tall). This certainly doesn’t replace the landing page because of the restrictions set by Facebook. For instance, you cannot use the cover photo to share current promotions, include your contact information or any direct calls for action (i.e. fan gating).
Verizon's cover photo is an original way to engage fans.
The cover photo is not a billboard, but it does allow for some branding opportunities. Creating a unique and visually stimulating cover photo that expresses your brand’s message. You can use a cover photo like Earth Fare, which displays their brand message of locally grown, healthy food with a neighborhood feel.
You can also take it a step further like Verizon Wireless, who used the new pinning feature (see below) to pin a story asking fans to submit photos taken with their Verizon smartphones or tablets. Every day, Verizon changes their cover photo with a new, fan-submitted image with a picture of the fan who took the photo and the name of the Verizon device used. This is a creative way to keep fans coming back to your page, while promoting your brand and your product.
Starbucks uses the pinning feature to engage fans in a unique way.
3. The New “Pinning” and “Starring” Feature
As you probably guessed, the Timeline design displays content in chronological order and sometimes the most important posts are not the latest. That’s where pinning comes in. Part of this new Timeline design is a unique feature called “Pinning.” The landing page used to promote certain things for businesses and pinning posts allows something similar, but with a time limit. Pinned posts will only stay pinned at the top of your business page for seven days. After that, they join the rest of the timeline. This allows you to stay current and engage with your customers while highlighting the most important data. While the cover photo has a multitude of of restrictions, the pinning feature is the new way to highlight calls-to-action, promotions, and other marketing offers in a prominent place.
In addition, by “starring” a story, it will span across both columns just like the cover photo and will draw your fans’ attention to this item.
4. Update Your “About” Section
Updating your about section is key with the new design launch. The “About” section will now be located at the top of your page, directly under your cover photo and profile picture. This makes your mission the most prominent text on the new page. This is definitely a benefit because the about section has typically been overlooked by fans. You can also include your business address, contact information, and your website URL.
There are so many other exciting, new features that come with the new Facebook design. However, these are a few of the most important changes. If your business still is unsure of how to adapt to these changes, our team of social media experts at Launch Box Media are always happy to assist you.
What unique things have you seen other businesses doing? Do you think this is a good move on Facebook’s part?
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