A lot is going on in the land of Facebook! Here are a few highlights:
1. Timeline for Pages is coming
All pages will roll over to Timelines (just like personal profiles) by the end of March. You can preview or make the switch earlier by clicking the link at the top of your page now, or by going here.
2. No more landing tabs
This was a popular feature (I posted about it here). In fact, I just did a revamp of my own. Will have to restrategize…
Naturally, the cover photo would be the thing to optimize here, although that will have to be done carefully given the restrictions:
"This space is not meant for promotions, coupons, or advertisements."
And in the guidelines:
Cover images must be at least 399 pixels wide and may not contain:
- Price or purchase information, such as "40% off" or "Download it at our website"
- Contact information, such as web address, email, mailing address or other information intended for your Page's About section
- References to user interface elements, such as Like or Share, or any other Facebook site features
- Calls to action, such as "Get it now" or "Tell your friends"
Update: By the way, the cover image size is 851px by 315px.
3. Want to change the name of your page?
Before, you could only do this if you had less than 100 Likes. Now, you can request to change the name of your page with more than 100. Do so here.
4. Pinning posts to the top of your page
"Pinning"here is not the same as pinning on Pinterest. On your new Facebook page you'll be able to pin a post to the top to highlight what you want visitors to see.
5. Private messaging
Visitors will be able to send private messages to the page administrator.
How does this news hit you? Sad? Glad? What do you like? What don't you like?
Personally, I'm not a huge fan of the timeline thing, but I guess I'll have to get used to it!
I really like the new admin panel part of it. Less clicks involved for me to see pertinent stats.
Amy, I always appreciate the information you give in your posts. I now find myself including your blog in the searches I do for things I need to learn for my blogging. So THANKS for all the help!!!
This FB thing KILLS ME…. I JUST changed my blog FROM Recipes to Run On TO At Home With Kim. It was the best move for me and the niche I want… and I love it. BUT, I had over 800 likes on my old FB page and under 400 on the new one. It would have made my life SO much easier to have had the option to simply change the name rather than have to set up a new page. Ugh. I wish there was now a way to merge the two pages. 
Anyhoo.. thanks again for all your work here in all you share….
I just wrote on your Facebook wall about using the cover photo as the call to action. I came to look at your blog knowing you had posted something about the timeline recently. SOO glad I did before I spent too much time on creating a cover photo 'ad'! Wow, that does make things tricky. Since we can pin something to the top, that might be the place to put something like a photo mockup. I also learned today doing a quick tour that by starring the item, it will span the whole page allowing it to stand out.
I actually think I like the timeline for pages better. My profile picture isn't blurry like before and I think the overall look is more pleasant. Another thing I like is the ability to have people who like the page to send messages to me if they have any questions or comments they don't want to post on the wall.
I wonder if they'll have an option to turn off the whole "email the admin" thing. I have a hard enough time organizing the influx of questions and emails I get without having to have yet another "inbox". Hmmmm.
There is an option to turn off messages in the admin settings.
they already do.. just go into your settings and turn it off.
jenetta
https://www.facebook.com/help/?faq=276329115767498
was reading some of the tour part of pages as I was curious to the whole thing about not an ad, etc.
"How should I choose a cover photo for my Page?
Use a unique image that represents your Page. This might be a photo of a popular menu item, album artwork or a picture of people using your product. Be creative and experiment with images your audience responds well to.
Cover images must be at least 399 pixels wide and may not contain:
Price or purchase information, such as "40% off" or "Download it at our website"
Contact information, such as web address, email, mailing address or other information intended for your Page's About section
References to user interface elements, such as Like or Share, or any other Facebook site features
Calls to action, such as "Get it now" or "Tell your friends"
so not very specific about what an "ad" entails.
So are you thinking a mockup version of our blog header as our facebook header, Amy?
Set mine up this morning and loving it! Already written a blog post about the new Tab pictures too.
The only that is frustrating me is not seeing my most recent post at the top of the page – the "highlights" aren't necessarily chronological it seems.
I have been wanting to change the name since I registered my business. Thank you for the heads up! I have sent in my request!
Kelly on FB
Sew Lambitious on FB
Kelly on Pinterest
aside from losing tabs, I'm very glad to get the new design – I think it's far better aesthetically!
we get much bigger icons now than we did on the sidebar, and I am interested to see what people are going to do with everything. I'm still figuring out new designs for our business pages…
I'm glad you know what is going on b/c that is the only way I know what is going on
I love the direct message idea. And while the tabs are great, I'm not sure that they get clicked on a lot. Losing the welcome tab is no biggie. I think my welcome page will look great as a banner.
Creating a Facebook Landing Page was one of my goals for this week. Thank you for saving me lots of frustration by giving the head's up!
Coming up with something for the background image is going to be challenging, I like that you can contact the administrator, though that might make it difficult for more popular pages!
I worked on it today and it looks great. The pictures and information flow well with the new format and the picture layout from photo albums are organized in a more "artsy" and creative manner. I received many compliments and I am certain that once everyone gets used to it they will love it too.
Jodi from MCP Actions has some free FB Timeline Cover Templates for download here: https://www.facebook.com/mcpfans?sk=app_149066195166637. You can use PS or PSE. I watched the instructional video, and it's pretty straightforward. Now I just need to make one before the changeover!
I was going to make a landing page this week, so I'm so glad you mentioned that and saved me a few hours.. Thank you!
Thanks again for wonderful info! Theses changes make me glad I've done nothing with my page yet! Phew…. Ignorance was bliss in this case
I do like the messaging ability, I'm curious to see who uses it more~ readers or PR.
I was a little bummed about the profile image change too since I just updated mine to a collage layout. Time to think about another HUGE unnecessary picture for the page timeline.
WHY the change anyway???? i have never seen anything from facebook about why it is better for US. who benefits the most from the change??? probably advertisers and spammers…..lol
I was coming to your site to see how to create a Facebook Landing Page so this post was just on time. I am not to thrilled about the new TImeline. I think it is very confusing and hard to read. I guess it's like everything else, I'll just have to get use to it. I prefer the way it is now. Thanks for the heads up you saved me some un-nessecary stress. Lesley
I am very graphically oriented and I have to say that the new layout strikes me as cluttered and visually confusing. There are "features" that I don't want on my page but no option to exclude them.
Not that we really have a choice about any of it, so I guess we'll either adapt or leave. At least we know that Facebook "upgrades" are never long lasting. They'll have a new "best" thing in 6 months or so…
So true! Once we get used to the timeline, another change will pop up. I think they need to do a major poll of their users – they might be surprised at the feedback!
oh well, I'm sure it will all be fine once we get used to it!! doesn't sound all that bad to me.
The CEO of Facebook is in his 20s. He's not going to care about others for at least another 5 years.
I like everything except the loss of landing pages. Will it be our wall now? Ugly.
I use personal profile on Facebook to keep up with friends and family and I don't care for Timeline. I don't like how long it takes to load the cover pages and how the information is constantly moving around on the wall. Maybe I'm just an old dog who doesn't like new tricks.
not crazy about the new Timeline thing – but the rest of the changes may actually work for me…..
Just when I get used to one thing, they change it….every time. LOL
We just got the new design(Timeline) on our page and we really like it!
I wish they would stop changing things! I love the new admin panel, hate the timeline.
I love the changes, actually! I love that they are making Facebook pages more PERSONAL. I think far too many page owners emphasis is on how they can market their product/services to their fans when really you should work on your relationship, the value you offer and then your fans will naturally want to know more about your products, primary company you promote (if in network marketing), etc. I think this Timeline switch is going to do amazing things for business owners with pages
What happened to if ain't broke don't fix it, FB changes all the time. I find the personal time lines hard to follow. I need to figure this out. I can't say I don't like it because I haven't tried it yet. I think I will like the contact the admin option, I know there have been times I wanted to contact a page admin and had no way to do that.
What size should your cover photo be…no matter what size I crop to in photo shop it is not fitting in the space. Should it be 300 dpi because I am cropping to 72dpi and it is not working?
Try 850px (wide) and 315px (height).
Thank you so much !
I think I am going to like it much better. It seems to be easier to read and navigate to me. Regardless, it is here to stay – at least for awhile, so I am going to embrace the change and make the best of it
Eh, I don't really mind since I've only recently created my own page. I like the way it all looks…not so plain. That's just me, lol.
I already allowed my timeline to open. I think it looks nice
I am one of the worst procrastinators and it has finally paid off! LOL I was planning on doing my landing page over the weekend while my boyfriend was out of town, but of course I got distracted and found "better" things to do. I just started doing the the timeline on my personal page, and so far I like it!
LOL!
Haha, I was thinking the same thing! I'm glad I didn't bother making a landing page.
Is there anyway to find out the specs on pixel size for the cover image? I have had no luck uploading an image – - without massive zooming in. if I had the exact size, maybe it would be better?
It's 850px (wide) and 315px (height).
I did the preview of my facebook page today, and personally I was not impressed. I am not a fan of time line I switched mine over only because I wanted to start a pinterest page and facebook said I had to switch my profile to timeline to do so.
I will definitely miss my landing page. I think the restrictions on the cover photo are totally LAME! I guess I'll have to utilize the pin a post option. I think I like that FB is now making it possible to contact the page administrator via private message.
I'll miss the landing page too, but I think the option to pin a post is definitely workable!
I'm tired of Facebook anyway. Pinterest is my current obsession and I'm going to start blogging again.
Oops, its been so long since I've written on my blog that I didn't know what it was called. This is the correct name.
What happened to the "recent activity"? I sometimes like to go back and check on something I've commented on/asked about because I don't get notifications (um, maybe I should be getting them?) What I mean is, if I comment on a Blogging with Amy status update and ask a question, I may want to go back the next day to see if someone answered it or also commented. If I don't get notifications, and I don't have a place on my timeline to remind me what I posted where (which some days is a lot) I will never remember to go back to it. (Does that make sense?)
Just so you know some people are having trouble with the "renaming a page" option. Facebook is apparently requiring you to have a physical address with a proof of something like a utility bill.
jenetta
Thanks, Jenetta!
Can't find my blog posts on the new time line! Anyone have thoughts or can tell me how to get them to show up?
Thanks in advance.
For the record, I do not like the new timeline, or that we have to change over, but then just when I get used to something FB does they change…so it's probably the change I don't really like…that and my blog posts are not on the timeline.
Figures! I just figured out how to use Gimp and created my landing page! Sigh… I kind of like it so far though. I'm a little bummed about the featured image – kind of hard for a business page…
Just think of it as a practice run for the amazing things you'll create down the road. It's not a total loss!