Why do things have to change? Well, to get better of course! The definition of insanity is doing the same things and expecting a different result, so unless we never want to grow or learn, we MUST change. But why must Facebook change so much? Well…
As you may know, the social media has become the pillar of the online experience. With over 1.55 billion monthly active users, hundreds of millions of people are interacting and engaging on Facebook. For Facebook advertisers, this represents a huge pool of potential customers. Where there are lots of customers, there will be LOTS of strategy to capture those customers. It’s as simple as that. There’s a bit of social media competition out there as well and if Facebook wants to stay relevent, they have to keep up!
AS OF YESTERDAY, Facebook Pages have a brand new look. The new desktop Facebook page layout design includes a new navigation and a prominent call-to-action button. The layout change is nice and clean. For the most part, all of the same elements you’re used to remain, Facebook has just reorganized them. Here’s how ours looks:
Here are some things to pay attention to if you want a quality Facebook Page that really work for your business.
1. Profile Pictures
Your profile picture now appears at the top left of your Page above the new navigation. Profile pictures will no longer appear over your cover image. Your Facebook profile picture size remains unchanged. A perfect square at 170×170 pixels.
2. New Navigation
Below your profile picture and page name you’ll find a new navigation, where users can go to sections of your Facebook page, such as About, Videos, Photos, Posts, and Events.
You can (and should) customize the navigation section depending on your type of business. You could create a tab to showcase content from your other social properties (Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube), reviews, quiz, or encourage people to subscribe.
3. Cover Images
Now that cover images have been repositioned to the right, your profile picture will no longer interfere with your cover image. Facebook cover images remain the same size (828×315 pixels). If you created an image to workaround your profile picture, page name and bottom shadow in the past (and I HOPE you did), you’ll want to redo it now. You have much more space to work with!
4. Call to Action Button
Beneath your cover photo is a new prominent blue call-to-action button. USE THIS BUTTON to invite your Facebook fans to take an action on your website, whether it’s Contact Us, Book Now, Shop Now, Sign Up, Watch Video, or Learn More. Link them to your website, if you’re smart.
MORE CHANGES?
Advertising Changes. Facebook’s advertising platform hasn’t stopped changing since it first emerged more than a decade ago. The platform saw a number of updates in 2015, including a “call now” button, carousel-style ads, and mobile ad management. Following in Pinterest’s successful footsteps, it’s likely that Facebook will include more social/e-commerce hybrid functions for its businesses, and an even more robust ad management platform in 2016.
Organic Visibility. Organic visibility has dropped on Facebook consistently over the years. While Facebook’s official response to this objective decrease is to improve overall user experience by only showing the most relevant content, it’s not hard to read between the lines. Lower organic reach means more pressure for businesses to use paid advertising options, which means more revenue for Facebook. Count on seeing even greater decreases in organic visibility in 2016, and consider refining your Facebook marketing strategy. If you need help, Creative Juices is here. Contact us today!
