How to get the most from the latest Facebook updates

Noticed anything different about your brand’s Facebook page recently? In a move which includes much of the functionality you’d expect from a small business website, the social media giant has been rolling out some big changes to its business pages recently – and has hinted that there are more to come. But what do the changes mean for multi-unit brands? Here’s a quick rundown of the latest updates and how to make the most of them.

1. A few layout changes for desktop

Source: Mari Smith on Facebook

As discovered by the experts over at Social Media Examiner, you might soon find that your business page looks a bit different on your desktop. From a smaller profile picture and page title to a more prominent call-to-action (CTA) button, the changes might not be huge, but they do give us a few clues as to what’s to come: bigger CTAs, better navigation, and a more user-friendly experience.

2. Bigger, better mobile CTAs

CTA buttons are now more prominent on mobile too; they’re bigger and brighter and catch the consumer’s eye before anything else.

Source: Facebook for Business

Remember to pick your call to action wisely. Whether it’s ‘Sign up’ or ‘Book now’, make sure it mirrors your objectives and gives page visitors a logical next step. Facebook is currently testing a few new buttons, including ‘Call now’, ‘Send message’ and ‘Contact us’, which might better suit outlet-level Facebook pages than brand pages, but will make it easier for prospective customers to get in touch directly.

3. A new layout for mobile, too

It’s not just desktop users that will see a new layout – it’s coming to mobile, too. Say goodbye to all that scrolling and clicking; each section of the page will appear in its own tab, with the home tab showing the main highlights from each section. This update should make things a lot more user-friendly, allowing customers to find the information they need much quicker when they’re on the go.

Source: Facebook for Business

4. New page sections according to business type

Until now, Facebook pages have been more or less the same for every type of business, but this is set to change very soon. New sections are being added to support the different types of information customers might be looking for. Retail businesses can now show off their products in a new ‘Shop’ section, while a ‘Services’ section will let professional services businesses showcase what they offer. Facebook says it’s working on additional sections for other types of businesses too, so watch this space.

5. A private page messaging feature

From customer service requests to general product or service questions, Facebook’s new page messaging featureallows customers to connect privately and conveniently with businesses. Responsive businesses will be rewarded with a badge on their profile, helping to build trust among prospective customers.

Source: Facebook for Business

As well as being contacted privately by prospective customers, page admins can now respond to user comments privately with a message, allowing them to solve customer requests more efficiently. Facebook has provided a handy guide for page admins getting to grips with this new tool, which is certainly worth a read.

Whether you’re a small, local business or a multi-site brand, these changes should prove fairly significant in terms of mobile engagement and wider user experience. In other words, Facebook has once again succeeded in hammering home the message that it’s a necessity for consumer brands, big and small.

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