DIY Facebook Timeline Design For Business

DIY FACEBOOK TIMELINE DESIGN FOR BUSINESS PAGES

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Table of Contents

GETTING STARTED ON YOUR TIMELINE DESIGN (GUIDE TO THE BASICS) ... 2 7 FREE DIY RESOURCES TO HELP YOU CUSTOMIZE YOUR TIMELINE ......... 10 WHAT ARE FACEBOOK APPS, CUSTOM TAB IMAGES, AND PAGES? ......... 15 HOW TO ADD AN APP TO YOUR TIMELINE .............................................. 17 HOW TO CREATE (AND EDIT) CUSTOM APP PAGES.................................. 20 HOW TO ADD (AND EDIT) CUSTOM TAB IMAGES .................................... 24 MORE TIMELINE DESIGN TIPS, INSPIRATION, AND RESOURCES ............... 30

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DIY Facebook Timeline Design For Business

Getting Started On Your Timeline Design (Guide To The Basics)

There are some fabulous Facebook Timeline designs out there. Some businesses feature intricate, artistic designs crafted by graphic design gurus and others have subtle, yet ingenious ideas that were clearly implemented by a highly paid, professional marketing and design team. Youre going to create something just as sexy. And youre going to do it yourself! So, lets get started. First things first. There are a few basics youre going to need to know before diving into the creation of your new Timeline masterpiece. In addition to all the ins and outs of the various Timeline specifications, design tidbits, and marketing tips that you will learn, you will also be able to protect your Page by knowing the rules and restrictions that Facebook has regarding the use of your Timeline.

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DIY Facebook Timeline Design For Business

Getting To Know The Timeline Image Sizes

Before you start even thinking of design elements, which photos to use, or implementing any other design elements and marketing ideas, youre going to need to know the size of the Timeline images that Facebook allows you to customize.

Here is a screenshot to give you a visual overview of the sizes of every image you are able to customize on your Timeline:

Heres a rundown of the image dimensions you see in the template screenshot (there are 3 different areas that can be customized):

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Cover Photo (the big background) is 851x315 pixels Profile Image is 160x160 pixels App Tab Images are 111x74 pixels

Important Note (Re: Profile Photo): There is something to remember when creating your Profile Photo. The size that appears in the template is the size that will appear on your Timeline when you upload it (160x160 pixels). However, Facebook requires that you upload a profile photo that is at least 180x180 pixels and Facebook automatically shrinks it down. Therefore, make sure it is proportionate (square) so that it looks the same as what you had planned.

Timeline Cover Photo Rules And Restrictions

As a business owner and a marketer, it was pretty exciting when the Timeline layout was first announced. Imagine all the possibilities for promoting your URL, contact information, and the creative call-to-actions that would be possible in such a big space. The Timeline layout went live, and it was a happy day. And then the rules were posted, and it was a sad day.

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Unfortunately, Facebook does not want you using the top of your business Page for sales pitches and creative advertising spots. In fact, they have very clear rules in place that apply to the Timeline cover image. Those rules are as follows:
Cover photos cannot include: Price or purchase information, such as 40% off or Download it at our website. Contact information such as a website address, email, mailing address, or information that should go in your Pages About section. References to Facebook features or actions, such as Like or Share or an arrow pointing from the cover photo to any of these features. Calls to action, such as Get it now or Tell your friends. Covers must not be false, deceptive or misleading, and must not infringe on third parties intellectual property.

Source: Facebook

Sounds a bit discouraging from a business marketing standpoint, doesnt it?

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Well, it is a bit of a let down, but all it really means is that you have to be a tad more creative in order to work around the restrictions. Everyone, including your competition, is following the same rules, so at least its a level playing field, right?

That being said, there are many Page owners blatantly breaking the rules and getting away with it, while many others are finding ways to work barely within the rules in order to get their message across to their visitors.

Its not recommended that you break any rules or even come close, as you would not want to have your Page disabled and shut down, but it is interesting to see how creative some brands can be.

Examples Of How To Work Around Within The Rules

Theres a fine line between breaking the rules and working within them creatively.

If you spend some time looking at Timeline designs on Facebook you will discover many brands with cover photos that make you wonder if, in fact, they are actually within the rules.

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Take a look at a few examples of how some Timeline cover designs creatively walk a fine line within the rules in order to get their way and display what Facebook asks them not to within their policies.

YARDSALE Yardsale gets tricky by using a photo of a sale display that includes offer details as well as the brands domain name.

BUT, its just a photo that happens to have some of those elements in it.

Are they still within the rules? Who knows, but theyve had this image for a while, so maybe Facebook is ok with it?

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HAVE1.COM Unlike Yardsale, this one isnt really sneaky or subtle in any way.

How do they get away with that BIG URL? Well, thats because HAVE1.COM is their actual business name and theres nothing in the rules that states that you cant have your business name in the Timeline cover photo, right?

So, are they within the rules?

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SOCIAL IDENTITIES What if you dont have a photo of a sale as useful (and as tricky) as Yardsale and your business name isnt a domain name like Have1.com?

Well, you can do what Social Identities did and add your URL to your profile photo.

If you noticed when you read the rules, Facebooks policies are specific to the Timeline cover photo and do not specify and rules for the profile photo.

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For the record, these have all been live for quite some time and appear to be ok with Facebook (based on how long they have been active). Smart marketing or breaking the rules? You decide what is right for your business when you create your own Timeline design.

Now that you know the specs and the rules, its time to get started on the fun part of creating your Timeline design.

7 Free DIY Resources To Help You Customize Your Timeline

You might be thinking that creating an awesome Facebook Timeline design is going to be difficult if you have little or no design skills.

Well, thats not the case if you know where to go to get the help you need.

Here are 7 free online resources that will help you with adding awesome design elements and other features that will give your business a professional appearance on Facebook as well as add the marketing aspects that will help it grow.

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TIMELINE SLICER LITE Dont have Photoshop? Then it might be difficult to use the Photoshop template that is included with this guide, right? No problem, just head over to Timeline Slicer Lite!

Timeline Slicer is a web-based app that allows you to easily drag & drop images, position them into an online version of a Timeline template, and then slice n save them to fit perfectly into your Timeline.

Wait, why is it called Lite? Well, theres also a paid version that has more features including actual image editing capabilities.

It is called Timeline Slicer Pro

PAGEMODO Pagemodo is a fully-featured, do-it-yourself solution for creating and customizing all aspects of your Facebook business pages. No graphic design or coding skills required. The site provides ready-made templates, plus the ability to add social apps that extend the functionality and interactivity on your page.

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Pagemodo features include: User-customized templates Photo galleries Like gates Video templates Fan coupons Maps and locations Twitter feeds Contact forms

*Pagemodo is free for one custom page, but has optional upgrade options.

FACE IT PAGES FaceItPages is also a do-it-yourself Facebook design solution but focuses more on allowing the users to create and customize their Facebook landing (custom app) pages. Features of FaceItPages include: Photo gallery and custom header Interactive content editor Multiple page templates

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DIY Facebook Timeline Design For Business

Branded contact section Page tabs Social networks and other links Lead-capture form Embedded video and music Google Analytics integration FaceItPages offers a free option that allows you to create one page, and several monthly subscription packages if you want to continue using it to create more.

ANIMOTO Animoto provides an easy to use solution that allows you to upload your pictures, music, and even your video clips and combine them into a 30 second music video. If you don't have your own music, they even provide an extensive library of royalty-free music you are able to use.

Its as easy as uploading some pictures or a few video clips, add some some text, and the program does the rest. In a matter of minutes, you have a professional 30-second video ready to upload to YouTube.

Then, you can copy/paste the code provided on YouTube embed it into your Facebook Timeline custom app page.

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JING Jing is another way to share images and video but with a twist. You can instantly capture images and/or record video on your computer and then share them immediately with a link that is provided for you (Jing hosts the files). This is great for creating screencast videos quickly without having to use a video editing software.

JOT FORM Every business online needs some type of submission form (newsletter sign up, ordering, basic contact, etc.).

JotForm is a free online form builder that allows you to do-it-yourself in a VERY simple way. Using a drag and drop form creator, you easily create the form you desire (no matter how detailed), copy a line of code to embed the form, and then get responses to your email.

JotForm is a fast and easy way to add a form to your Facebook pages.

MY ECOVER MAKER Need a slick digital 2D or 3D cover image for your eBook, report, CD, DVD, etc. for your Facebook Timeline design? Well, usually those are designed in Photoshop using actions or templates that will cost you money. If you dont

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have Photoshop (or any of those actions/templates), just head over to MyEcoverMaker.com and point-and-click your way to an awesome digital product cover in minutes.

Choose from 5 different templates for free or if you need more, you can sign up to choose from over 40 styles of ecovers and 90 designs you can add from templates.

Now that you have free online resources to help you design the cover photo design, but lots of do-it-yourself resources that will help you easily add awesome features to your custom app pages that will help your business grow on Facebook.

So, lets go over the details of what exactly tabs, apps and pages are.

What Are Facebook Apps, Custom Tab Images, And Pages?

It might be confusing if you read about Facebook Timeline features on several different sources. Thats because not everyone refers to each aspect of the Timeline (i.e.; apps, tabs, pages) the same.

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DIY Facebook Timeline Design For Business

For clarification, lets break it down so that moving forward its easy to understand what each part of this guide is referring to.

Facebook Apps (Custom Apps / Pages) Basically, Facebook apps (applications) are plugged into your Timeline in order to add special features to your Page.

Or as Facebook puts it:

to enhance your experience on the site with engaging games and useful features like Events and Photos

Custom Tab Images Facebook tab is a term that comes from the old Facebook timeline layout where there was actual tabbed navigation. Facebook now refers to these as custom tab images. They are the rectangle images at the bottom right of the Timeline cover photo, linking you to view the content of the apps/pages that you have created.

Custom Apps & Landing Pages Even if youre not developing official apps to be added to the Facebook App Center, custom apps are still sometimes referred to as the pages you create to add your own custom content.

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For instance, lets say your business has a newsletter and you have a sign up form that you want to add. That scenario still requires that you install an app into your Page that allows you to create a custom app page.

Landing pages are just what it sounds like - a page where a visitor lands. The term is used in online business and marketing to describe any page that has visitors sent to it in order to prompt a specific action or result. The custom app pages on your Timeline are also often referred to as Landing Pages.

Ok, now that we got all that out of the way, lets start adding apps, tabs, and pages.

How To Add An App To Your Timeline

Find The App You Want To find an existing app that you want to add, start by typing the topic or the name of a particular app in the search box at the top of Facebook.

You can also browse the App Center if you prefer, but this is how it looks from the search bar:

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Click on the app you want to choose, or you can click on the magnifying glass to the right of the search bar to produce more search results.

Installing The App After youve clicked the app, you will be taken to a welcome screen where you will continue the process by clicking a link to install the app. This may vary from app to app since many welcome screens are customized to reflect the app developers logo, colors, graphics, etc.

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Choosing A Page Next, you will come to a screen that has a dropdown menu of all the Pages you own (or are an admin for).

Click on it and choose which Page you would like the app added to.

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*Note: If your Page does not appear in the dropdown menu, then that means the app has already been installed on that Page.

From there you will be asked for various details, depending on the app. For instance, since this particular app pulls a feed from your YouTube account, you will be asked for your account username, which videos to show, etc.

How To Create (And Edit) Custom App Pages

Ok, now that you know how to add an app to your Timeline, its time to learn how to add a custom app page.

The way to do this is very similar to adding any app, especially since the process requires you to add an existing app in order to add your own content.

If that doesnt make sense, it will in a minute.

Heres what you need to do:

Add The Static HTML App

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Remember when you used the search bar to find the YouTube app earlier? Well, this time, youre going to install an app that sets up a blank page that allows you to add whatever content you want, including the option to use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

The app is so popular and widely used that you just need to type static into the search bar and it should be the first result. Youll know you have the right app if you see the grey icon with a star in the middle as pictured below.

Heres a direct link to the Static HTML app page for your convenience.

Install The App Follow the steps (as outlined earlier when you saw how to install the YouTube app), and once installed, you will see the apps icon appear as one of your app images.

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DIY Facebook Timeline Design For Business

Next, making sure youre still logged into your Facebook account, click on the icon of the app you just installed (the star).

You will now see a window that allows you to create a custom app page using a simple-to-use editor.

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DIY Facebook Timeline Design For Business

*Note: Facebook allows a maximum width of 810 pixels, so remember that when adding images, etc. As you can see, there are two sections that allow you to add content. One is Public Content, and the other is Fans-only content.

As they both clearly suggest, one is for everyone (both your fans and nonfans alike) and the other is only viewable by visitors who have Liked your Page.

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This can be extremely powerful for generating a lot of Likes (fans) by adding special content to the fans only section and then enticing visitors to Like your Page by promising the valuable content once they have clicked the Like button.

For instance, lets say you had a video series on How To Create An Awesome Timeline Design. In the Public Content, you could add a callto-action, inviting your visitors to Like This Page To Watch The Videos. Once they click the Like Button, they will be redirected to the Fans-only content section where you would have the videos embedded and waiting for them.

If you dont know code, it doesnt matter. You can grab the code needed to embed content from any of the 7 DIY resources that were listed earlier, or you can use the Static HTML apps built in drag and drop feature.

How To Add Multiple Custom App Pages

What if one custom app page is not enough? Thats ok, because the Static HTML app allows you to very easily add multiple pages to your Timeline. All you have to do is click the Add Tabs button and then choose Second Tab, and then keep adding as many as you want (up to 12 in total).

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Need More Help Using This App To Create Custom Pages? This apps Facebook Page has a discussion forum where you can get support from both the developers and users who have had similar questions.

How To Add (And Edit) Custom Tab Images

Now that you have your apps and pages set up, you will need to know how to add custom tab images, because the default ones that most apps come with are ugly. *Note: Facebook doesnt allow you to replace the tab images for the default Timeline apps built into Facebook (Photos, Likes, Videos, Notes, And Events), but the rest are fair game.

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DIY Facebook Timeline Design For Business

If you remember from earlier (the Timeline design template), the size of a custom tab image is 111x74 pixels.

Once you have your tab image design ready and saved, then you can upload the image to the Timeline and replace the default one. You can also edit the tab image name (text that appears under the link), and rearrange the order of the tabs to best suit your Timeline design.

Heres an overview of how to do all of those things step by step.

How To Upload And Change A New Custom Tab Image

If you havent done this before, it might not be obvious as there are a few quirky steps in the process of changing your tab images.

Click The Arrow At The Right Of Your Apps/Tab Images That little arrow with the number of apps you have beside it will create a dropdown of all the apps you have installed and also create the ability to edit them.

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DIY Facebook Timeline Design For Business

After you click this icon, you will see all your apps listed. Hover over the one you want to edit. When you do, you will see an edit icon appear in the top right corner of the tab image. Click on that icon to make changes.

From the dropdown menu that appears, choose Edit Settings

Now you will get a window that pops up allowing you to change the custom tab name (the text that appears under the tab image) and also follow through to change the custom tab image.

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DIY Facebook Timeline Design For Business

As you can see in the example below, Free Templates has been added as the custom tab image name. You can click Save and the window will remain open.

To continue to change the custom tab image, click Change next to Custom Tab Image.

This will open a new window in your browser that looks like the following screenshot (when you click the text link that reads Change, the window to choose an image pops up over it.

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Once you have uploaded your new custom tab image, it will appear in place of the default one and you can go ahead and close that window in the browser.

Your original Facebook window should still be open and you can go ahead and click Okay (on the window that had original popped up) now that you have uploaded the new image.

Refresh your Timeline and VOILA! You now have a custom tab image installed. Simply repeat the process for any of the other tab images that you want changed.

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How To Rearrange Your Custom Tab Images

Changing the order of your images is easy, but remember the Photos app will always remain the first one to the left and cant be moved.

You basically follow the same process as when you uploaded a new custom tab image, except this time you choose to swap image positions from the edit settings dropdown menu:

1. Click the arrow to the right of the tabs to display all the apps 2. Hover over which tab image you want to move 3. Click on the edit icon 4. Under the heading swap position with, choose which app you want to swamp positions with. (you may have to do this a few times to get the exact order you want if you have a few apps to move around)

*Tip: Swap your top 3 app positions every now and then to split test which positions get the best results on your Page.

More Timeline Design Tips, Inspiration, And Resources

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DIY Facebook Timeline Design For Business

There are many smaller things you can pay attention to when managing your Timeline that can make a big impact on how your visitors interact with your business on Facebook.

Here are a few tips to remember after your Timeline design is finished:

Optimize Your About Section On your main Timeline Page, below your profile photo, is an About section. You have 140 characters here to highlight your business. Be sure to make it count. Also, dont forget to add a clickable link to your website since this is the only area within the top Timeline area that allows you to do so.

Add Links To Your Timeline Cover and Profile Photo Descriptions When people click on your cover photo or profile image, they will see a pop up window of the image as well as a description box to the right of it.

Be sure to take advantage of the description area and add a clickable URL inside the description (just type a full URL to make it clickable) and use short lines of text with it (a big paragraph is often skimmed over by the reader)

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DIY Facebook Timeline Design For Business

Timeline Image Dimensions When you add a Milestone, Highlight a post, or share a photo, Facebook crops a thumbnail view of those images to view on your Timeline.

Sometimes, you may want to make sure that the full image appears in the thumbnail view so its good to know the exact width and height. Highlighted Post & Milestone Images: 843x43 pixels

Any Shared Photo: 403x403 pixels

Timeline Design Examples For Inspiration

Even if youre using some of the DIY solutions listed earlier, you may want to take a look at some creative Timeline designs to get ideas and inspiration for making sure yours is amazing.

Here are a few resources that list a ton of awesome Timeline design examples to get your creative juices flowing:

75 Surprisingly Creative Facebook Timeline Covers http://slodive.com/inspiration/showcase/facebook-timeline-covers/

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DIY Facebook Timeline Design For Business

40 Creatively Awesome Facebook Timeline As Used By Brands http://slodive.com/inspiration/showcase/facebook-timeline-brands/

30 Amazing Examples of Timeline Facebook Cover http://smashinghub.com/timeline-facebook-cover.htm

More Facebook Timeline Ideas And Resources

Facebook changes ALL the time, and as a business, you want to stay up to date on the latest happenings and trends so that you can continue to make the most of your Business Page.

Here are a few resources to help you become a Facebook for Business rockstar:

Mari Smith Mari Smith is quite easily the Queen of Facebook knowledge and her site is JAMMED PACKED full of useful tips for businesses.

Inside Facebook Inside Facebook provides daily news and analysis for developers, marketers, and investors.

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DIY Facebook Timeline Design For Business

Social Media Examiner Social Media Examiner, the worlds largest online social media magazine, is designed to help businesses discover how to best use social media tools like Facebook, Google+, Twitter and LinkedIn to connect with customers, generate more brand awareness and increase sales.

Thats It!

Show me your Timeline Design!

You can see some Ive done for clients here: http://suitej.com/facebook Follow me on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/SuiteJ Watch me make $1k/week in Passive Income (From Scratch) Here: http://1kEx.com Cheers, Jay Piecha http://SuiteJ.com

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