On or around March 30th, you may have noticed that Facebook has automatically changed your brand page to Timeline. While some were resistant to the change, let’s remember that if we don’t move forward, we get left behind and for brands on Facebook, hopping on board and getting to know the new Timeline is imperative. The nature of the Facebook brand page has changed so here are some of the pros and cons of the new Timeline for brands: Pros
- Visuals Traditionally social media has focused on words, but as we’ve seen with Pinterest, visuals are starting to have a more significant impact. With Timeline, brands now have more visual space to work with. There is now a large cover photo, a profile photo and larger photo stories. Brands can also pin images to the top of the Timeline. Apps are also now visually represented under your cover photo. This is very valuable for consumer engagement and creating a dynamic page.
- Highlighting and Pinning A great opportunity for brands to showcase important content and engage followers. By pinning a story or an image, it automatically gets priority on your page, remaining at the top of the timeline for up to 5 days. It lets important posts “cut through the clutter” and drives attention to what’s new or what’s important to your brand’s followers.
- About The “About Us” section has been given a facelift. Right below your cover and profile photos you now have a small “About” space where you can write an engaging description about your brand. The “About” link found right below this description takes you to a page where you can share more comprehensive information about your brand.
Cons
- No more default landing tab Currently working on several Facebook campaigns, I’ve realized that the loss of the default landing tab has really changed the way brands can drive people to their Facebook pages and promotions. Facebook has taken away the privilege of putting promotions, welcome pages, or other customized apps as default landing pages. Brands have to get creative – and use the available features to support and promote Facebook campaigns on Timeline.
- Cover Photo Restrictions Putting restrictions over the kinds of images that brands can use in their cover photo can be a good thing if they are limiting offensive and inappropriate content. However, Facebook has restricted the option to encourage new followers to “Like” a brand, show promotional and brand information or use a call to action in a cover photo. Considering that the default landing page option has also been removed, a cover photo without these restrictions could have been a useful area for brands to showcase new and exciting promotions or important information.
At 3H, we’ve embraced the new timeline. But what do you think of the new Facebook Timeline for brands: Like? Or Dislike? Does it give brands more or less opportunities to successfully market themselves on Facebook?