Facebook Timeline - the basics by Raninmaker

FACEBOOK is about to change the entire look - the personal profile page and the business page to the Timeline platform. The facility is currently available as an option for the user. But soon they will execute the Timeline platform to all the pages, weather you want it or not.

There are blogs and articles about how people feel about this major change in Facebook. Half of them welcome the changes and see them as improvement in the business strategy framework, to market their profiles. Whereas the other half criticize Facebook, for forcing their mere "cosmetic change" to be adopted. My view to the scenario is that if we think Facebook has developed a successful platform so far for social interaction, they will not do something just for the sake of changing. There must be tones of thought processes that have taken place in 'Facebook Management' before they propose a change like this. A company like Facebook cannot do something overnight, when its CEO is drunk :) Just kidding, there is nothing personal Mr. Zuckerberg . But yes, he may not do this again (at least).

Here is this blog I will try to put down some points that will make us all feel that the new design - Timeline - is not too complicate to use. We as Social Media Marketers, have use more rigid websites like "ORKUT" and "My Space" to get among the people (Again, just trying to be funny, I don't hate ORKUT / My Space :), believe me this time atleast). So, we can use the new AVATAR of Facebook as well.

What do I get from TIMELINE ?

Before proceeding any further, let us see what is there in TIMELINE which will really benefit me or my Business Page.

1. TIMELINE Cover Photo:

The most important Real-estate for any web presence. The Cover Photo will be there at the top of the business page, covering 850 pixels by 315 pixels of your screen.

2. Tabs and Application:

You can choose your Tabs and Application to be displayed ('Photos' is a permanent application; you can opt for 3 more tabs / applications to display just below the cover photo. These tabs and applications appearances can be customized, i.e. you can choose names and display images of your choices.

3. Pin and Highlight:

Brands can Pin their favorite posts and messages to get highlighted at the top - "above the fold messages".

Above points must have raised your eyebrows if you are in online marketing for a while. Because then you know what does it really means to have something in first 25% of the page. This area gets the first and most of the attention. A right cover photo, display of tabs and applications and the most important post highlighted on top can help any viewer, whether he or she is landed on the right page or not.

How to handle elements of TIMELINE?

Now let us get some basics right, on how to handle some elements to make our page marketable.

I. COVER PHOTO - TIMELINE

Almost 95% of the websites, I visited, have a banner at the top of their website's home page, covering a huge horizontal portion. This is so done to create an image about the website for the viewers. It’s not to exaggerate if I say, this picture can really convey 'thousand' words. The image must be a minimum of 399 pixels across to be used as the cover photo. The cover photo maximum dimensions are 850 pixels by 315 pixels.

The Facebook allows you to either directly upload an image from your computer, or you can make a selection out of your collections in "Photos" section. Once you upload the image, you will get an option to adjusting the image so to make sure that a viewer is getting the correct visual.

Do Not Cross the Lines

This Cover Photo cannot have any "Call to Action". Do not have text which says

- Like Us
- Share with your friends
- Call me @
- Email me @
- Skype me @
- My Website URL, etc.

II. THUMBNAIL - TIMELINE

In older business pages, we need to select a portion out of our profile image to be there as 'thumbnail' whenever we create a post. With new Timeline, you can simply have a separate file for this purpose. This profile picture can have dimension of 180 pixels X 180 Pixels, and the thumbnail will then be corped based on 30 pixel X 30 pixel selections from the profile picture.

III. SHOWCASE THE POST - TIMELINE

The Timeline has better features to showcase your picture and the videos uploaded. They appear much louder in compare to the older look.

Even the posts can be selected to highlight. You can select the post that you think should not be missed by any of your fans-followers. To highlight the post, click the star icon at the top right hand side of the selected post. This will make your post spans all the way across the TIMELINE.

A new feature of PIN has been developed by the Facebook TIMELINE. This feature enables a post to stay at the top of your TIMELINE for maximum duration of a week. Market your offer, discount & limited period deals, make more people to give clicks to your link for free stuff or report downloads, or simply make sure that all your fans are aware of the contest & polls running by you during that particular duration. With a "PIN" to your most important post, you do not have to worry about new posts bringing down the effectiveness of the other posts.

NOTE:

1. The “Star” option above the post makes you HIGHLIGHT the post.

2. The “pencil” icon above the post has an option to PIN the post

IV. TABS AND APPLICATIONS - TIMELINE

One of the biggest changes that Facebook introduces with TIMELINE is the removal of the default custom landing page. The tabs created as landing pages or 'Welcome' tabs are not going to be vanished from your Facebook. Now visitors are going to land on your TIMELINE page only. Those other FBML pages, special applications, custom tabs, which you have created in the past are going to be there with your business page. You can access them below the right side of Cover Image.

You can now showcase 12 of your applications associated with your business page, and can make selected tabs / applications to display prominently below the cover image.

There is a space to display 4 tabs / application to get below the Cover Image. Out of which "Photo" is the default tab, so you can choose 3 more, based on where you want your viewer to get engage.

To get your tabs / applications among the first four displayed ones,

- Select the applications under the Cover Image.

- Point the tab / application you want to move to the top.
- Click the 'pencil' icon in the top right corner.

- Select the tab / application that you want to interchange position with.

V. TABS AND APPLICATIONS - 2 - TIMELINE

It’s not yet over with Tabs and Application. Facebook understands that these Tabs and Applications

You can Name your Tabs and Applications of your choice. If this is not what you are impressed about, then you can now have a personalized image for your tabs and applications. You can imagine what a "50% OFF" image can do to your shopping cart on Facebook. are the best marketing tools for your business page. You have spent time and efforts in creating them so that your fans can get engage with your brand. This made Facebook to come up with a 'Hats-Off' idea to promote these tabs and applications with better visual effects.

To name & provide image to your tabs / applications

- Select the applications under the Cover Image.
- Point the tab / application you want to move to the top.
- Click the 'pencil' icon in the top right corner.
- Select the tab / application that you want to interchange position with.
- Click to "Edit Setting"

- Name the tab or upload the image of your choice.

Do let me know if you think there are more which I need to include here in this article, as a Social media marketing profession.