The new Facebook Timeline is predicted to be available to brands as early as this Wednesday (Feb. 29). According to Ad Age, Timeline may be released to “a handful” of brands during an initial beta testing period. Once Timeline is released to all brands, it’s predicted that brands will have until March 30 to make the switch.
I advise that you make the switch as soon as it’s available to you. In my opinion, brands that resist the Timeline switch may be viewed as less Facebook savvy. Be prepared and don’t resist the change!
How can you prepare?
Don’t over-stress about the switch, as you should already be familiar with the look and feel of Timeline if you’re a Facebook user. Do keep in mind that you’ll need a high-impact cover photo (large image at the top of the page), as this will now be the main image. In general, Timeline is photo-rich, so be prepared to share awesome photos and to collect awesome photos from fans.
Other than visual changes, Timeline will enable your brand to share its history. Starting from when the brand was born, you’ll be able tell a story about your company. Don’t be tempted, however, to copy and paste your company’s history off of your website or Wikipedia page. If you’re going to document the history of your company, tell a compelling story that your Facebook fans will actually want to read. Perhaps one chapter of your brand’s past is told with a single photo? Give Facebook users something interesting to read and something they’ll have the patience for.
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Photo: Image of what could be Mercedes’ new Timeline page, prepared by Skinny agency. See more examples on Mashable.