Next time you log into Facebook, you might notice some changes. That’s because Facebook made dramatic updates to its newsfeed to reflect the new ways people are using the internet. The redesign is big news in the world of local social media marketing. Facebook’s goal was to reduce the clutter on everyone’s newsfeed, delivering only first-rate content and updates from friends and family members.
High-Quality Photos
The new design puts the spotlight on photos and videos, which appear larger and crisper in the new format. Businesses should take advantage of this change by posting as many photos and videos as you can. Also, when you post an article from your website, make sure you have a high-quality thumbnail image on the page. Because this image is now larger than it was before, it’s now a great way to attract attention to your article.
Profile images are now larger as well, so you might want to check your company’s profile image to make sure it hasn’t become pixilated or grainy after the updates. Also, when people check into your business on Facebook, they’ll see a map, image, and details about your company. Business owners should check this as well to make sure your company’s information is correct.
Customized Feeds
Another noteworthy feature of the updated newsfeed is ability to customize your newsfeed. Users can choose to view separate feeds for music, photos, pages they’re following, close friends, and games. For example, if someone selects the music feed, they’ll only see items about upcoming concerts, news from musicians, and what their friends are listening to. For music companies, this would be a fantastic opportunity to reach their audience. A simple switcher at the top of the newsfeed enables users to change to different feeds.
More Like Mobile
The best part is that these new features are available for mobile, tablets, and desktop users, and they look exactly the same on all platforms. In fact, the mobile layout inspired the new design, a sure sign of mobile technology’s growing influence. Now Facebook is much easier to navigate. To get to another section of Facebook, you no longer have to go back to the Home page.
Local marketing experts will likely be pleased with Facebook’s new design. The key for businesses is to make the most of the new design by focusing on visual content that will get the most attention in users’ newsfeeds.
If you haven’t seen the changes yet, don’t worry. Facebook plans to roll the new newsfeed out gradually to give users time to provide feedback along the way.
We just rolled out a Facebook Marketing Guide for Local Businesses a couple of weeks ago that shows you exactly how you can take advantage of Facebook’s powerful tools. Click on the link below to download it today!
For nearly three decades, Chris Marentis, Founder and CEO of Surefire Social, has been responsible for driving innovation and sales growth for large media and e-commerce brands as well as start-ups. With a long-history of counseling local businesses about their marketing efforts, Marentis provides insight on what it takes for small businesses to succeed and thrive in today’s evolving digital environment. His notable career includes creating the foundational blueprints for online marketing, e-commerce and content branding for AOL’s Interactive Marketing group, where he served as Senior Vice President. While CEO of Clearspring Technologies, Marentis developed one of the most widely adopted venture-backed Web 2.0 technology platforms. Marentis is a frequent speaker at local digital marketing conferences and a contributor to SMB and technology-focused publications.
