If you run a Facebook page you have undoubtedly noticed that you can update your fan page to the new format (and if you don’t, it will be done automatically by March 1st). The new page has not only changed its appearance, but some of its function (for the better so far) as well. Below are the main features that will help your brand give its fans a more personal feel:
Photos featured on the top of the page. Facebook has taken the layout from regular profiles and used it on the fan page, putting an emphasis on the last 5 photos on the fan page. This allows fan pages to use the feature in some creative ways, as people have on their own profiles, as well as forces fan pages to focus more photo content for fear of feeling stagnant on top of their profiles. By consistently adding eye catching photos, fan pages can draw new users in more easily, instead of just having updates as the first thing that is seen.
Navigating Facebook as the fan page. Fan page administrators can now use Facebook as the fan page, which has opened up a variety of new features that help personalize the fan pages as well as promote them. The first is this allows pages to “like” other pages, just like people can. These ‘liked’ pages are displayed on the left side of the fan page, allowing the page to feature partner pages, and give some more personality of the brand. While acting as the page, admins can create a curated news feed of the pages that their page likes, which ends up creating something like a list from Twitter.
Promoted staff. Under page settings, admins can make any of the admins ‘Promoted Staff’. What this does is allow brands to put a face behind their page, because it will allow fans to see who is actually controlling the fan page, and interacting with them. This is a tactic many Twitter accounts use by having users sign off with their initials, but Facebook has actually added this feature into their fan page structure.
New wall filters. The new default page on fan pages is “Everyone,” instead of only the brand as it was before. This will give more exposure to the content of the fans of the page. The filters have also been changed, now only featuring “Posts by Page” and “Everyone” which will make sorting through content easier for potential fans visiting the page.
Are there any other applications you see form the changes for improving brands personalization with their fans?