If you haven’t noticed, and chances are you haven’t, Facebook has rolled out its Timeline layout for your Business Facebook page and if you haven’t made any changes your page is probably looking a little out of sorts.  Many are calling this development the most important in social media this year and will likely impact your Social Media presence and how you are being viewed. 

Timeline – Well, there is a lot in a name and actually if you study the layout long enough you’ll realize that you can take full advantage of Timeline in ways you probably haven’t thought of.  For example, your company history can be fully told with the major highlights through each year.  This chronological presentation can be very inspiring and build consumer confidence.  Be sure to be proud of your company and the historical milestones that you’ve achieved.  Personally, I do a pretty bad job of patting myself on the back for my business successes, but you have to remember, this isn’t really for the business owner, it is for our customers, prospects and promoters.

Your Cover Photo:  It’s an 851x315 pixel landscape oriented image that appears at the top of your timeline page.  Use this to set the tone and mood of your brand.  This is the first thing your visitors will see so be sure it communicates who you are and what you are all about.  If you have a brand promise, this is a good place to put it on display.  Facebook does not allow cover photos that include sales, offers, prices, or anything that encourages users to take an action such as “Like this page for a coupon”.
 

Your Icons:  The icons located beneath your cover photo link visitors to your apps, likes and photos.  Be sure to consider what strengths your page has and feature these.

Your Pinned Posts:  You can select posts to feature at the top of your Timeline.  A pinned post appears in the top left and will remain there for seven days.  This is great to promote events, announce new product launches or anything else you thing is timely and important. 
 

Milestones:  I mentioned this already, but Timeline is really great at allowing you to tell your visitors your story in chronological order.  If you highlight a milestone it will automatically expand the post to widescreen for easier viewing.  Search your company history and start rebuilding your story.  You’ll be surprised how many people are actually very interested in how you became so successful.

Fan Messaging:  Fans can message your page directly, so be sure you are actively managing your messages.  You never know when an important customer service or sales inquiry may appear.
 

Landing Page:  You can no longer create customized landing pages.
So, now that you have an idea of the changes you need to take into consideration, log on to that Facebook Business page and have at it.