Handy Tips for the 2014 New Facebook

 

In March this year Facebook began rolling out its facelift for Facebook business pages.  The new features are mainly cosmetic providing a clearer less cluttered look for the user, and make it much simpler for page admins to access what they need.  I got to experiment with the OMG Solutions Facebook page, and I really like what I see.  My only question is how long will it take for the average person to get their head around the new layout and how will this impact businesses?
Below are  some of the changes.
 
Cover profile – this loses some of its depth, as the Follow and Share are added to the page design.
Handy tip:  if you click the “More” drop down menu under your cover profile you can add apps back in.  But as previously they are not available on mobile. 
 
Apps - these haven’t disappeared, they can be found under your cover profile and in the left column. Still at the same size of  111 x 74px.
Handy tip: Use a smart URL when creating an app so users can access your apps no matter what device they are using.
 
Right hand column – your page news feed now displays all your posts one on top of the other, no more looking left and right. 
Handy tip: While everything fits to the same size column, you can still size your images to make the most of this space and drive engagement on your page.
 
Left hand column – this contains your timeline features such as number of likes, about, map, hours of business, a separate website URL, Apps , pages you like and more.
Handy tip: What appears will be determined by the information you have completed in your business About Section.
 
Admin tools – This Week is on the far right of your page and always viewable, so no matter where you are on your Facebook page you can quickly see new page likes, post reach, and any new notifications or messags.
At the top of your page are more admin tools, these are Page, Activity, Insights and Settings. 
Handy tip:  A great new feature is the Build Audience tab in the top right that takes you directly to your Ads Manager Account. 
 
Pages to watch - this feature allows admins to watch pages similar to their own, so you can compare your page performance with that of businesses you are interested in, or competitors.
Handy tip: You need 100 likes to enable this feature.
 
Activity log – This is hidden at the bottom of the options list in settings, just in case you want to find it to check out your scheduled posts.
 
Kathleen Boyd
OMG Solutions
www.omgsolutionsnz.co.nz
www.facebook.com/omgsolutionsnz