This is not going to be a post with the answers but rather a post with the questions that you might want to consider when figuring out your new Facebook Page strategy.
Why a new strategy?
Because the changes that will be mandatory for Facebook Pages on March 30th (can be voluntary until then) will require some strategic planning on your part.
“Cover” photo:
First, the large photo at the top of your Page should be something about your brand.
Warning: The photo can NOT be promotional. You may NOT say “like our page” or “click below for a free gift” or anything similar.
Highlighting a post:
You can highlight a post on your Page, which will make the post double width. This can be a good way of making a post stand out.
Pinning a post:
You may also pin a post on your Page to stay at the top of your timeline (no longer called wall) for seven days. If this is a special offer, you may want to remember to pin it again after seven days.
Tabs:
Those tabs that are on the left-hand side of a Page will now be at the top under your Page’s cover. The width of these new tabs is much larger than the former tab width.
Different Pages for different focuses:
I am rethinking all the Miller Mosaic Pages, considering deleting some and adding one or two new ones.
I want to take advantage of the “cover” photo as well as the ability to highlight and pin. These advantages may require different segmenting of our Miller Mosaic offerings.
Yael has just created a Facebook Page for our new online program Understand French Like a Native.
Check out this new Facebook Page now and then leave comments below this post as to what you plan to do with your Facebook Pages.
P.S. And if you are working on your website from which to link to your Facebook Pages, you might like to read this Indie Times guest post “9 Tips for an Effective Website for Artists” (the information is relevant not just for artists).
© 2012 Miller Mosaic, LLC
Phyllis Zimbler Miller (@ZimblerMiller on Twitter and @ZimblerMiller on Pinterest) has an M.B.A. from The Wharton School and is the co-founder of the WBENC certified marketing company www.MillerMosaicLLC.com, which has launched the program www.UnderstandFrenchLikeANative.com
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Twitter: SKBeckerCoach
March 19, 2012 at 10:43 am
As usual, you cut through the overload to get to the issues–thank you! Branding is clearly a strategic issue posed by the new page format. One concern about cover images is that the main identifier of my consulting brand is my logo, and the logo is the profile picture on my company page,
It’s not difficult to find an image generally in sync with the location or values of my practice, but it sends a generic message that, while not detracting attention from my brand, doesn’t enhance it either. Contrast the cover picture on the French page, which works very well, because it uses the same–very clever–image used on the site.
Twitter: ZimblerMiller
March 19, 2012 at 11:23 am
Susan –
You bring up an excellent point about generic images/messages.
For example, you could choose to use your headshot as the profile picture on your Becker Consulting Facebook Page and use the Becker logo as the central part of your cover image.
Then you could add a tagline about your consulting services as part of the cover image as long as the tagline is NOT promotional in nature but rather is explanatory.
P.S. Glad you like the image Yael created for http://www.UnderstandFrenchLikeANative.com — and then with some tweaking she was able to use this image for the cover image of the program’s Facebook Page.
Twitter: SKBeckerCoach
March 20, 2012 at 10:58 am
Thanks for your excellent suggestion about tagline, Phyllis. I’ll wait on that for Facebook until, as Yael did, I can re-use the blog image for Facebook. In fact I did notice the repetition–but not the tweaking, which is a measure of Yael’s success!
One point about using one’s logo instead of headshot as the profile picture on Facebook business page: the profile picture is associated with everything the “page” says on Facebook, so having the logo is good for branding. The headshot appears with the Administrator in the “About” section.
Looking forward to your further commentary re Facebook,
Susan
Twitter: ZimblerMiller
March 20, 2012 at 7:19 pm
Susan –
To clarify — you are talking about using the logo as the “cover” image on a new formatted Facebook Page, correct? Note that, as before, the admins of a Page do NOT show publicly unless the admin chooses that option.
Therefore the inset photo is not necessarily the Page owner. It is simply the photo that is used next to when an admin comments or posts in the Page’s name.
In the new Page format, under “Edit Page” and then “Featured” there is this option:
Page Owners:
When you add a featured page owner:
Their personal information will be publicly displayed in the About section of this Page
This Page will be shown on their personal profile
Add Featured Page Owners
Twitter: SKBeckerCoach
March 25, 2012 at 5:26 pm
Thanks, Phyllis. I was talking about using my logo as the PROFILE picture for my Facebook (business) page, not the cover. My understanding is that the logo would then accompany any posting made as “Becker Consulting Services.”
The problem is remembering to make the switch, as well as Facebook constraints when using Facebook as the page instead of oneself.
Yes, my headshot does appear in the About section, as the Page Owner and, as you say, this section links back to my personal profile.
Twitter: ZimblerMiller
March 25, 2012 at 6:13 pm
Susan –
Yes, it makes sense to use your logo as the profile photo on your Facebook Page so that this is what accompanies any posting you do as your Page.