How to Use Facebook’s New Page Design

Facebook has done it again. Now that we’ve had a chance to get acquainted with the new user interface for Personal Profiles, they’ve upgraded the design for Official Pages (commonly known as Business Pages, Fan Pages, or simply, Pages).

This tutorial will walk you through the changes.

The first thing you need to know is that once you upgrade to the new version, it’s set in stone. You can NOT revert to the old version.

Photo Placement: Front and Center

This change makes a great deal of sense, as Facebook offers unlimited photo uploads on Pages, and images are proven to increase interactivity on a Page.

• Similar to personal profiles, the five most recent photos you post to your Wall are displayed in random order at the top of your Page, as well as photos in which you tag as being associated with your Page.
• Photos posted by your fans will not display here. Only photos published by a Page admin will display.
• If you don’t want a photo to show on your Home Page, mouse over it and click X. People can still view the photo on the Photos Page.

You can also unhide photos you’ve formerly turned off. Here’s how:

1. Select the “Edit Page” button from the top-right of your Page.
2. Select the “Profile Picture” tab.
3. Select the “Unhide All” button that appears next to “Row of photos at top of profile.”

There is no way to unhide individual photos at this time.

Bye Bye, Navigation Tabs

Those irritating Navigation tabs that never seemed to display the way I wanted them to are a thing of the past. They now appear as clickable links beneath your Page’s profile picture.

And the Information box that used to display below your profile picture?

Gone. Well, moved, anyway. That info is now housed in the Info link that appears directly below your profile picture.

Profile Pictures Change Sizes

Speaking of profile pictures, the maximum size for your profile picture on your Page is now 180 x 540px, down from 200 x 600.

To adjust the size of your Page’s profile picture:

1. Mouse over your current picture and click the
2. “Change Picture” link that appears.

Filters for Displaying Posts

There are now two ways to display posts publicly on your Page’s wall:

1. Posts by Page: You can show only your own Page’s posts.
2. Everyone: You can show top posts from Everyone.

Page admins get two additional filters for viewing posts:

1. Most Recent
2. Hidden Posts

To set a default filter for your Wall:

1. Click “Edit Page.”
2. You will be in the “Manage Permissions” area.
3. Where it says, “Wall Tab Shows,” select either “Everyone” or “Only Posts by Page.”
4. Customize the other elements in that area.
5. Click “Save.”

Use Facebook as Your Page

The language Facebook uses to describe functions often befuddles me. What they’re saying is that, just like I can “friend” others and comment on their Wall via my personal profile, I can now Like and comment on other Pages from my Page. In other words, when I’m logged in as a Page administrator and I Like or comment on someone’s Page, it shows that my PAGE (and not me, personally) likes that Page. And it displays the comment as coming from my Page, and not from me, personally.

Important Note:

All actions you take while using Facebook as [Insert name of your Page] will appear on Facebook as coming from your Page. For example, if I comment on a photo while I’m using Facebook as Blogging Bistro’s Page, then the comment will appear from Blogging Bistro, and not from me.

This is a major improvement, because oodles of people who represent a company but prefer to personally remain behind the scenes couldn’t Like others’ Pages and remain anonymous. This now transfers the Liking to where it should be: from the Page itself.

One nice thing about this feature: You can switch from using your Page as Your Page (boy, that sounds confusing) to using your Page as your personal profile account name with the click of a button.

You’ll find the button in the upper righthand corner of your Page. Try clicking it a couple of times and see what happens. Your Facebook Page won’t explode… I promise!

Another Important Note:

You CANNOT use a separate e-mail and password to use Facebook as the Page you administer. To use Facebook as your Page, you must first log in to your personal profile.

1. Expand the Account drop-down menu located at the top right corner of Facebook.
2. Select “Use Facebook as Page.”
3. Click the “Switch” button next to the Page you’d like to log in as.

This new feature also:

1. Automatically provides red on-site notifications when new people like your Page and when they comment and post to your Page.
2. Allows you to view a News Feed for your Page, populated with updates from your Page and from other Pages you like.
3. Allows you to feature other Pages you like on your Page

You cannot use Facebook as the Page you administer from your mobile phone. Oh well, you can’t have it all!

Important questions about using Facebook as your Page

Can I interact with people while using Facebook as my Page?

If a person allows everyone on Facebook to comment on their posts, it is possible for you to comment on their posts as your Page.

What if another Page posts spam on the Page I admin?

You have the same options for reporting posts and comments made by other Pages as you do for posts and comments made by people. You can also ban other Pages from your Page.

How can I remove an information field that I don’t want appearing on the Page I admin?

Delete the content within that field.

How do I change the category of the Page that I admin?

1. Go to the Page you administer.
2. Click the “Edit Page” button in the top right corner.
3. Select “Basic Information” from the left column menu. Select the Page grouping and the appropriate category for your Page. There is no limit to the number of times you can change the category of your Page.
4. Click “Save.”

What happens when I change the category of the Page I administer?

When you change the category of your Page, you’ll be able to add information in the additional fields that apply to the newly selected category. Your Page will also be listed in profile field corresponding to the newly selected category, visible in the profiles of people who like your Page. Finally, when people search for your Page, the new Page category will be visible next to the Page name.

Page Posting Preferences (PPP)

We’re almost there, folks. This final new feature allows you to set defaults for:

1. Your e-mail notifications
2. How you post to your Page (as yourself – personal profile – or as your Page).
3. Which featured Pages display in the left column of your Page.

To change your PPP:

1. Go to your Page. Go directly to your Page. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200. (Sorry, I’m getting giddy!)
2. Click “Edit Page” in the top righthand corner.
3. Click “Your Settings” in the left column menu.

To select which Pages appear in Favorite Pages:

1. Click “Edit Page.”
2. Click “Featured.”

How to feature specific Page admins in the “Page Owners” section of your Page:

1. Click the “Edit Page” button in the top-right corner of your Page.
2. Select “Featured” from the left column menu.
3. Click on the “Add Featured Page Owners” button, and select admins to feature.

How to feature other Pages on your Page:

Your Page can “like” other Pages, and those will be shown on the left side of your Page. To feature Pages:

1. Click the “Edit Page” button in the top-right corner of your Page.
2. Select “Featured” from the left column menu.
3. Click on the “Add Featured Pages” button.
4. Click “Add Featured Likes.”
5. Choose Pages you’d like to feature. Note: you need to be connected to Pages from your personal profile in order to feature them on the Page you admin.
6. Click “Save.”

Featured Likes will rotate on the left of your Page.

Questions about e-mail notifications

Is it possible to use a different e-mail address for receiving Page e-mail notifications?

Nope. You receive Page e-mail notifications at the primary e-mail address connected with your personal profile.

Is it possible to control the frequency at which I receive e-mail notifications for the Page I administer?

No way, José!

Ok. We’re done. Wasn’t that fun?

I know you’re gonna want to print this tutorial so you can use it as you figure out Facebook’s new Page interface. You can print out a pretty PDF of this post by clicking the “Printable PDF” button below the post.

Let me know how this tutorial helped you. And if you have questions, I will make a valiant attempt to answer them.