Last week, we covered the launch of the new Timeline for Facebook Pages in the article, Facebook Rolls Out New Timeline for Facebook Pages. Since then Facebook has released new products and further explained the Timeline.
Reminder: You have until March 30 to make changes to your Page.
Updates
Update #1: In the last article, I was unclear as to whether Facebook would rescind its removal of default landing pages. As of today, it seems as if Facebook has definitely eliminated this feature. You can no longer direct non-fans to a landing page upon first visit. Fans and non-fans will see the same page.
In response to the new rules, I have seen several marketers step up to the plate and devise creative solutions to the problem. Hugh Briss of Social Identities pushed the envelope on his cover page and strategically directed first-time viewers to his welcome page.
Notice how Hugh added the “Click Like” to his profile photo and used the customizable image for apps to his advantage. He calls attention to his welcome page by saying, “Read This! Why You Should Like This Page.”
With Facebook’s restrictions to what is allowed on the cover photo, creativity is essential. You cannot list your website, address or contact information, or lead people to like your page.
Here is another page depicting creative use of application images.
Note: The dimensions for the custom tab/apps is 117×74 pixels.
Update #2: Page Name
Facebook now allows admins to change the title of their Page. Request a name change here.
Update #3: Demographics
Access demographics information for any Facebook Page by clicking on the “Likes” box on the apps panel. This is what you will see:
Update #4: Admin levels
Facebook announced this update during the conference but it is not widely publicized yet. I heard a brief mention of it during one of the presentations. From what I recall, Facebook is allowing Page owners to create five separate admin levels. Each admin is assigned varying levels of access based on job functions. The details are fuzzy about the exact date, but Facebook mentioned it would launch around the end of March 2012.
New Facebook Products
On the same day Facebook launched the Page changes, the conglomerate also held a worldwide fMC conference discussing the latest updates and products.
Here are some of the newest products marketers can use to extend their influence and reach on Facebook.
Facebook Offers
Facebook Offers allows brands and companies to share discounts with fans by posting an offer on their Facebook Page. Fans click the “Get Offer” link to see the terms. Once they claim the offer, it is sent to their personal email.
The offer will appear in your fans’ news feeds and then posted by your fans when claimed.
Aside from the potential for Ecommerce brands, consider using offers for discount services, percentage price reductions, free webinars or podcasts. The good news is Facebook does not charge a fee to Pages for distributing offers, and according to their site the feature should be rolled out shortly.
Reach Generator
Reach Generator is a new product that will allow Page owners to access more fans. Facebook Page admins have expressed frustrations about how seldom their posts appear in their fans’ news feeds. With Reach Generator, Pages can reach 50% of their fans weekly and 75% monthly.
See more information in this Reach Generator preview.
Premium Ads
With Premium Ads, business owners can advertise in fans’ news feeds, the upper right-hand side of the home page, in mobile streams and on the Facebook log out page.
Check out more information on Facebook’s Premium Ad preview page.
We will continue to update you as new features launch. Have you converted to the new Timeline yet?
Jenna Scaglione is a content writer, internet marketer, and a lover of family, friends and life. Jenna enjoys learning, growing and discovering the newest and latest trends on the internet. Known as "Lady Content", she lives in sunny Socal where she helps her clients around the world increase brand awareness on the internet through content writing and social media.
[...] As you may or may not know, Facebook made some massive changes this past week which will not just change how Facebook Fan Pages look, but will also change how we go about Facebook Marketing. Facebook changed the playing field this week and all of us who thought we knew everything about Facebook have just been shown that we need to learn a whole lot more. With these changes, we are already revamping Social.FM to take work within this new framework of the Timeline pages. Not to worry, we have a little time here as this change does not officially transition until March 30th. For more details on this change, visit the Marketing Resource Index where I have had my writers do some research on this particular subject and write and very detailed blog post on what changes are happening and what other changes are coming that you may not know about yet. Here it is: Facebook Page Changes and New Product Launches [...]