It was rather thrust upon us; just days to revise our Facebook pages for the arrival of Timeline. But putting aside the serious lack of prep time they gave us, the new Facebook layout is an opportunity to be embraced.
Timeline is the most radical makeover to Facebook business profiles since they were first launched. All of a sudden activities over the past few years will be laid bare on that fan page, just like we saw with our personal profiles starting last year. Regardless of how you felt about it on your personal pages, it’s actually pretty good from the business perspective. Here are some tips to on how to make the most of the new layout.
#1 Larger branding image
The first thing visitors will see is the cover photo stretching all the way across your page. Facebook knows the power of a great image, enabling you to upload hi-resolution images to ensure you get a crisp and clear look at the top of your page. Choose carefully. This picture must reflect your values and your salon culture so that you attract the right audience and get people wanting to read more. Think about:
• An interior image of your gorgeous salon
• A line-up of your team smiling welcomingly
• A pic from your latest collection, or from your favorite artist of manufacturer.
Reserve your logo for the small thumbnail box on the left, this is what will show up whenever you post.
#2 Milestones
Adding your milestones is like adding a regular status update, except you have a new option at the top called ‘Milestone’ which has categories of milestones to choose from. This is where you can file those important dates in the lifetime of your salon such as when you opened, when you expanded, certain awards you’ve won, the day you made your first million. Clients can immediately get the essence of your company so it’s worth spending time adding in everything you think will impress them and tell them about your journey. Maybe leave out the bit about your first million!
#3 Expanded posts
If you’ve seen Timeline already, you’ll have noticed the large white boxes that run off it. You can choose which posts you want highlighted, making it easier for visitors to see what’s important in your business. Highlighting is easy. Just find the post you want on your Timeline. On the top right you’ll see a star button. Click it and it will highlight the post. So easy!
Make sure to only pick the best posts to highlight and not highlight everything. Think about what your readers will think is important rather than what you want them to think is important and make sure to continuously review your Insights reports to make sure you are accurate.
#4 Company description
The ‘About’ area for the page used to be really limited and you had to pick your words carefully before running into the dreaded ‘more’ link that users had to click on to read the rest of your description. The reason it was ‘dreaded’? Because no one clicks it to read more….
The new layout affords more space so you can be a bit more elaborate with your description, but still use this space wisely. It’s in a more prominent position, which helps to promote your business in words as well as imagery. Remember to review how it looks to ensure you don’t run into the ‘more’ link issue.
#5 From Tabs to Apps
The final design element to pay attention to when getting your page ready for Timeline is to decide what content you want to feature as your top content on your page. By default you have to select ‘Photos’ but you have free reign when it comes to the other three that are featured. Think about the following ideas:
• An email signup form
• Upcoming events at the salon
• Special offers for clients
• Who’s Who list of your team
• Latest blog posts from your website
• Online booking app
To change your tabs, click on your admin panel on the right hand side and go to edit page. Over on the left a sidebar will appear and you have to look for the apps listing. That takes you through to the different options for the row of tabs. You can upload events, videos and more.
And don’t forget, to truly benefit from Facebook you must be consistent and proactive. Post content that will interest your clients regularly and often.
-Valorie Reavis
Valorie Reavis is an online and social media marketing guru with Linkup Marketing focusing on search engine marketing, salon email marketing programs and social media marketing for salons and spas. If you have any queries for Valorie email her at [email protected].
Related: Joico Partnership Will Power Online Business Building for Salons | Facebook Shakes Up Business Pages | Top 5 Questions about Facebook | Facebook Identity Crisis | Continuing the Conversation | Get Started with Email Marketing | Reaching Consumers Using Local Search Engines | Strategic Positioning of Keywords for Salons and Spas | Online Marketing Tips for Salons & Spas | Give Your Salon Website a Soul
