Facebook Timeline – Have you heard about this and the new features added to Facebook. Most of us might have already heard about these. Google+ has changed the equations for them and Facebook is also working hard to keep the pace.
Facebook Timeline is a new feature introduced for Facebook which is still in BETA and available to developers. When I say developers, it means anybody who has developer level access, you don't have to develop apps to access timeline.
If you want to have a look you can look at my profile on Facebook (You will be able to see it if you have developer access otherwise you will be served old profile page).
What is Facebook Timeline
Facebook Timeline is a new way to show your profile and as the name suggest it changes your profile in a time driven series. It shows activities from when you joined Facebook up to now on a time scale (it can show activities for your whole life, you just need to go back and add those to your timeline).
Here are few changes which you will get on your profile page.
1. Cover Image
New profile page allows you to use a cover image along with the profile image. This cover image is different than your profile image and it will be first thing shown on your profile page.
This is a big cover image so gives a lot of space to brand and make a contact. You can choose to use a image which promote your blog along with you to give your users a chance to connect.
2. About and Apps
This is the second thing which will be shown on your profile page, about section and your likes, subscription etc. It is an easy way to write an small bio or an attractive sale pitch. You have full control on what will be shown on your about section. Just click on the section and it will take you to the screen where you can update your details.
Your apps will be shown next to your about section. You have an option to choose the sequence and visibility of the app on your profile. It is nothing more than showing your friends, photos, likes in a compact manner. There is another detail section in your timeline for your apps.
3. Your Timeline
The third and final section is your Facebook timeline, your activities on a time scale. It is divided into two parts, your stories and your apps.
In your Facebook timeline your stories will be shown first, its nothing more than your activities on Facebook. You can change the privacy settings if you don't want something to be shown here.
The second thing is your apps, your likes, your recommendation etc, again you have a full control what to show here. You can change the settings right from that screen and remove what you don't want to show on that screen.
Why it is important?
I only have one question why it is important to have better Facebook landing page for your blogs? Wouldn't it be nice to give a new and improved look of your profile to your readers.
This is available only to developers right now, so its a good time to start and set it up. When it will be launched to everybody you will have a perfectly setup profile page.
How to Activate Facebook Timeline
If you don't like to read the process watch the video below on how to create Facebook timeline profile.
1. Create an app
To get the Facebook Timeline you need to get an developer access and create an sample app (no coding required). To get the developer access go to developer section. If its your first time than it will ask for access, click on allow access and it will take you to the next screen.
To create an app your account needs to be verified either through mobile or credit card. Click on Create app and give an name and namespace for your new app. Namespace will be like a slug for your app so there can't be any spaces in that. You can give any name it does not matter.
2. Open Graph access
Now you have to get an access to open Graph. Just click on Open Graph BETA. It will ask you to define what people can do, You can enter anything you like or choose from the sample given. Once you do that just click submit on next two screens.
3. Activate the Facebook Timeline profile
You can go to your profile page and there will be a box which will ask you to access your timeline, click on that you will get your timeline profile page. Now the only work left is edit and finalize your Facebook timeline profile.
You can go ahead and change your cover image, write your about and setup your timeline. By default it gives you 7 days to edit and setup your timeline, but if you are done earlier you can choose to publish it right away.
Few Things worth checking in new profile page
1. Your liked pages
The first thing which I would like to do is change the look of likes in the Cover section. I Like to show individual likes but it is up to you if you would want to make this change. Just click on the likes box and change it to individual like.
2. Some activities which you don't want to show
You would want to review your activities and remove the activities which you don't want to show on timeline. There are many activities and when you did them on Facebook you might not have think about this, so give 10-15 min and review what's there.
This is an easiest way to setup your Facebook timeline profile page, set it up and share with all the developers. If you don't want to do that than you can sign up for the updates, Facebook will let you know once it will be released.
