Previously, I gave an overview of the recent Facebook profile changes and the gradual launch of the Timeline. Now that you know how to navigate and utilize the features of the Timeline we're going to discuss what these recent updates mean for your business's marketing strategy.
Automatic feed editing. One of the biggest changes that will affect Fan Pages is the added control in the top right corner of each story. Over time, Facebook will tally users' top stories and automatically edit newsfeed based on their engagement. This means that businesses need to amp up their content and sharing strategy. To create more engagement, try sharing more interactive types of content like photos, videos, offers and questions to help boost your engagement ratings and make your business more visible in the feed. Brands with boring or irrelevant updates will still show up in a fan's ticker, but they'll have lower visibility on the newsfeed.
Applications = brand promotion. The recent changes for marketers have resulted in the need to create relevant applications that users can implement into their Timelines. In other words, the creation of the Timeline has changed the Facebook platform into a story-like artifact where brands must try to integrate themselves into a user's "bigger picture." Applications act as branding vehicles for Fan Pages—they increase engagement and therefore the visibility and exposure on a user's Timeline and newsfeed.