A few days ago, Facebook announced they are rolling out a new “streamlined” look for business pages that “will make it easier for people to find the information they want and help Page admins find the tools they use most.” A more efficient Business page sounds good to us, but what else can we expect to see with this change?
The new Business Page Layout will look much more like a personal profile, with all posts appearing in a single straight-lined column on the right hand side of the page. The left-side column will feature business information, including your hours of operation, phone number, map, website URL, as well as videos and photos. With everything more streamlined, it will display more consistently on desktop and mobile versions.
Other important changes to note include:
- An “easier to use” Admin Navigation Bar
- More insight on competitor Facebook pages
- Larger visuals on posts
- Post box that appears on the right
- “Invite your friends” option that appears on the left
- Page Apps that appear on the left
Between all of these changes, the one that stands out the most in a negative light is the change in placement of App Tabs. Now that they are no longer the first thing users see on the page, it has brought up concern that the Apps themselves will be completely ineffective. The truth of the matter is, Facebook has slowly been shifting away from the use of Page Apps for quite some time. Gone are the days of the mandatory default landing page and the required third party contest applications. Instead, with each change Facebook has made, Page Apps have faded into the background, with the singular exception of pairing them with advertising campaigns since an ad can still be directed to any tab.
So what does all this mean for your Facebook strategy? Honestly, aside from a possible temporary influx of users checking out your page to see the new layout (bringing more engagement with it), your posting strategy itself should remain the same. Statistics show that only 1% of users go to your page once they’ve become a fan, while the other 99% only see your posts in their News Feed. This means aside from easier access to insights and better competitive analysis, the new change shouldn’t affect the way businesses market themselves on Facebook at all.
However, there is one thing you can definitely be sure of and prepare for… the seemingly never ending stream of posts from angry users who will beg and plead for Facebook to “change back.”