Facebooks new Page Guidelines

When Facebook made the Timeline available for brands earlier last week, my head went into YEY-mode. Finally we could utilize graphics to drive engagement and not only words. The timeline made available a workflow, rather than just posting. As a marketeer you could build engaging campaigns where the user got several chances to opt-in.

Cover Photo restrictions on Facebook

However, as with most things Facebook, things weren’t what they seemed to be at first. The new Page guidelines for Facebook is a joke. Why would I, honestly, want to convert my page into Timeline if I am not allowed to use the benefits of the timeline? Here is what I mean:

Covers may not include:

i.    price or purchase information, such as “40% off” or “Download it on socialmusic.com”;
ii.    contact information such as a website address, email, mailing address, or information that should go in your Page’s “About” section;
iii.    references to Facebook features or actions, such as “Like” or “Share” or an arrow pointing from the cover photo to any of these features; or
iv.    calls to action, such as “Get it now” or “Tell your friends.

Not allowed

Wtf… Why would I want to move my Like button from above the fold to below the fold with a cover photo, if I am not allowed to direct the attention of the user to the new position of the “Like” button? I wanted to utilize the newly added space to drive engagement. By doing this they severely cripple my options in doing that. Not only because they have limited what I can write in my cover, but also because this limits my users usability of the page. If they click an ad or a story from my page, then they most likely want to either read more or Like the page. If I am not allowed to direct them towards completing this goal, then the page becomes worse than it originally should have been.

I am 100% sure this retarded kind of behavior from Facebooks side will hurt their business in the long run. I am also fully aware that it has everything to do with the fact that they are based in the US and that their sales organization mostly consist of people from old display ads sales forces. They do not know how to sell creative campaigns and products and thus Facebook limit creative marketeers to utilize their own creativity in creating campaigns. “Buy ads or get booted” is the clear message from Facebook. The old “build user value and win” does not hold anymore.

However, since the effect of even buying ads will decrease as a result of these changes, I really wonder how they have thought here. Perhaps it is legal getting the upper hand of the internal fights?

All the rules governing you when creating your campaigns

Last but not least, they have changed texts in all of these guidelines and I recommend you to read all of them carefully. Facebook, could you please at least

 

4 thoughts on “Facebooks new Page Guidelines”

  1. I really think that these rules might help you in the long run, especially if your market includes young people. We really do not like to be told what to do. Don’t tell me to like your page, if I like it I will like it. Use your page to build your brand rather than for selling.

    Reply
  2. Oh Megan you are SO wrong. Young people, in ALL research actually like to get told what to do. They react to clearly defined directions as they are so very uncommon otherwise in the modern society. If I compare conversion rates before and after I used the arrows, they are a lot lower when I removed them. For all pages, including many types of different demographics.

    You cannot build a brand with display advertising in an online environment. However you can build it with engagement. You accomplish engagement by giving people simple tasks that they can follow and a clear direction of what will happen when they complete the tasks. There is nothing more too it!

    Reply
  3. Hi

    Can anyone tell me if in Facebook you can or cant send messages to business pages offering them a service or product? Pages are there and are even advertising to get likes and interaction so can I message them and offer them something? Facebook frowns upon commercial messages from members to members but what about to businesses?

    REALLY appreciate input on this one please!

    Reply

Leave a Comment