Facebook Timeline hasn’t always been as popular as it is now. A lot of users were annoyed when they were forced to adopt the new Facebook design. However, more and more companies are starting to realize that Facebook Timeline is a great tool to optimize your brand storytelling strategy.
Here are some examples to illustrate the possibilities Facebook Timeline provides. Take a look, be inspired, and create an outstanding Timeline yourself!
In order to design a Timeline, you must create a fanpage. On your screen you see several icons. Each of these icons represents a category:
After choosing a category, you’ll be asked the sector in which your company operates. You will also have to give your fanpage a name. Think carefully: this name is permanent, it can’t be changed afterwards. The final step is to attentively read the terms and conditions (as we all do, of course…). Congratulations: you now are the proud owner of a fanpage!
Since you now have a brand new company page, it’s time to show your audience what your company stands for. Ask yourself the question: what message do I want to convey? The next step is to translate this message into an attractive design. Not that creative? Here are some inspirational examples:
Combining the cover- and profile picture gives your Timeline a special touch. Take for example Fanta’s timeline. Aren’t you convinced yet? This blog clearly explains how to create designs like the one below.
Using visual content is a highly effective way to persuade your visitors, especially when you’re a B2C company. Make sure the cover of your Timeline represents the message your brand wants to convey. Who wouldn’t want to take a ride in this Ferrari?
Each company stands for something. Perhaps you provide great quality, or maybe your brand has emotional value to the customers. All this contributes to your brand identity. To engage, a customer must be able to identify him/herself with the brand. Moreover, your brand must express some sort of energy. Redbull is a great example: can you feel the energy?
I remember when I was a young girl, I wasn’t able to resist the big Nutella yar in the upper cupboard of the kitchen. Can you blame me? I mean, take a look at the illustration below: doesn’t this chocolate delight look delicious?
A lot of companies push our social buttons. Somehow, emphasizing the ‘we-spirit’ makes a company look trustworthy. The New York Times knows this. Talking about ‘a happy family’…
The colors we choose for our marketing materials affect the impact they make on our target market. Colors could create a physical reaction (for example: blue is known for its calming effect). Colors could also have a cultural meaning. Black, for example, is known as the color of death. Now, you wouldn’t want your brand to be associated with dead, would you? Think carefully about the colors you choose, because they have a huge impact… By using the right colors and the right level of contrast, you could create a special effect. Madonna’s timeline is a successful example.
Especially in the technology sector, focussing on one specific creation is quite common. Samsung’s whole page for instance is devoted to its newest design. Quite a smart move to introduce your newest product on the market!
Not only is Facebook Timeline a great way to create outstanding designs, it could also be a very useful medium to tell stories:
Adding life events to your timeline facilitates the storytelling process by providing a clear picture of your company’s history.
Sharing pictures is a great way to promote your products. You could set up a share-and-win contest: share this illustration and maybe you’ll soon be the owner of our newest product! Customers sharing and promoting your products, how great is that?
Make sure all of your followers are aware of your success, by addressing the most important moments as ‘star posts.’ A starred post is expanded to display the full width of the profile (843 by 403 pixels). Those posts won’t be overlooked!
So much content to share, so little time. Take for example blog articles, e-books, newsletters, video’s, infographics and so on. To reach a public as big as possible, you could choose to ‘pin’ a post. These messages remain on top of your timeline for seven days! Especially when announcing a big event, pinning is a great tool to draw attention.
Here are some more tips to create inspirational content.