Get ready for a bigger, brighter, more visual News Feed!
Yesterday, Facebook debuted major changes to its News Feed, the first time since it was introduced back in 2006. Here’s what you should know:
1. Bigger everything. And more visual.
In line with the saying, “bigger is better,” the updated News Feed will feature more visual and engaging stories. Expect nearly every piece of information received through the News Feed to be emphasized and more visually appealing.
Photos will appear larger in the News Feed, and overlaid on top of them will be the text-based status update. Check-ins, location displays and “Liking” will also be larger and more prominently focused on the photography and less on the text. Links and articles will have a bigger image, more prominent title and longer summary.
“It’s a richer, simpler, more beautiful news feed,” explained Julie Zhuo, director of design, during the event at the company’s headquarters in Menlo Park, California.
2. Content-specific feeds
In an attempt to help us sort through the News Feed and get us closer to the people and things we like and want to know about, Facebook also introduced content-specific feeds.
We’ll now have the ability to switch through different feeds based on the information we want to see, sort of like your own “personalized newspaper,” as Mark Zuckerberg described it.
In addition to the same News Feed we have today, there will be an “All Friends” feed that shows you everything your friends are sharing; a “Photos” feed with only photos from your friends and the Pages you like; a “Music” feed with posts about what your friends are listening to and the musicians you like; and a “Following” feed with posts from the Pages and public figures you follow. Any lists you made will also appear in the categories of feeds to choose from.
3. Consistency through devices
Lastly, Facebook execs say the new News Feed will be consistent and have the same navigation across all devices, from tablets to mobile phones to desktop computers and laptops.
Facebook has also taken inspiration for the new News Feed layout from its mobile app. The left hand menu you see when you’re signed into Facebook on your mobile phone will be coming to the Web version as well.
So, will users like the new changes?
Much like all of the other times Facebook has made big changes, we can expect to see some negative reactions and feedback in the beginning. It’s only normal. But as the updated News Feed starts rolling out to more users, it will be interesting to see if this is a change we can all get behind and appreciate, or a change that we will just have to settle into.
How will the change affect Brand Pages?
Many people, including us here at The Brandon Agency, are wondering how the new changes will affect Brand Pages. While we’ve been hearing some people speculate that the separate news feeds will keep people from seeing the content shared by brands, we are optimistic that our content will see a boost in visibility and attention. And given that there will be a separate feed dedicated to the businesses and brands people follow, there seems to be even greater potential to attain more visibility.
Either way, we’re going to adjust, adapt to our environment and make the best of the impending changes.
Those that want to be the first to get the new News Feed can sign up at www.facebook.com/newsfeed. The mobile versions will be coming a bit slower and will arrive in the next few weeks.
What are your thoughts on Facebook’s new News Feed? Leave a comment below and let us know!