By: Carolina Perello
The idea of switching to the new Facebook Timeline may come uneasy to some businesses. As an interactive agency in South Florida, here at iSource Digital we understand that changes can be nerve-wracking, but it is an investment that’s worth it.
Unlike the previous Facebook set up, Timeline allows your business to represent itself in a more personalized way using features like interactive posts and the new cover photo. Timeline has also made it easier for businesses to keep track of how many people “like” the page and how well they are interacting with it. Additional advantages include milestones to capture significant moments over time along with the feature and pin options that allow you to draw the visitors’ attention. This all may sound complicated (and scary), but no need to worry! I’ll explain in a brief breakdown all of Timeline’s new features and how they will each benefit your business.
The first thing you need to do is choose a profile and cover photo. Think of this process as building the brand identity for you Facebook page. The Profile picture is ideally the company logo or what represents your business best. Along with the Profile picture, the cover photo is also essential in characterizing your business. Keep in mind that the cover picture is the first thing people will see when visiting your page. There is also a section at the top of your page that includes your “likes,” photos and other additional apps that can be incorporated into your business page. These features serve as visual aids to the public so they can paint a better image of what your business is about.
In the Timeline itself, people can see the current activities following your business, and this allows them to feel more connected with your business using your profile posts in a timely order. It’s all about staying connected in this fast-paced world where people (especially in cities like Miami) no longer have time to sit down and read a page full of words. Your latest update is what catches the audience attention. Your post is not only what promotes you but what connects with your followers. For example, at iSource we are trying to personalize our posts so followers recognize that there are actual people they can connect with working here and not just robots that type all day and answer calls. Some other features on Timeline are also good to keep in mind, like a pinned post. Pinned posts allow you to keep the most important message at the top of your page for up to seven days, making sure it gathers more attention than other posts. It is also good to take advantage of larger stories to use pictures and videos to capture attention and build interaction. You can also keep track of when people engage most with your content by using Timeline’s insight. This way you know when the best time is to post certain items on your page.
Don’t think of Timeline as the monster under your bed who is out to get you. Instead, think of all the benefits your business will receive from it. Not only will you gain more followers and recognition, but you will also have a chance to develop a meaningful connection with your target audience that no amount of research can give you. We’ve been able to manage iSource Digital’s Facebook much easier since switching to Timeline, and you can use it as an example so that you have a better idea of everything explained on this blog. Don’t be afraid and make the switch!
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