Facebook have just announced the release of a brand new look for Facebook business Pages, which will begin rolling out this week for some Pages, eventually being released to everyone over the coming weeks. Facebook claim that the new design will make it easier for Facebook users to find what they're looking for. Whether or not this is true will be determined as feedback comes in from admins and users over the next few weeks.
What do you think of the new layout below?
![Facebook Page Layout March 2014](“/media/2014/03/facebook-page-layout-march-2014.png")
The Disappearance of Custom PageTabs
One issue that some business Page owners have already expressed concerns over is the apparent disappearance of the custom PageTab block links, which were previously located to the right, just under the banner image.
This is the current Facebook Page layout, with the PageTabs shown as large blocks on the right:
![Page Layout PageTab Before](“/media/2014/03/page-layout-pagetab-before.jpg")
and here's the new layout, seemingly void of any mention of the tabs:
The once fairly large block links originally caught the eye of customers as soon as the Page was opened, but now the effectiveness of these campaigns is being questioned. If a customer has to navigate through the "..." or "More" buttons to get to competitions and other PageTabs, it's very unlikely that these tabs will get the views they currently get. This is a huge issue, as some businesses have spent tens of thousands of dollars on the development of customised PageTabs, only to now find out that their customers won't even see them without being sent directly there.
There is a sign of hope though. There have been reports that the left column in the new layout may feature an area for the custom PageTabs, hopefully ensuring customers can find them as easily as they do now, but we won't know for sure until the new layout is introduced.
Unified Post Widths
One of our favourite modifications to the Page layout is the width of the posts in the right column. Facebook have streamlined the columns to better suit the widths of the main Facebook feed, ensuring images are shown with a consistent look no matter where they're displayed, be it in the customer's News Feed or on the business Page itself.
Instant Insight Column
The new layout introduces a small vertical column of links on the right side, which features some quick insights about the Page for admins, including information about ads running for the Page, recent Page Likes, Post Reach and more. This should make it easier for admins to get a quick glance at how their Page is doing for the current period.
Pages to Watch
A new feature has been rolling out for Facebook Page admins called Pages To Watch, designed to give admins extra insights into how their Page is doing by comparing it to similar Pages, chosen by the admin. By choosing similar competitor Pages, admins can view generalised insights about those Pages and compare them to their own Page, helping them identify audience engagement issues and areas they can improve on.
As always, there are sure to be some critics out there who absolutely detest the new layout and may even lose business over the hiding of the PageTabs, but overall it looks like this new layout could make it easier for admins to manage their Page and optimise its ongoing performance.
Will the new layout help or hinder your business? Tell us below.
You can find more information on the new layout here.
