It's been about a week since Facebook launched the new design for brand pages (along with some slightly new rules and capabilities). If you haven't set up your new Facebook page yet, not to worry. You have until March 30th to play with the design before your page is forced live.
We had a feeling you might still be in experimentation mode, so to get your creative juices flowing, we've scoured Facebook for examples of brands using the new page layout in appealing ways. Take a look at how these brands are making use of the new Facebook page design, and use it as inspiration to get your own page up to date!
Best Use of Stars and Pins
Stars and pins let you hover over a story to make it wider than others so it takes up more physical space on your timeline, or anchor a story to the top of your timeline for up to 7 days so it isn't buried by other stories. Take a look at how Starbucks is using the pinning feature.
That little orange flag at the top of the post indicates it has been pinned to the top of Starbucks' timeline, and the comments, likes, and shares you see at the bottom show the effect pinning has on a timeline story. Sure, Starbucks has a highly engaged Facebook audience, but this post soars well above its usual numbers. And Starbucks knows its bread and butter -- they have tremendous success using images of their food and beverages (who doesn't need a coffee right now after looking at this?) as fodder for social media updates.
If you have a product that's visually appealing, take advantage of this new Facebook feature to showcase it and get people craving what you've got to offer. And if you sell something less visually appealing, like a service, use this area to highlight calls-to-action, marketing offers, and other promotions you'd like to feature. The new cover photos have placed restrictions on your use of calls-to-action (more on how to get around that later in this post), so pinning is a perfect opportunity to highlight those great offers in a very prominent place on your page where your fans can also share it.
Software company Jive! makes great use of the star feature, which lets you highlight a story as important without pinning it to the top of your page. When you star a story, it will expand to fit the width of your page.
If you look at the middle of the image closely, you'll see that this post is actually a video. What a great way to highlight your product videos so your fans can learn more about you! Videos take considerable investment to produce, so making them a more prominent part of your Facebook page is an excellent use of the star feature. You can apply this concept to all of your content offers -- slide decks, ebooks, webinars, ebooks -- just be sure to include a call-to-action at the end of each piece of content so that when your fans are done consuming the content, you can convert a new lead or reconvert an existing one.
Cool Cover Photo
If nothing else, make your cover photo both reflective of your brand and visually stimulating. HubSpot, for example, combined the orange for which we're known with our tagline, "All-in-One Marketing Software," as well as something more personal -- the Boston skyline, the "Hub" of our enterprise.
But you can also take it a step further, like Verizon did by combining its cover photo with a contest based on user-generated content. Verizon pinned a story to the top of its timeline (great use of pinning, Verizon!) and asked fans to submit pictures taken with their Verizon smartphones or tablets. Each day, Verizon rotates out its cover photo for one of the fan-submitted photos, and includes a picture of the fan who took the photo with the device that was used. Not only does Verizon get beautiful cover photos out of it, but fans have a reason to come back to their Facebook page every day to see the new photo. Plus, it showcases happy customers' great results with Verizon products!
Getting Around Call-to-Action Restrictions
You can't include calls-to-action in your cover photo (read about the restrictions in more detail on our blog post about how to set up your new Facebook page), but you can get them close to your cover photo. If you want a call-to-action that's more permanent than a 7-day pin, use the app toolbar that appears in the lower right-hand corner of your cover photo to display your call-to-action like search company Distilled has done.
You can place up to 12 apps in this area, and if you use your Facebook page to generate leads (or you'd like to start) using a custom tab, this is an area of the new Facebook page layout you should take advantage of. Distilled asks fans to opt in to their email list, but you could use this area to collect submissions for a content you're running, promote a new ebook you're launching, or collect registrants for a webinar you're hosting. While searching for brands using this area as a lead generator, there weren't many notable examples. So be the first one in your industry to figure out lead generation on the new Facebook layout!
Showcasing Apps
Besides just calls-to-action, you can also use the app area to showcase, well, your apps. Take a look at how Ben & Jerry's is taking advantage of the new prominence of apps in this layout.
Ben & Jerry's is using common apps like 'Events' and 'Notes', both apps with a low barrier to entry if you're just starting out with Facebook or don't have a development budget. They've used Notes, for example, to publish recipes -- and just try to get out of there without jonesin' for a milkshake.
But they're also investing in more interactive apps that they've designed themselves, like their Whirled Map which takes you Around the Whirled (get it? it's like a world map, but ice cream-y!) that directs you to the Ben & Jerry's Facebook pages in other countries. What a great idea for chains, franchise organizations, and the like to manage Facebook pages for multiple locations!
Setting Milestones
Milestones let businesses highlight big accomplishments -- new product releases, fan growth, key hires, acquisitions, events, awards -- right on their timeline. Lance Armstrong's Livestrong page got to using this feature immediately by setting a milestone for opening Livestrong's Cancer Navigation Center, and pinning it at the top of their page for more visibility.
And remember, you can fill in milestones for past events, too, to help tell a chronological story about your company's growth. Be sure to include an image like Livestrong did to make your milestone more engaging (and frankly, to make it look complete), and include a short description in the 'Story' field to give your fans context.
It's worth ending with the Livestrong page because it is one of the pages utilizing all of the features very well. Visit the page, or take a look at the image below:
They've used an engaging cover photo, carry their color scheme through all of their images and the apps, use the apps area for calls-to-action like 'Share Your Story', and pin important content like their milestones to get more visibility.
Facebook has shaken things up for brands with this new page design, and many companies will surely lag their feet updating their design, and utilizing all of the features. So take a note from Livestrong; invest time now in experimenting with the layout and features so you can find the best ways to use them for your company.
What other brands are using these features well? Share the great uses of Facebook's new page layout for brands in the comments so we can all check them out!
Image credit: owenwbrown
Inbound Marketing Blog Feed
Jesse Heap 9:30 AM on March 12, 2012
Hi Corey,
Thanks for highlighting some of these creative examples of using the new facebook timeline.
We own a bakery and I've found the best new feature, as you mentioned, is the ability to highlight new apps.
On our timeline (http://www.facebok.com/pinkcakebox) we've highlighted a few apps that help us showcase our products and testimonials.
The great thing about the apps we created is it simply pulls content from our existing blog and reformats it for the facebook experience.
So as we post new content to our blog, the content on our facebook timeline also stays up to date. This is a great way for a brand to re-use content and keep their facebook fan page up to date.
Jeremy Mandile 10:27 AM on March 12, 2012
Great post and after reading this..sounds like to to embrace the new Facebook timeline!! Thanks for sharing this!! :)
Derek Wellock 11:37 AM on March 12, 2012
Great stuff. It is helping so much with my small business.
Sue Surdam 12:56 PM on March 12, 2012
This article really helps to illustrate how the new Timeline can be used.
Pink Box Bakery has a very nice Timeline page. I like the way they have i-framed there website pages in their app - very nice way to keep content current on their page.
Nikhil Goyal 3:53 PM on March 12, 2012
Though there lot of blogs and comments where I see people criticizing facebook new timeline features.
As a marketer its a loss that now non facebook fans cannot see a dedicated landing tab, but there are other hell lot of other features that make the current fans engagement much more worthwile.
Change is sometimes good and would bring more freshness for the end consumer.
P.S.- I would be writing more about using facebook on my blog too.
Shon Cartier 8:35 PM on March 12, 2012
Hi there
I really appreciate reading such articles as yours as the direction and advice you provide is invaluable.
I've converted my Page to the new look FB (http://www.facebook.com/Whistlebait.Vintage.Jewels) I'd appreciate it if someone had a moment to take a look at it and tell me what they think.
Cheers
Shon
Julie 6:57 AM on March 13, 2012
Great details. Nicely written.
Harold Mansfield 10:27 AM on March 13, 2012
Nice article! I've been looking around for examples of what some of the well known brands are doing.
@ Jesse Heap: Nice customization! Very colorful imagery! I like it! I like it a lot!
I'm still tweaking my page a little. The cover photo is the the hardest part. So much space. A million ideas. Having a graphic designer or photographer is pretty key to pull it of nicely.
Here's what I have done so far:
https://www.facebook.com/haroldmansfielddotcom
And I'm sure I'll make some improvements over the next few days/weeks.
Corey Eridon 10:30 AM on March 13, 2012
I love that everyone is sharing their new layouts and giving each other feedback! Keep them coming, seeing your pages is inspiring!
Christine 1:06 PM on March 13, 2012
Fantastic article! I too have been working on our company page over the last week & could always use some helpful advice on what others think... http://www.facebook.com/goldmaxusa
Anna Percival 4:41 PM on March 13, 2012
Love Ben and Jerry's brand page - and of course Hubspot! ;)
Harold Mansfield 4:49 PM on March 13, 2012
Amazingly enough. Hubspot is the only hyperlink that is wrong in the article.
You guys have (http://www.facebook.com.hubspot/) as the hyperlink. Which goes nowhere.
It obviously should be
http://www.facebook.com/hubspot/
Corey Eridon 4:53 PM on March 13, 2012
@Harold, we were just trying not to be promotional?
Thanks for pointing it out, fixed :)
Jeremy Brown 5:23 PM on March 13, 2012
Great article.
FYI, the link to the Hubspot Facebook page in this article is broken.
Kevin Kinnersley 6:46 AM on March 14, 2012
Loving the Livestrong cover, very creative and effective!
Chad Smith 11:50 AM on March 14, 2012
Some great looking layouts here. I have one question. How do you guys skin your app buttons?
Christine 12:15 PM on March 14, 2012
@Chad - you can create images of 111px Wide x 74px Height and then when you are within your FB page, click the down area next to the apps, hover over the one you want to change & click the pencil icon in the top rt corner - this will give you the option to edit settings, in there you can click "change" next to the Custom Tab Image & upload your custom image....Hope this helps :)
Chad Smith 12:59 PM on March 14, 2012
@Christine Thanks so much :)
Harold Mansfield 1:03 PM on March 14, 2012
I do my app covers at 373x244 and it sizes them perfectly.
You can also use the same size to create a matching "Photos" cover.
Keep in mind that the "Photos" cover changes with every new image that you upload or post. So keeping the cover image there is a pain in the a**.
You basically have to keep applying it if you want to keep the design congruency.
Don't forget to add a custom app image in the app settings as well, for your drop down menu icons.
Beverly McLean 2:37 PM on March 14, 2012
@Jesse Heap - Very impressive page! I am in the travel industry and have been searching for apps that I can post testimonials and product (trips). Were your apps custom designed or are they available through third parties (like Wildfire does contest apps)? Currently I'm using testimonials in the "notes" FB app, but can't change the name of the tab and the page layout is much less desirable. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. - Beverly
Matthew Ricketts 10:34 PM on March 14, 2012
This was a great article. I made some tweaks to my page (http://www.facebook.com/betterlifemaids) and I am very happy with the look and feel.
The main things I did were to optimize my cover picture, optimize my apps with actions I want visitors to take, and will look at pinning important posts to get higher engagement rates.
Would love feedback from anyone on ideas to improve my facebook page.
Kieran Harrod 8:02 AM on March 15, 2012
Might be worth noting something I spotted when updating my page.
When a logged out user visits a new business page, they get a message encouraging them to sign in or sign up.
This sits on top of your shiny cover image at the top right taking up the best part of 550px x 140px.
Perhaps worth avoiding putting any vital info in this zone?
Here's a pic of it on my: page Design.
Hope this is of use...
Michelle Boraski 11:59 AM on March 15, 2012
Thanks for providing ideas on how best to use Facebook for businesses. We were struggling with it but now have at least a direction to shoot for.
Quaisha Thornton 7:00 PM on March 15, 2012
What a fantastic read! I needed this article because I was confused with the new timeline and how to use it for my new Facebook pages. Thanks yet again HubSpot!
Ilaria Marsili 5:12 AM on March 17, 2012
thank for the detailed information! They will be valuables for the creation of my new page!!
Fintan Conlon 11:39 PM on March 17, 2012
Just started using timeline and the first thing I did was to make use of the cover image to promote our products and services without it being 'in your face'. I was happy with the outcome for my 1st attempt and now looking forward to trying out more ideas you've mentioned. Check out my page here: www.facebook.com/movingboxireland
Scott Barnes 4:24 PM on March 18, 2012
Hi Corey, I think were going to see some amazing layouts in the near future. I'm really excited about the new timeline layout since it provides much more control and real estate with this new format.
I've just update my own page AND created a Infographic and Guide that also has layout examples.
I would love any feedback, SiteBuilder Fan Page
Jindrich Faborsky 7:13 AM on March 19, 2012
Nice article, thx. I appreciate couple of tips how to make impressive design. The most inspiring example was for me "Verizon" because it shows some extra idea how to work with fans. They give them reason to like, participate and come back on their page.
New Brand Timeline offer great tools, but they will stay "only tools". We all think how to set the best cover logo, where to put milestones and what to pin on timeline, but the crucial questions are still the same. Do you provide any rational reason to visit your page? It is well known that Facebook users usually dont visit Facebook pages and I guess this behavior will not change significantly with new timelines.
Everytime compare costs and potential revenues. I would not be that much sure that Ben & Jerry is taking advantage of the new prominence of apps in new layout. Although we do not have any data now, I guess that views and clicks of additional app icons (besides the main 3 apps) will be really poor in most of the cases.