Facebook announced a major update for fan pages today. The update includes some changes but also new features.
The update announced by Facebook is intended to make some fundamental changes to fan pages. It will remove "likes," add a completely new user interface layout, and integrate a dedicated news feed. Navigation will also be simplified. Admin controls will also be updated, meaning permissions can be more easily customized in the future. Furthermore, new security and integrity features will be added.
Facebook fan pages: “cleaner and leaner”
The social media giant announced the update in a new blog post. These are the new main features and changes:
- Redesigned layout that is simpler and more intuitive
- Dedicated news feed to discover and join conversations, follow trends, interact with like-minded people and engage with fans
- Easy navigation between personal profile and pages
- Updated task-based admin controls that give trusted site administrators full control or partial access
- Actionable insights and more relevant notifications
- Security and integrity features to detect spam content and impersonator accounts
The new interface is designed to make it easier to switch between personal profiles and public pages. Facebook also said it's "cleaner and sleeker" than before. The focus is on bios, posts, and important information. is called it in the article:
Important changes in the News Feed
We're extending the power of News Feed to fan Pages for the first time. Now Pages can discover and join conversations, follow trends, interact with like-minded people, and engage with fans. The dedicated News Feed will also suggest new connections - other public figures, Pages, groups, and recent content of interest to a Page or public figure.
To make Page conversations visible to a wider audience and appear more frequently in followers' news feeds, comments from public figures are moved to the top of the comments section. Users can also follow Pages directly via comments and recommendations.
Another focus is “richer interactive conversations,” which is why the relaunch of fan pages includes a new text-based Q&A format.
Facebook Fan Pages: Bye Bye “Likes”
One of the biggest changes is the abolition of "likes" for pages. Facebook has shifted the whole thing to followers:
We're removing likes and focusing on followers to simplify the way people connect with their favorite Pages. Unlike likes, followers of a Page represent the people who can receive updates from Pages, helping to give public figures a stronger indication of their fanbase.
But admins also get their money's worth. They will probably be pleased with the improved administration functions:
We've added new features for page management - like the ability to more clearly assign and manage admin access rights based on specific tasks. For example, you can now assign different levels of access for managing specific tasks like Insights, Ads, Content, and Community Activity & Messages. This also ensures account security and integrity.
Facebook: Visibility of a verified badge is expanded
Finally, Facebook explained that it uses the verified badge to ensure community safety and improve detection of blocked content:
We want Facebook to be a safe place to connect with your fans, so we've improved our ability to detect activity that isn't allowed on our platform, including hate speech, violent, sexual or spammy content, and impersonations. We're continuing to expand the visibility of a verified badge to make it easier to spot posts and comments from authentic Pages and profiles. A verified Page's comment on another Page's public post may appear higher in the comments section and be visible in the News Feed.
The update for fan pages will be rolled out starting today. However, according to Facebook, it will take a few months for the update to reach all fan pages. (Image: Facebook)
