Pretty soon, all Facebook Pages (for businesses, brands, bands, and media) will resemble the newest redesign for Facebook profiles. But you can choose to upgrade now!
So what’s different? And how can I use the new Facebook Page functionality to promote my music?
Those are great questions, and we’d love to hear from artists who are already putting the new design to good use. But here is what we know so far:
1) No more tabs up top. Now there is a left-hand link panel beneath the profile picture. But there is a trade-off. While your tab names can be longer, the placement may mean less people click the tabs. Artists may need to put a little more thought into keeping their wall/posts engaging or make sure that the default landing tab displays the most interesting content.
2) Photostrip across the top allows artists to create a broader AND more immediate impression with the additional emphasis on the visuals. Put your best press shots and live photos up there!
3) Pages can now “like” Pages. In layman’s terms this means that now your band can like other bands, promoters, clubs, bookers, DJs, reviewers, etc. You don’t have to “friend them” first through your personal Facebook profile and then hope the admin linkup happens quickly. This will open a number of new networking possibilities to you. Plus, you won’t have to clutter your personal profile for the sake of your art.
4) The USE FACEBOOK AS “PAGE NAME” feature lets you interact with the Facebook world as your band/artist-name. There are at least 2 big benefits here for musicians. First, you can create an event on your band page, then share it on your personal profile. Then, closer to the date of the event, you can “Use Facebook As” and re-share the event back on the originating band page.
Also, if your page has a lot of interaction (posts, comments, etc.) it used to be difficult to monitor the page without constant scrolling. Now, when you click the “Use Facebook As” option, you’ll see all the new “likes” and “notifications” that have occurred since your last log in.
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I’m sure Facebook will be making additional tweaks in the coming weeks, and it’ll be exciting to hear how artists will use the new features. If you already have advice, tricks, or discoveries to share regarding Facebook’s Page upgrades, please tell us in the comments section below.
-Chris R. at CD Baby
