Why Facebook's new Timeline should be popular

There hasn't been an uproar about a change since the Obama healthcare reform plan was announced, and I think Facebook's Timeline unpopularity, percentage-wise among users, is much higher than the scrap over any presidential act.  Timeline completely changes the look, feel and function of Facebook.  And people aren't happy.

Okay, technically, the function is the same.  But most of Facebook users aren't savvy enough to see it through the new photo blocks and information groupings.  Facebook, in its infancy, wasn't designed for people who understood computers or programs or anything much at all.  Facebook was set up for the kid who wanted to chat with his friend and post goofy photos or the grandma who wanted to see pictures of her granddaughter posted.

So, when did Facebook decide to be available for the higher end users?  The answer to that is -- all along.  Facebook staff have been refining the program since Day 1 and will continue to try and meet the needs and find answers for any issue that arises.  And becoming for graphically pleasing is what the younger generation is used to and clamoring for.  If Facebook expects to keep the 20 and 30 somethings, not to mention the teens, who are all being bombarded by Facebook-type social programs with a prettier look or a special feature, Facebook needs to keep evolving.

For businesses, Timeline is next to inventing a new wheel.  Very progressive, and it will be the marker used by other companies who hope to gain a share of Facebook's audience.

With Timeline, you can go back and re-create your "Milestones" of business.  What organization doesn't like that?  Timeline allows people to graphically see the most important moments in your business.  Amazing how something as simple as a photograph and a couple of sentences can change the way people view you.  Today's marketing at its finest.

(Example of a Timeline in updating process:  http://www.facebook.com/FranLanMultimedia )

Not only does Timeline give people (especially the younger generations who expect visual aids and small sound bites) a feel for your businesses and what you can do, done right, it can infuse your own employees and co-workers with a sense of pride in your accomplishments.  "This is where we started, and this is how far we've come."  The corollary to that is "and the sky's the limit on how far we can go."   This is parallel to the the hope and future of the younger generation.  A social statement within a social network.



So, before you hit the help pages trying to go back to the original format, give it a try.