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3:18 pm - Thu, Sep 22, 2011

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The New Facebook Changes and What You Need to Know in One Easy Post…

Mark Zuckerberg just finished his keynote address at this year’s F8 Developer’s Conference. As many people know, the changes to Facebook are vast because it hasn’t had a real big update since the “Like” button was added three years ago. Here is a notation of the new user layout and UX:

1. Timeline: Although users wall and photo section will still exist, users will now have a blank canvas that looks clean to post photos, life events, videos, etc. to tell a story about their entire life. In some ways, the design looks like the revamped MySpace and has a user interface similar to Tumblr’s dashboard. It’s basically micro-blogging for the 800 million masses on the network. The UI is one click simplicity so non-tech users won’t have too many issues adapting. Where the wall was more like Twitter, the timeline makes the profile page more like a blog that is capable of chronicling key moments in one’s life.

Also the user has much more control of what they see in their update feed. So simply pushing to accumulate likes is NOT going to be enough as Facebook continues to evolve the platform. It’s important to note that brands will need to earn their place in consumer’s news feeds every day by continuing to create and distribute content that is relevant to that particular consumer. Brands are going to have to push toward an engagement model and seek to get consumers more involved with their brand in which the user can create an exprience they will want to chronicle in their timeline for posterity.

Read more about Timeline here: http://www.facebook.com/about/timeline

2. Engagement trumps fan acquisition: The open graph will change from simply “Liking” nouns and places to actual verbs. So users can now note what book they are reading, movie they are watching, music they are listening to. This is similar to services ala GetGlue where one registers what actions they are involved in so their friends can see the information. This ties in heavily with the “ticker” feature ala a real time Twitter on the right hand side of the new home page interface. When I see that my friend Laura is listening to Black Sabbath, I can click on that and listen to this with her at the same time. This is similar to the features found within Turntable.fm

The music and entertainment integration is a huge step in that Facebook announced integrated partnerships with Spotify for music and Netflix for movies and TV programming. The latter will not be available in the U.S. until Congress revamps the movie video rental privacy act. And with gridlock in Congress, this could be deep into 2012. But with said partner integrations, the portal becomes more entertainment-driven which was a missing component since its launch.

3. More emphasis on applications less on community brand pages and communications: Apps have always been a part of Facebook since 2007 when the service opened up beyond .edu email addresses. But most were made with difficult developmental language, had to be accepted by the user to pull data (a barrier to entry) and didn’t share this information in one’s open graph. Now, all apps will be one-click added to a user’s timeline and when it is used, the information will be automatically pulled and shared on the user’s timeline for their network to see.

Key recommendations for clients:

It is recommended all clients discuss with your social media agency about the development and creation of a user-intensive application. The focus on an app is beneficial to your business in the following three areas:

1. B2C amplification: Brands that have a useful app will be able to spread their message to a larger crowd within Facebook. So if I add the Spotify app and I’m listening to music, my network sees what I’m listening to and can be tipped onto new musical selections. For example, a brand like Food Network* would be smart to update their app for users to be reminded about the brand, programming and recipes on foodnetwork.com. As people use that app, it is broadcast to their network that they’re using it and how they’re using it, tipping more of their network to the features of that particular brand.

2. B2B relationship building: B2B communication becomes more of a focal point in that a user can see what acquaintances actually enjoy in their life and what makes them tick. This helps in conversations about personal items that can be used for larger leads as relationships are built. It’s truly making the network a “Social Network” which it hasn’t been in the past two years as most people simply posted status updates and didn’t have the ability to share what they actually did in real time.

3. Data Mining Engine: Facebook has now transformed from simply a social network to now a huge data mining tool about every user on the platform. It has information about what sports a person likes, what music they’re listening to, who they communicate with the most, where they travel, what apps they use, etc. It’s 100% interest graph leaning. This will allow for brand advertisers to better target Facebook users for specific products they may find interesting. Although social ads will never go away since they make income for the network, the network has truly banked on social apps and user data information and interaction in today’s address.

Key recommendations for clients about their social media agencies:

The changes to the Facebook model also will change how a client interacts with its social media agency. The emphasis is truly on the social graph and social applications. It puts the keys of the Facebook car back in the hands of the developers and tech mavens. If you are using a social agency that has put most of my emphasis on PR and community management, ultimately development of a social application that helps tell a story will do much more for amplification of your brand’s products, programming, etc. than simple community management and PR. As noted earlier, because users have more control of their newsfeed, they can hide or ignore brand messages. As a result, status updates have to become story lines ala telenovelas that weave along and continue to involve advocates to make the story relevant to their personal timeline. Marketers will have to think beyond the simple accumulation of fans. The “Like” is way less relevant in the new Facebook. Social media agencies used for this purpose should be rethought in terms of a client/agency relationship. Marketers will have to work hard to earn their place in the newsfeed. Content will have to be super amazing. I personally don’t think a community and content strategy is enough. App development is key and is the future to success in the new landscape. 

As a result of the changes, agencies will should have creative UX agents, developers and strategists to help provide solutions for clients. Because developers will get monthly reports on these apps, it’s one area which can show a CMO true ROI.

Although most of the comments have been negative, this is Facebook’s first foray into trying to divide the online experience into two areas. The web itself and Facebook. And this walled fortress may have the ability to continue to grow with the new features if users can get above and beyond the resistance to the changes.

Any additional questions feel free to hit me up on Twitter @djgeoffe

G

*Disclaimer: Food Network is a past client of the author and his wife is currently an employee of foodnetwork.com