Facebook Is Introducing New Options for Customizing Pages

Ready for your Facebook page to look different?Because you might be able to give it a makeover pretty soon - in fact, you might be able to give it a makeover right now!

Facebook has introduced different ways to customize your page in the past, so its latest rollout of new options isn’t necessarily surprising - but it IS exciting!The full roster of recent changes isn’t available to everyone yet, so here’s a quick look at what you can expect.

Where to find your new customization options

Want to check out the new stuff you can customize? Here’s how!Click the Settings tab on your Facebook page, and from there, go to Edit Page.This is where you’ll find out whether or not these changes are accessible to you yet.Facebook has a tendency to roll out new features a little bit at a time, so it can test ‘em out and see how they work - for example, some people had access to live broadcasting in 2015, while others had to wait until the following year.So when you visit your Edit Page tab, you may see the version you’re used to, which looks like this:

You might, however, see the new version, which looks like this:

See that snazzy new addition? Facebook wants to make it easier than ever to optimize your page based on type by offering pre-made templates!They include:

• Standard
• Shopping
• Venues
• Gaming
• Politicians
• Professional Services
• Restaurants & Cafes

Each option gives you different defaults for the tabs along the side of your Facebook page and for the buttons under your cover photo - and you can still drag-and-drop to reorder them just the way you want, too.

Plus, as reported by Social Media Examiner, the new layout options may affect not just the sidebar and top of your Facebook page, but also the middle column. Instead of a purely chronological column similar to the News Feed, you may be able to opt for one that displays videos or events at the top.What do changes like these say about how Facebook works? (And what should you do about it?)

The News Feed isn’t everything

The algorithms that determine who sees your posts tend to dominate most conversations about Facebook marketing.How does Facebook decide how many people are going to see what you post?How much do shares from individual users influence your reach?What are the types of content that might actually HURT your performance?Facebook wants you to remember that there’s more to life than the News Feed.Between the recent changes to your likes and these new customization options, it’s clear that Facebook hasn’t forgotten about the importance of your actual page - and neither should you!Don’t neglect your ability to customize the way your page looks and flows. Are the tabs ordered in a way that makes sense? (After all, you probably wouldn’t list Events first if you never create events.) What’s your primary button suggest - “learn more,” “sign up,” something else? A compelling call-to-action can make a big difference!When’s the last time you updated your profile image, or your cover photo? Do you know if you’ve done it since the last time they changed the ideal dimensions? (Hint: you can find out here.)

Making your Facebook page into a destination of its own also means thinking carefully about what you post and when.For example, recycling your updates on social media is virtually a given these days. (Here’s how big brands like BuzzFeed are reaping huge successes from doing it.)This is especially true on Facebook, where those algorithms we mentioned earlier can mean that only a small percentage of your fans see any given post in the actual News Feed.Don’t just think about the News Feed, though - think about your page, too. If you post the same update five times in a row, the people who visit your page are going to notice, and it might not leave the best impression!When you’re recycling your social updates, do it in cycles. Post different types of content, and don’t always post the same link or update over and over with nothing else in between!(This is why we designed Edgar so that you can specify which types of updates get posted at which times, and so that you can shuffle the updates in any given category. This is how big brands recycle their content, so Edgar does it for you!)When you think about Facebook, don’t focus only on the News Feed - focus on your page, too. Remembering it’s there and making tweaks from time to time can do a lot for your presence!

What do you think of these new options?

Are Facebook’s new customization templates enough to get you excited about tinkering with your page?Or are there changes you’d prefer to see, and that Facebook hasn’t implemented yet?Let us know what you think in the comments below!