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So, Facebook has upgraded to timeline – and it is all very exciting for your business, or is it? Previous to the upgrade, Facebook for business required an initial ‘front page’ designed for the initial ‘hit’ the page, along with a basic profile image and content posted on your wall as standard. Now, it is a very different story.

Facebook cover design

 

When you first look at your new and improved timeline, it can be a little overwhelming and can take some getting used to.

Your wall is replaced with a ‘timeline’, which put simply, is your wall (wall.2 if you like!) in a much more accessible chronological fashion of everything you have posted since the day your page began. In theory, this provides an easier way of accessing posts from yester-month or year. In practice, this is not exactly the case.

In the first instance, although all your posts can be accessed by using the ‘date’ scroller on the right hand side of the page, the number of posts made in said time (for example, only 5 a day is already looking at over 100 a month, not including extra offers and information posted inbetween) will still need to be sifted through making the whole process of finding the right bit of information rather tedious and time consuming. Anything important you have to say or have said, will be essentially lost for good in an amalgamation of information.

In the second, this sifting of posts does not reflect how Facebook users use their pages or time. As a social society, we have to admit, we are a little bit lazy. We like things on page, on site, right here, right now. The thought of waiting and searching for anything more than a few seconds (especially so on mobile and touchpad) is obscene, and more and more unheard of.

With this in mind – using the timeline itself is a waste of time, as it not only provides little to know information about your products and services, but unless fans read every single one of your posts every single day, your posts will be buried – along with your chances for making any revenue or impact on your social circle.

The future for timeline rests in one key area in the upgrade: Your Tabs. Tabs are the key to your Facebook success.

As per the image above, these are what your tabs will look like and appear just below the banner image on the right hand side. Four are displayed as standard, with a drop down arrow box to display up to 12.

The use of these tabs turns your Facebook profile timeline less a static page, and more an interactive mini-website.

Each tab can be specific to you and your business (although its worth noting that a few such as ‘photos’ and ‘likes’ that are static and can’t be changed) and really gives you a chance to be creative and really engage your fan base.

To re-look at the issues above, suddenly information becomes logical, sectioned, and easy to navigate. You can have tabs divided by product, service, particular content you want to promote, competitions, calls to action, interactive maps and contact forms, the flexibility of this navigation will make each tab work best for you and your business. With each tab having its own unique URL and data ‘area’ (which we will come onto more in a moment) all content is now kept onsite within Facebook, easing usability for users, especially those on mobile or tablet device.

As mentioned, each Tab you design and place will have its own URL and area for information about your product/service/video content/map/(you get the idea) working much in the way as your main website will currently. By optimising each tab with cutting edge and eye catching design, you are in prime position to showcase your talent and your brand’s strengths, further engaging your fans and encouraging them to learn more about you, and increase your potential revenue and custom in the long term.

By leaving your page as a solitary ‘wall’ much as a before simply won’t cut it with the new and improved interface Facebook have developed. They have not only provided an opportunity for you and your brand to get creative, but given you an opportunity (when fully used to all capabilities) to really develop your social presence and f-commerce to a whole new level.

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