Changes in the tech industry are usually expected and mediocre. Some companies change frequently to show they are growing and adapting to users wants and needs. We see this so often in tech because its a competitive space that needs to change to stay current. When you’re a leader in your space, you need to stay on top, and do whatever it takes to stay there. Facebook has changed the way your profile looks a few times recently and they just came out with their new timeline view which went live yesterday. You can change your Facebook profile to the new timeline view now by visiting http://www.facebook.com/about/timeline. It’s set up so you can try it out and not publish it until Dec 23rd so give it a try.
What I really love about the new timeline is the big space they leave for you to upload your own cover image. This is not to be mistaken with your profile picture, as that hasn’t changed much. The new cover image spans the entire width of your profile and is a nice customization feature. You can be very creative with this and it makes your facebook profile feel more like your own. Some people may feel like it’s more of a blog than just a profile page. (see above).
The second great feature that Facebook is rolling out is the timeline itself position in the top right. You can now easily navigate back to what was on your wall in 2007. Their UI has always been great, and even though Facebook changes things often, they always pay attention to usability and great design. The new Facebook timeline is telling the story of your life in the easiest way possible.
The third, and last great feature I will point out, is the ability to mark a post as a feature, which will span that specific post the full width of your timeline. If you have a fantastic photo you want to show off, it’s much easier to make it stand out now. Let’s face it, we sometimes post things that are more important to us than others, and this is a near perfect way to display that.
You may think “big deal”, but you and I check out our Facebook profile or stream 5-6 times a day. We spend a good portion of our lives there, so I for one am pleased that changes are headed in the right direction.