New Facebook Timeline for business pages is finally here, and we’re excited about the changes!
The new format provides a bigger canvas to make your business stand out, a big improvement over the old, generic looking “wall”. Ready to give it a go?
Here are 10 Steps to to get you started with Timeline:
1. Create a dramatic widescreen image to welcome new visitors to your page
The cover photo is the most important real estate on your page, and there are many creative examples of how businesses are using it to convey the essence of their brands.
While you can no longer set a default landing page, this feature allows your biz to really shine.
- (Check out “20 Creative Examples of Facebook cover photos to inspire your brand” from Mashable, here).
- Note that Facebook outlines specific rules about prohibited content on the cover photo, so be sure to stay within the guidelines.
2. Choose three tab “apps” to be featured prominently, and customize the graphics
Each business is different, but e-mail sign up, photos and videos, and fan-gated promotions are a few of the apps we like. Love being able to customize the graphic!
- An excellent blogpost by Kim Castleberry explains how to customize those thumbnail graphics.
- Then, use periodic status updates to direct engagement with those apps.
3. Rewrite your “About” section, to express the essence of your brand
The ‘about’ section is even more visible, so write a keyword oriented sound bite that describes your business, featuring a link to your URL.
4. Use “Milestones” to tell the story of your company: include interesting images or videos.
Celebrate your founding, tell your story! Use photos or videos, to highlight key events such as: your 1st big client, location, etc.
- Check out Coke or Wal-mart’s pages for Milestone inspiration … what cool history and images!
5. Make content “sticky”, and highlight important posts, by using “pin” and “star” features.
Pin” an important update to keep it at the top of your timeline for an entire week, and “star” some updates to make them “double-wide” within your timeline.
- Use these features to emphasize content, such as: spotlight a special fan of the week, highlight an important status update , promote a custom app, feature a blogpost.
6. Check out Facebook’s new targeted ad units to increase awareness, loyalty, and sales.
Facebook added several new ad units, including mobile ads, offers (aka deals), and reach generator ads.
- All the details aren’t fully available on the new ad units, but looks like a win-win for brands. Set up a test budget!
7. Most interactions happen in the news feed, so engagement is more important than ever.
Spark conversations, and always respond to comments. While people love contests and discounts, there are many kinds of posts that resonate.
- Pick a few companies who do it well, follow them, and learn what makes them successful.
- Try fresh approaches to connecting with your fans, and make time to track engagement levels with “Insights”.
8. Explore the new Facebook Timeline admin panel
New Timeline offers new “insights” metrics to look at, new fan-to-company messaging, the ability to hide old posts, etc. Explore … you’ll see lots more to “like”!
9. Build your following outside of Facebook
As before, make sure you are taking advantage of Facebook’s Open Graph, and fully integrate Facebook on your website, in emails, and elsewhere.
10. Stay calm, and work your plan.
Relax: the strategy you had before will still work, only the tools have changed. If you have a plan, work it. If you are flying by the seat of your pants, it’s time to develop a better plan!
- All Facebook pages will changeover to Timeline by March 30th. Time to take a fresh look at your Facebook page!
- Just go here , and click on “preview your page” to get started.
How do you like new Facebook Timeline for Business pages?
