Once again, Facebook has changed the page layout. If there’s one thing we can always count on, it’s that Facebook will keep changing things.

As the world’s most popular social media platform seeks to increase its advertising revenue, it’s limiting how many people see the copy you post to your Business Page in their feeds. As business owners, we’re forced to rely on a combination of paid promotion (advertising!) and strategically capitalizing on whatever opportunities Facebook gives us to connect with customers organically.

Here are the most recent changes, along with my thoughts on how small business owners can present themselves more effectively in the new environment:

Cover & Logo

Facebook is becoming an increasingly image-driven platform. The logo section of the cover has gotten a bit bigger – great for those of us who have complex logos that don’t thrive when shrunk! Additionally, the name of your page is now sitting right on top of your Facebook cover image.

What this means for you: less space on your cover to put up text, calls to actions and messaging. Less space doesn’t sound like a good thing, but in fact, it is! Too many pages have been putting too many words on their covers, taking away from the social experience.

We recommend you change out your covers frequently if you want to focus on a variety of messages but this new layout pushes all of us to stay focused in our messaging. And as we all know, focus is a good thing!

Organizing Tabs

The big giant button-like tabs at the top of the page are gone. The tabs are now smaller, and you only have a few opportunities to showcase your apps.

One tab that cannot be moved in the new layout is the “About” tab. Knowing this, small business owners need to make keeping this area updated a top priority. You want to make sure the information in this section is current and represents your business accurately.

What comes after the About tab is up to you! Take a few minutes to look over your tabs and organize them to better support your customers’ interest on your Facebook page. To get a clear understanding of how this works, watch the video tutorial above.

The New Two Column Layout

Business pages now feature a two-column layout that is somewhat customizable. On the left side, People and About are set as the first two sections: these can not be moved or eliminated. After that, however, you can arrange sections in the way that best suit your business needs. Put the items you want featured prominently at the top – it’s a great place for apps you use heavily or to spotlight great reviews!

Administrative Features

Okay, the behind-the-scenes aspects of Facebook have never been as much fun as the side your customers see. However, the administration panel on Facebook is a great tool for business owners, and the new changes have made it even better.

The new layout makes it super simple to see how many new likes you have picked up and how many people you’re reaching. You’ll also see quickly when you have messages or notifications pending.

My favorite feature however, is the post scheduled that shows up on the page seen only by admins. This is a wonderful tool when you work with a team: it shows everyone something is pending. For those of you who hire a company to do your social media management, this will likely be your new favorite feature!

Page Settings

The Page Settings area is better organized than ever before. Updating page settings is now infinitely easier. The new left navigation bar shows page roles (a new name for administrators) and a Banned Users tab, which makes it simple to grant or deny people permission to post to or comment on your Facebook page. Take some time to go through the left navigation and double-check all your settings to ensure your page is set-up to give you optimal opportunities. To get a clear understanding of how this works, see the video above.

Need Help With Facebook?

Our team of world-class social media strategists and digital marketing experts constantly monitors the changes Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other popular social media platforms make so you can always present your business in the most effective manner. Need help making this happen? Give us a call. We’re here to help!