Facebook Timeline for Pages – Frequently Asked Questions

February 29, 2012 By Tim Ware 103 Comments

BUG UPDATE: Two TIMELINE BUGS you should be aware of:

Like Button does not refresh the page: FIXED! (03.07.12) Facebook Bug Report;
810px Timeline Apps not centered in containing div: FIXED! (03.07.12) Facebook Bug Report.

If you’re experiencing problems, you might also check:

Known Issues on Facebook Page
Known Facebook Bugs — BUG UPDATE: Two TIMELINE BUGS you should be aware of:
- Like Button does not refresh the page: FIXED! (03.07.12) Facebook Bug Report;
- 810px Timeline Apps not centered in containing div: FIXED! (03.07.12) Facebook Bug Report.
If you’re experiencing problems, you might also check:
- Known Issues on Facebook Page
- Known Facebook Bugs — Report a Bug
February 29, 2012: We all woke up this morning to the news that Facebook is rolling out, as of NOW, Timeline for Facebook Pages. It was announced at the Facebook Marketing Conference.
RELATED: How to Create a Cool Facebook Timeline Cover Photo and Profile Picture Combo
Our tutorial shows you how to create a killer masthead design for your Facebook Page. RELATED: How to Use Timeline for Pages to Increase User Engagement
Analisa tells you how to take advantage of great Timeline features to make your Page more compelling!

Some brands were given a jump on this change, so that folks can see the Pages Timeline in action on the Today Show, Coca Cola and Red Bull pages. There’s some good news and bad news (but mostly good) for Page admins and marketers. First, the good news:
- Custom tabs can be up to 810px wide inside Facebook’s container which is 850px wide, with enforced left and right margins of 20px.
- You can create your own large thumbnail (“Custom Tab Image” or “View”) for all apps, even those you didn’t create!
- Make a Status Update “sticky”: You can “pin” status updates to keep them at the top of your updates for up to 7 days;
- A big juicy Cover Photo (851 x 315px) (although no advertising or promoting allowed!) PLUS your Profile Picture;
- You can preview all your existing Pages from one location: https://www.facebook.com/pages/status/
- And lots of other cool features.
The bad news (to some):
- No more ability to set a default landing tab (all users — fans and non-fans — land on Timeline/Wall);
- Wall conversations suffer from the 2-column layout, fragmenting the flow of conversation.
- No more “Recommendations” area. The Recommendations section finally made its re-appearance on March 13, 2012. Welcome back!
- No Photo strip, the row of 5 thumbnails at the top of your Page;
- Smaller profile picture: Previously 180 x 540px, it’s now displayed at 160w x 160h px (although the uploaded image must be at least 180 x 180px!) and nested in the Cover Photo. But, obviously, with the addition of the Cover Photo it’s a net gain;
- No left-column navigation: Tabs are now located at the top of the Page — a throwback to the old Page layout! And fewer tabs are displayed, down to 3 optional tabs from 5 in the old layout.
But really the news is mostly good, and there are MANY great new features. Here are the most frequently asked questions — and answers!

Frequently Asked Questions: Timeline for Facebook Pages

On the HyperArts Fan Page we’ve been fielding lots of questions — and getting answers from our fans — about Timeline for Facebook Pages. I am distilling the knowledge into a FAQ to help out.

Rollout details
- How much time do I have to change my Page to Timeline?
  
  Facebook says: “On March 30, 2012, all Facebook Pages will get a new design.” So Page Admins have about 30 days to re-do their Pages to accommodate the Timeline layout.
- Can I preview my Fan Page in Timeline before it goes live?
  
  YES. You are given an option to preview before publishing. And you can remain in Preview mode as you work on your Page to get it ready.
- How do I publish my Timeline Fan Page once I’m ready?
  
  When in Preview mode, you’ll see a “Publish Now” button. Click it!
Administration

One great feature of the new admin is that you can admin your Page without leaving the Page itself. The administration is displayed above the Page content. Admins can see all the Pages they admin, and preview any one, or all, of them by going to: https://www.facebook.com/pages/status.
- How do I edit my Timeline Facebook Page?
  
  At the top right of your Page, click the “Admin Panel” button: On the next screen, click the “Manage” tab at top right, then select “Edit Page”: This takes you to the Admin editing area you’re used to seeing.
- How do I specify a default landing tab for non-fans?
  
  You can’t! This will be a pain point for Page admins, but at least the larger Custom Image Tabs provide an opportunity for a Call to Action;
- How do I edit the “About” section that appears under the Cover Photo?
  
  Go to the Edit page area (see above on how to now get there). In the left column, select “Basic Information” and add your content to the “About” field. Approximately 160 characters will be displayed (including spaces), depending on where line breaks. NOTE: If your Facebook Page is a Place Page (you’ve specified an address in your settings), the “About” content for your Timeline is the category, address, phone number, and hours — and it’s auto-generated. (You may also have to “claim” your Place Page to have the About show up this way. I’m not sure.)<
  /li>
- What is the earliest date that can be set in the Timeline?
  
  The starting date for your Timeline is the date of your brand’s founding. The earliest option is 1000 AD!
- How do I manage the four tabs under the Cover Photo?
  
  You can manage 3 of the tabs — the Photos tab can’t be changed or moved. See below for detailed instructions on curating these 4 tabs (Facebook calls them “Views” and the 111 x 74px image the “Custom Tab Image”).
- How do I UNLIKE a Page?
  
  This option is now under the arrow that’s to the right of the “Message” button: Just select the “Unlike” option.
Design, Display and Layout

As you’ll notice, the layout for Timeline for Facebook Pages is pretty much identical to Timeline for Personal Profiles, so you can read my detailed tutorial on customizing your Timeline Cover Photo and Profile Picture to get creative ideas.
- How do I add a Cover Photo to my Timeline?
  
  Just click the “Add a Cover” button:
  You can then select a cover from your Photos or from your computer. The Cover Photo should be 851 x 315px, but you can position a larger image by dragging it. The inset Profile Picture displays at 160 x 160px (although the image you upload must be at least 180 x 180px), plus a 5-pixel white border.
- Can I use the Cover Photo to advertise promotions and deals?
  
  NO. Facebook explicitly states “This space is not meant for promotions, coupons, or advertisements.” Read Facebook’s Help on “How should I choose a cover photo for my Page?”
- Can I customize the Custom Tab Images under the Cover Photo?
  
  YES! With Timeline for Facebook Pages you can create a custom image — 111 x 74px — for all tabs EXCEPT Facebook’s own apps (Photos, Notes, Events, Videos, Links), and you can have a maximum of 4 (including the Photos tab) displayed, with the rest hidden. IMPORTANT: Page admins will see ALL of their tabs revealed by clicking the arrow. Non-admins will see a maximum of 12 tabs (including Photos), with 4 displayed and 8 hidden.
  
  How to change the order of the Custom Image Tabs (aka “Views”)
  
  You can change the order of your Custom Tabs EXCEPT for the Photos tab which is fixed at the first position. Click the down arrow to the right of the displayed tabs (the number next to the arrow is how many tabs you have): Once this screen is open, you can mouse over each tab’s Custom Tab Image to:
  - Swap the position of one tab with another;
  - Remove a tab from the Favorites (all the apps, both displayed or viewed via the arrow);
  - Edit the tab’s settings;
  - Uninstall the app.
  To change which tabs show up in your top 4
  
  Click the arrow to the right of the top 4 tabs, then mouse over the tab in the top 4 you want to replace. Next, click the edit “pencil” icon and select the app you want to have appear in your top 4. Voila! You can use the above method to re-order all of the tabs on your Page.
  
  To change the Custom Tab Image
  
  As mentioned above, you can change the Custom Tab Image for all tabs EXCEPT the tabs for Facebook’s own apps.
  1. Click: Admin Panel > Manage > Edit Page > Apps;
  2. Click “Edit Settings”;
  3. Next to “Custom Tab Image” click “Change”.
  The page where you can upload a new image actually (at this time) opens in a new window or tab: On this page, click “Change” and select and upload your image. You can upload a 111 x 74px image to replace the one that’s there. The screen where you upload a new image is in a new tab or window, so after you’ve uploaded a new Custom Tab Image, close that window (or tab) to get back to your Edit screen where you then must click “Okay” to finish the process.
- How do I control the photo that appears in the “Photos” Custom Tab View?
  
  This has been a bit buggy at rollout, but I believe Facebook intends this to be the latest uploaded photo.
  Unfortunately, at this time there doesn’t appear to be any way to control which photo shows up in the 4-tab row, like you could with the old Photostrip (the 5 thumbnails under the Page name), where you could mouse over the displayed image which would then display an “x” which, when clicked, deleted the photo from the Photostrip.
  TIP Until Facebook introduces a way to curate the image for the Photos tab, if you upload an image but don’t want it to replace your Photos tab image, re-upload the image you DO want after the image you DON’T want.
Posting content to your Timeline Facebook Page

There are some great new features for posting status updates to your Page, including
- “Pinning to the top” — making updates “sticky” so that they remain at the top of your Wall;
- “Highlight” updates to give them more prominence by extending them to 2 columns.
Here are the details:
- How do I keep a status update at the top of my Page?
  
  This is called “pinning” a post, and you may recognize this feature from blogging where you can make a post “sticky” so that it always remains at the top of your feed. As shown above, click the “pencil” icon at the top right of your update, where you can select among the options to pin it to the top, change the date, hide it or delete it. You can un-pin a post at any time, but the maximum time you can pin it to the top of your Wall is 7 days. Strategy Tip: Come up with a weekly posting feature — Fan of the Week, Blog post of the week, or a question for your fans that stays up at the top each week — to promote engagement.
- How do I highlight a status update?
  
  The “Highlight” allows you to have your status update extend ov
  er two columns. As shown in the image above, just click the “star” icon to highlight the update; click it again to un-highlight it.
- Can I both highlight a post AND pin it to the top?
  
  Nope. One or the other, but not both!
Custom iFrame Tabs — WOW!

This is a big one for brands and may, perhaps, make up for losing the ability to set a default landing tab. Custom Tabs can now be displayed at a whopping 810px! The width can be specified in your app settings: You also have the option to keep the tab width to 520px. If you choose this option, your canvas page will display centered in the 810px area provided by Facebook. Whichever width you choose will be the width of the iFrame for your canvas page content. If your app is 520px, you’ll see something like this (note the canvas page is centered): And if your app is 810px, you’ll see something like this:

Where’s the Like Button on my custom tab?

If you don’t see a Like button on your custom tab, it’s because you’re already a fan.

Facebook’s intent with these wider tabs? Think: Your Website on Facebook…

Yes, with most of the Facebook chrome removed and all that screen real estate, you can now have a version of your website right in Facebook! This would keep users within Facebook by providing users with a more website-like experience, thus reducing the need to send people back to your actual website. OK, that may sound cynical, but think about it. The more users stay on Facebook, the more they see advertising, which is at the core of soon-to-go-public Facebook’s business model. I wouldn’t be surprised to see some advertising sneaking onto these lovely widened custom tabs.

A few other cool new Timeline for Pages features
- The “masthead” is replaced by a navigation bar when you scroll beyond it, solving the “below the fold” problem. The navigation bar remains at the top of the screen as you scroll down.: You can use this reduced navigation bar to sort posts, see custom tabs, and more.
- You can now send private messages to Pages. When on a Page, click the “Message” button below the Cover Photo to write and send your message. Of course, this could become a source of spam for admins, but they should be able to block abusers;
- You can back-date your posts by clicking on the “change date” icon in the dropdown menu on each post (under the “pencil” icon);
- Pages can add “milestones” with images, to any point on their timeline. Brands can use this to highlight important events and company history.
So that’s Timeline for Pages! We think it’s a great change (except for losing the default landing tab!). What do you think?

Additional Resources
Word count: 2338 Last edited by Tim Ware on March 26, 2012 at 10:22 am

Default Layout set in Theme Settings

Content-Sidebar
Sidebar-Content
Content-Sidebar-Sidebar
Sidebar-Sidebar-Content
Sidebar-Content-Sidebar
Full Width Content

Custom Body Class

Custom Post Class

This post is already public. Public post preview not available.

Make Redirect Active. (check to turn on)
Open redirect link in a new window.
Add rel=”nofollow” to redirect link.
Show the Redirect URL below in the link instead of this page URL. NOTE: You may have to use the FULL URL below!

Redirect URL:

(i.e., http://example.com or /somepage/ or p=15 or 155. Use FULL URL including http:// for all external and meta redirects. )

Type of Redirect: (Default is 302)

NOTE: For This Option to work, the page or post needs to be published for the redirect to happen UNLESS you publish it first, then save it as a Draft. If you want to add a redirect without adding a page/post or having it published, use the Quick Redirects method.

Page Title:
Description: Facebook has rolled out Timeline for Pages. Here’s everything you need to know about setting your fan page up to take advantage of the new features.
2 remaining
Keywords:
0 remaining
advanced

Excerpt

Excerpts are optional hand-crafted summaries of your content that can be used in your theme. Learn more about manual excerpts.

Send trackbacks to:
(Separate multiple URLs with spaces)

Trackbacks are a way to notify legacy blog systems that you’ve linked to them. If you link other WordPress sites they’ll be notified automatically using pingbacks, no other action necessary.

Already pinged:

http://techcrunch.com/2012/02/29/how-to-use-timeline-for-pages/

http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/facebooks-timeline-cover-photo-time-to-get-creative/

http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/facebooks-timeline-cover-photo-time-to-get-creative/

Name Value
Key
Value1
Key
Value594071157

Add New Custom Field:
Name Value
Enter new

Custom fields can be used to add extra metadata to a post that you can use in your theme.

Allow comments.
Allow trackbacks and pingbacks on this page.

Author

26 March, 2012 @ 10:21 by Tim Ware
26 March, 2012 @ 10:10 by Tim Ware
26 March, 2012 @ 10:10 [Autosave] by Tim Ware
19 March, 2012 @ 15:52 by Tim Ware
19 March, 2012 @ 15:42 by Tim Ware
19 March, 2012 @ 15:40 by Tim Ware
14 March, 2012 @ 17:12 by Tim Ware
14 March, 2012 @ 9:01 by Tim Ware
9 March, 2012 @ 11:46 by Tim Ware
9 March, 2012 @ 11:45 by Tim Ware
8 March, 2012 @ 10:14 by Tim Ware
8 March, 2012 @ 10:11 by Tim Ware
8 March, 2012 @ 10:10 by Tim Ware
7 March, 2012 @ 9:01 by Tim Ware
7 March, 2012 @ 8:59 by Tim Ware
6 March, 2012 @ 11:09 by Tim Ware
6 March, 2012 @ 11:08 by Tim Ware
6 March, 2012 @ 11:04 by Tim Ware
5 March, 2012 @ 20:17 by Tim Ware
4 March, 2012 @ 12:40 by Tim Ware
4 March, 2012 @ 11:21 by Tim Ware
4 March, 2012 @ 11:12 by Tim Ware
4 March, 2012 @ 11:11 by Tim Ware
4 March, 2012 @ 11:09 by Tim Ware
4 March, 2012 @ 11:07 by Tim Ware
4 March, 2012 @ 11:05 by Tim Ware
4 March, 2012 @ 11:03 by Tim Ware
3 March, 2012 @ 19:29 by Tim Ware
3 March, 2012 @ 19:28 by Tim Ware
3 March, 2012 @ 18:40 by Tim Ware
3 March, 2012 @ 10:53 by Tim Ware
3 March, 2012 @ 10:34 by Tim Ware
3 March, 2012 @ 10:33 by Tim Ware
3 March, 2012 @ 10:31 by Tim Ware
3 March, 2012 @ 10:31 by Tim Ware
3 March, 2012 @ 10:30 by Tim Ware
3 March, 2012 @ 10:29 by Tim Ware
3 March, 2012 @ 10:18 by Tim Ware
3 March, 2012 @ 10:15 by Tim Ware
3 March, 2012 @ 8:56 by Tim Ware
3 March, 2012 @ 8:55 by Tim Ware
2 March, 2012 @ 11:11 by Tim Ware
2 March, 2012 @ 10:02 by Tim Ware
2 March, 2012 @ 10:01 by Tim Ware
2 March, 2012 @ 8:20 by Tim Ware
2 March, 2012 @ 8:18 by Tim Ware
2 March, 2012 @ 8:17 by Tim Ware
2 March, 2012 @ 8:11 by Tim Ware
2 March, 2012 @ 8:06 by Tim Ware
2 March, 2012 @ 7:53 by Tim Ware
2 March, 2012 @ 7:51 by Tim Ware
2 March, 2012 @ 7:49 by Tim Ware
2 March, 2012 @ 7:48 by Tim Ware
1 March, 2012 @ 20:50 by Tim Ware
1 March, 2012 @ 20:48 by Tim Ware
1 March, 2012 @ 19:39 by Tim Ware
1 March, 2012 @ 18:15 by Tim Ware
1 March, 2012 @ 18:14 by Tim Ware
1 March, 2012 @ 18:13 by Tim Ware
1 March, 2012 @ 16:58 by Tim Ware
1 March, 2012 @ 16:50 by Tim Ware
1 March, 2012 @ 16:04 by Tim Ware
1 March, 2012 @ 16:03 by Tim Ware
1 March, 2012 @ 15:56 by Tim Ware
1 March, 2012 @ 13:17 by Tim Ware
1 March, 2012 @ 13:05 by Tim Ware
1 March, 2012 @ 12:54 by Tim Ware
1 March, 2012 @ 12:53 by Tim Ware
1 March, 2012 @ 12:34 by Tim Ware
1 March, 2012 @ 12:19 by Tim Ware
1 March, 2012 @ 12:18 by Tim Ware
1 March, 2012 @ 11:59 by Tim Ware
1 March, 2012 @ 11:29 by Tim Ware
1 March, 2012 @ 11:26 by Tim Ware
1 March, 2012 @ 11:25 by Tim Ware
1 March, 2012 @ 11:15 by Tim Ware
1 March, 2012 @ 9:20 by Tim Ware
1 March, 2012 @ 9:02 by Tim Ware
1 March, 2012 @ 8:59 by Tim Ware
1 March, 2012 @ 8:47 by Tim Ware
1 March, 2012 @ 8:27 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 21:17 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 21:09 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 21:06 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 19:49 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 19:48 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 18:02 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 18:01 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 17:58 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 17:51 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 17:50 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 17:44 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 17:20 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 17:10 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 17:01 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 16:24 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 16:11 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 16:03 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 16:03 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 16:03 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 16:02 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 15:54 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 15:53 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 15:52 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 15:48 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 15:47 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 15:43 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 15:35 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 15:35 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 15:25 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 15:09 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 15:09 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 15:07 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 15:06 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 14:58 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 14:51 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 14:49 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 14:33 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 14:33 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 14:32 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 14:32 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 14:30 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 14:30 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 14:26 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 14:25 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 14:16 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 14:16 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 14:15 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 14:14 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 14:13 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 13:18 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 13:16 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 13:16 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 13:11 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 12:58 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 12:56 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 12:55 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 12:44 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 12:39 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 12:37 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 12:37 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 12:34 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 12:34 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 12:34 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 11:57 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 11:57 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 11:56 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 11:55 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 11:48 by Tim Ware
29 February, 2012 @ 11:41 by Tim Ware

Tim Ware
hyperarts.com/blog/
tim@hyperarts.com
192.168.123.103
Submitted on 2012/05/10 at 2:48 pm

Yes, you can still fan-gate Facebook custom page tabs. This tutorial should help.
Kathleen O’keefe- Kanavos
facebook.com/kathleen.o.kanavos
66.74.24.181
Submitted on 2012/05/10 at 11:51 am

I have interconnected my Timeline pg to my profile pg, LinkedIn &Twtter so that I can SHARE from Timeline for max reach. I LOVE that ability!!The problem is that sometimes when I hit the share button on Timeline a box will pop up saying “share on your wall” and then it goes to my profile pg which is what I want, but more often than not “share on your timeline” will pop up which is rediculous, because why would I want to share where I already am???It rather defeats the purpose of sharing. The inconsistency is annoying. Any suggestions?
Tim Ware
hyperarts.com/blog/
tim@hyperarts.com
192.168.123.103
Submitted on 2012/05/01 at 9:36 am | In reply to Wael Salman.

I can’t tell you why this is happening.
Wael Salman
facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001102716735
213.57.247.253
Submitted on 2012/05/01 at 7:13 am

Hi

I have like 10 Facebook fan pages that I have just created – No likes yet , however I am trying to edit – change permissions , and add about , etc details. Whenever I change and press Save – nothing happens …Can someone tell me what is the problem??
Should I wait until I get number of likes and then can edit it??
Tim Ware
hyperarts.com/blog/
tim@hyperarts.com
192.168.123.103
Submitted on 2012/04/24 at 12:25 pm | In reply to Rao Afzal.

You can’t hide the tab. You can move the Custom Tab Image from the top four so that the user has to click the arrow to see it. Or you can remove the tab from the navigation via your Page Admin area.
Rao Afzal
facebook.com/people/Rao-Afzal/1281095397
182.182.105.31
Submitted on 2012/04/24 at 12:03 pm

how can i hide fan page content tab in new time line version of facebook?
Tim Ware
hyperarts.com/blog/
tim@hyperarts.com
192.168.1.104
Submitted on 2012/04/22 at 10:38 am

If you use “overflow: hidden” for the body of your index page, you won’t have scrollbars — and thus will not see any content that exceeds the height you specify.
buy facebook fans
pimpmyfans.com/
buyfacebookfans172012@yahoo.com
117.199.129.52
Submitted on 2012/04/19 at 4:55 am

Facebook profiles are pretty simple. What make your page different from the others are the unique stories you share, the different photos uploaded and other information you feel like sharing online. This is all right for individual Facebook users. However, this can be a little too bland for a business that plans to use it in the marketing efforts.
Tim Ware
hyperarts.com/blog/
tim@hyperarts.com
192.168.123.103
Submitted on 2012/04/17 at 12:57 pm | In reply to Brooke Bates.

I’m not sure where you’d complain, Brooke. As I said, Hugh Briss’s Cover Photo on his Personal Profile has content that’s not permissible on a Brand Page Cover Photo, but that means it’s not a violation of Facebooks rules around this.
I suppose you can turn someone in if you want. Myself, I’m just not that upset about what others do on their Cover Photos.
Brooke Bates
facebook.com/people/Brooke-Bates/34003932
64.186.52.20
Submitted on 2012/04/17 at 12:20 pm | In reply to Tim Ware.

Is there a way to report violators to the FB police without being the bad guy? Sounds petty, I know, but it irks me to see companies use blatantly promotional cover images when my company is trying so hard to follow the rules!

Show more comments

Thank you for creating with WordPress.

Version 3.3.2
https://developers.facebook.com/bugs/create” title=”Report a Facebook Bug” target=”_blank”>Report a Bug

February 29, 2012: We all woke up this morning to the news that Facebook is rolling out, as of NOW, Timeline for Facebook Pages. It was announced at the Facebook Marketing Conference.

RELATED: How to Create a Cool Facebook Timeline Cover Photo and Profile Picture Combo
Our tutorial shows you how to create a killer masthead design for your Facebook Page.

RELATED: How to Use Timeline for Pages to Increase User Engagement
Analisa tells you how to take advantage of great Timeline features to make your Page more compelling!

Some brands were given a jump on this change, so that folks can see the Pages Timeline in action on the Today Show, Coca Cola and Red Bull pages.

There’s some good news and bad news (but mostly good) for Page admins and marketers.

First, the good news:

Custom tabs can be up to 810px wide inside Facebook’s container which is 850px wide, with enforced left and right margins of 20px.
You can create your own large thumbnail (“Custom Tab Image” or “View”) for all apps, even those you didn’t create!
Make a Status Update “sticky”: You can “pin” status updates to keep them at the top of your updates for up to 7 days;
A big juicy Cover Photo (851 x 315px) (although no advertising or promoting allowed!) PLUS your Profile Picture;
You can preview all your existing Pages from one location: https://www.facebook.com/pages/status/
And lots of other cool features.

The bad news (to some):

No more ability to set a default landing tab (all users — fans and non-fans — land on Timeline/Wall);
Wall conversations suffer from the 2-column layout, fragmenting the flow of conversation.
No more “Recommendations” area. The Recommendations section finally made its re-appearance on March 13, 2012. Welcome back!
No Photo strip, the row of 5 thumbnails at the top of your Page;
Smaller profile picture: Previously 180 x 540px, it’s now displayed at 160w x 160h px (although the uploaded image must be at least 180 x 180px!) and nested in the Cover Photo. But, obviously, with the addition of the Cover Photo it’s a net gain;
No left-column navigation: Tabs are now located at the top of the Page — a throwback to the old Page layout! And fewer tabs are displayed, down to 3 optional tabs from 5 in the old layout.

But really the news is mostly good, and there are MANY great new features. Here are the most frequently asked questions — and answers!

Frequently Asked Questions: Timeline for Facebook Pages

On the HyperArts Fan Page we’ve been fielding lots of questions — and getting answers from our fans — about Timeline for Facebook Pages. I am distilling the knowledge into a FAQ to help out.

Rollout details

How much time do I have to change my Page to Timeline?

Facebook says: “On March 30, 2012, all Facebook Pages will get a new design.” So Page Admins have about 30 days to re-do their Pages to accommodate the Timeline layout.
Can I preview my Fan Page in Timeline before it goes live?

YES. You are given an option to preview before publishing. And you can remain in Preview mode as you work on your Page to get it ready.
How do I publish my Timeline Fan Page once I’m ready?

When in Preview mode, you’ll see a “Publish Now” button. Click it!

Administration

One great feature of the new admin is that you can admin your Page without leaving the Page itself. The administration is displayed above the Page content.

Admins can see all the Pages they admin, and preview any one, or all, of them by going to: https://www.facebook.com/pages/status.

How do I edit my Timeline Facebook Page?

At the top right of your Page, click the “Admin Panel” button:

On the next screen, click the “Manage” tab at top right, then select “Edit Page”:

This takes you to the Admin editing area you’re used to seeing.
How do I specify a default landing tab for non-fans?

You can’t! This will be a pain point for Page admins, but at least the larger Custom Image Tabs provide an opportunity for a Call to Action;
How do I edit the “About” section that appears under the Cover Photo?

Go to the Edit page area (see above on how to now get there). In the left column, select “Basic Information” and add your content to the “About” field. Approximately 160 characters will be displayed (including spaces), depending on where line breaks.

NOTE: If your Facebook Page is a Place Page (you’ve specified an address in your settings), the “About” content for your Timeline is the category, address, phone number, and hours — and it’s auto-generated. (You may also have to “claim” your Place Page to have the About show up this way. I’m not sure.)
What is the earliest date that can be set in the Timeline?

The starting date for your Timeline is the date of your brand’s founding. The earliest option is 1000 AD!
How do I manage the four tabs under the Cover Photo?

You can manage 3 of the tabs — the Photos tab can’t be changed or moved. See below for detailed instructions on curating these 4 tabs (Facebook calls them “Views” and the 111 x 74px image the “Custom Tab Image”).
How do I UNLIKE a Page?

This option is now under the arrow that’s to the right of the “Message” button:

Just select the “Unlike” option.

Design, Display and Layout

As you’ll notice, the layout for Timeline for Facebook Pages is pretty much identical to Timeline for Personal Profiles, so you can read my detailed tutorial on customizing your Timeline Cover Photo and Profile Picture to get creative ideas.

How do I add a Cover Photo to my Timeline?

Just click the “Add a Cover” button:

You can then select a cover from your Photos or from your computer. The Cover Photo should be 851 x 315px, but you can position a larger image by dragging it. The inset Profile Picture displays at 160 x 160px (although the image you upload must be at least 180 x 180px), plus a 5-pixel white border.
Can I use the Cover Photo to advertise promotions and deals?

NO. Facebook explicitly states “This space is not meant for promotions, coupons, or advertisements.”

Read Facebook’s Help on “How should I choose a cover photo for my Page?”

Can I customize the Custom Tab Images under the Cover Photo?

YES! With Timeline for Facebook Pages you can create a custom image — 111 x 74px — for all tabs EXCEPT Facebook’s own apps (Photos, Notes, Events, Videos, Links), and you can have a maximum of 4 (including the Photos tab) displayed, with the rest hidden.

IMPORTANT: Page admins will see ALL of their tabs revealed by clicking the arrow. Non-admins will see a maximum of 12 tabs (including Photos), with 4 displayed and 8 hidden.

How to change the order of the Custom Image Tabs (aka “Views”)

You can change the order of your Custom Tabs EXCEPT for the Photos tab which is fixed at the first position.

Click the down arrow to the right of the displayed tabs (the number next to the arrow is how many tabs you have):

Once this screen is open, you can mouse over each tab’s Custom Tab Image to:
- Swap the position of one tab with another;
- Remove a tab from the Favorites (all the apps, both displayed or viewed via the arrow);
- Edit the tab’s settings;
- Uninstall the app.
To change which tabs show up in your top 4

Click the arrow to the right of the top 4 tabs, then mouse over the tab in the top 4 you want to replace.

Next, click the edit “pencil” icon and select the app you want to have appear in your top 4. Voila!

You can use the above method to re-order all of the tabs on your Page.

To change the Custom Tab Image

As mentioned above, you can change the Custom Tab Image for all tabs EXCEPT the tabs for Facebook’s own apps.
1. Click: Admin Panel > Manage > Edit Page > Apps;
2. Click “Edit Settings”;
3. Next to “Custom Tab Image” click “Change”.
The page where you can upload a new image actually (at this time) opens in a new window or tab:

On this page, click “Change” and select and upload your image. You can upload a 111 x 74px image to replace the one that’s there.

The screen where you upload a new image is in a new tab or window, so after you’ve uploaded a new Custom Tab Image, close that window (or tab) to get back to your Edit screen where you then must click “Okay” to finish the process.
How do I control the photo that appears in the “Photos” Custom Tab View?

This has been a bit buggy at rollout, but I believe Facebook intends this to be the latest uploaded photo.

Unfortunately, at this time there doesn’t appear to be any way to control which photo shows up in the 4-tab row, like you could with the old Photostrip (the 5 thumbnails under the Page name), where you could mouse over the displayed image which would then display an “x” which, when clicked, deleted the photo from the Photostrip.

TIP Until Facebook introduces a way to curate the image for the Photos tab, if you upload an image but don’t want it to replace your Photos tab image, re-upload the image you DO want after the image you DON’T want.

Posting content to your Timeline Facebook Page

There are some great new features for posting status updates to your Page, including

“Pinning to the top” — making updates “sticky” so that they remain at the top of your Wall;
“Highlight” updates to give them more prominence by extending them to 2 columns.

Here are the details:

How do I keep a status update at the top of my Page?

This is called “pinning” a post, and you may recognize this feature from blogging where you can make a post “sticky” so that it always remains at the top of your feed.

As shown above, click the “pencil” icon at the top right of your update, where you can select among the options to pin it to the top, change the date, hide it or delete it.

You can un-pin a post at any time, but the maximum time you can pin it to the top of your Wall is 7 days.

Strategy Tip: Come up with a weekly posting feature — Fan of the Week, Blog post of the week, or a question for your fans that stays up at the top each week — to promote engagement.
How do I highlight a status update?

The “Highlight” allows you to have your status update extend over two columns. As shown in the image above, just click the “star” icon to highlight the update; click it again to un-highlight it.
Can I both highlight a post AND pin it to the top?

Nope. One or the other, but not both!

Custom iFrame Tabs — WOW!

This is a big one for brands and may, perhaps, make up for losing the ability to set a default landing tab.

Custom Tabs can now be displayed at a whopping 810px! The width can be specified in your app settings:

You also have the option to keep the tab width to 520px. If you choose this option, your canvas page will display centered in the 810px area provided by Facebook.

Whichever width you choose will be the width of the iFrame for your canvas page content.

If your app is 520px, you’ll see something like this (note the canvas page is centered):

And if your app is 810px, you’ll see something like this:

Where’s the Like Button on my custom tab?

If you don’t see a Like button on your custom tab, it’s because you’re already a fan.

Facebook’s intent with these wider tabs? Think: Your Website on Facebook…

Yes, with most of the Facebook chrome removed and all that screen real estate, you can now have a version of your website right in Facebook!

This would keep users within Facebook by providing users with a more website-like experience, thus reducing the need to send people back to your actual website.

OK, that may sound cynical, but think about it. The more users stay on Facebook, the more they see advertising, which is at the core of soon-to-go-public Facebook’s business model.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see some advertising sneaking onto these lovely widened custom tabs.

A few other cool new Timeline for Pages features

The “masthead” is replaced by a navigation bar when you scroll beyond it, solving the “below the fold” problem. The navigation bar remains at the top of the screen as you scroll down.:

You can use this reduced navigation bar to sort posts, see custom tabs, and more.
You can now send private messages to Pages. When on a Page, click the “Message” button below the Cover Photo to write and send your message. Of course, this could become a source of spam for admins, but they should be able to block abusers;
You can back-date your posts by clicking on the “change date” icon in the dropdown menu on each post (under the “pencil” icon);
Pages can add “milestones” with images, to any point on their timeline. Brands can use this to highlight important events and company history.

So that’s Timeline for Pages! We think it’s a great change (except for losing the default landing tab!). What do you think?

Additional Resources

Filed Under: Facebook Design, Platform Updates Tagged With: Facebook, Facebook marketing, fan pages, timeline

http://twitter.com/m_shumail Shumail Mohyuddin

Nice guide. But One thing facebook did wrong is to eliminate the option of selecting a default landing tab.
- http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
  
  Nope, no more default landing tab.
  - http://twitter.com/m_shumail Shumail Mohyuddin
    
    yeah, but it was a nice option !
http://twitter.com/Donkies11 Gregory Wilker

I thought one of the most powerful marketing aspects of the page was to entice people to like with “hidden” content – content only viewable when the page is in a like state. I for one will miss this.

I do very much appreciate your efforts to keep on top of the FB chaos – and posting these clear FAQ items is… well, greatly appreciated! Thank you.
- http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
  
  We suggest using strong calls to action in your top tabs (the “Custom Tab Image”) and then entice away!
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1432069016 Laura Ruby Alisanne

The current thorn in my new Timeline for Pages paw is this fact, which you mentioned Tim, (complete with appropriate exclamation point!) on how to set the photo you want.

“You can manage 3 of the tabs — the Photos tab can’t be changed or moved
(And, at least today, I can’t see how to set which photo shows up
there!).
- http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
  
  I think this is a bit buggy right now. I seems like it will generally display the latest uploaded image.
http://twitter.com/LifebyMegan Megan Winter

Any news on whether fan-gating tabs still work? Or does Facebook not automatically refresh the page after someone likes it?
- http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
  
  It’s a bug. You can check this bug report on Likes not refreshing the page.
http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware

Yeah, ideally you should be able to curate the photo that shows up in the ‘Photos” spot. Perhaps they’ll add this back in, so it behaves like the old Photostrip where you could upload a photo and, if you didn’t want it in the Photostrip, you could mouse over it in the Photostrip and delete it.
http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware

Yes, I have noticed some inconsistency with tagging people. I try to tag someone who’s commented to a post, and they just don’t pop up as an option.
- http://www.savannahbrentnall.com/ Savannah Brentnall
  
  The tagging system has always had a tendency to be a bit buggy, so I wouldn’t be surprised if this gets ironed out over time.
  - http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
    
    All bugs will eventually be squashed … I think Bob Dylan said that…
http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware

There’s actually a bug with the custom tab widths. Here’s the bug report.
http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware

Hi Michele! I suggest you go to your Manage Permissions settings and check the box that says:
“Only show posts by HyperArts Web Design and friend activity on your Page until reviewed by an admin”
Then only tagged posts you’ve approved will be displayed. I’m not sure if this works retroactively.
http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware

I’m pretty sure it’s just for custom tabs, yours or others’, but not Facebook’s own tabs.
Let us know if your testing indicates otherwise.
- http://www.savannahbrentnall.com/ Savannah Brentnall
  
  I haven’t been able to change the icon on any of the default FB apps like Photos and Notes. AAnd Notes could really use it!
  - http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
    
    If, by “icons” you mean the 111 x 74px Custom Tab Image, you can’t change it for Facebook’s own apps, as I clearly state in this article.
http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware

Yup. We call that out under “Other Cool Features.” Sweet.
http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware

Sure, that’ll work, Kathy, because all tabs have their own unique URL. Thanks for the tip!
Anonymous

I like it! Thanks so much for the great tips. Your how-to has been extremely helpful for me to change over.
- http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
  
  So glad I could be of assistance!
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1102865372 Jennifer King

WOW all of this great info, thank you, but its making my head spin! I need to read this agin and re-read it, even though I’ve already updated a Timeline Cover photo and made it live.
- http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
  
  Whatever it takes, Jennifer
http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware

You can’t change the Photos or Likes images, or any of Facebook’s own tabs.
http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware

That’s auto-generated when your Page is a Place Page, which occurs when you put a street address in the “Basic Information” in settings.
http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware

I just checked your tab and it doesn’t do what you describe. So I’m not sure if it’s a bug or what.
- Anonymous
  
  That appears to be an IE9 bug. I noticed this earlier this morning while viewing the Today Show page. Can’t recreate in Firefox 9.
http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware

It seems to have gone missing! I’m not sure what’s up with that, but I’ll look into it.
- http://marismith.com Mari Smith
  
  You know what’s interesting, @timware:disqus – when someone goes to like a Place Page, Facebook shows a pop up box inviting the new fan to add a Recommendation! But I cannot find where on earth this goes! I just wrote one, and it went into my Recent Activity section and Activity Log. But I’m not seeing it at all on the Place Page. The link says ‘posts’ - https://www.facebook.com/maris/posts/10150576840980868 (I’m guessing this also went out into my friends’ News Feeds. I’ll keep digging around here too.
  - http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
    
    Thanks Mari. Yes, I suspect a bug but haven’t seen it reported, and some users have told us they *have* seen the recommendations tab, although I’ve yet to see one.
    I just filed a bug report about this so let’s see what happens.
    Please let me know if you dig up any more info, Mari. Thanks!
http://www.facebook.com/christyruffner Christy Ruffner

The custom iframes tabs are still a mystery to me. I have been through all the tutorials and this is the first I have seen mention of them. Can you explain them further and where that feature can be accessed?
- http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
  
  Custom iFrame tabs are Facebook apps created via Facebook’s developer area. You really only need to know HTML and CSS to create one, or you can use any number of free iFrame apps, such as Static HTML.
  Here’s our tutorial for how to create an iFrame application.
http://www.summitmarketing.com/ Lisa Qualls

Great article Tim that helps bring clarity to all the changes. I shared it with my team as it is one of the best overviews I have seen yet. Thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge and insights!
- http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
  
  Thanks for the kind words! I’m keeping this article updated minute by minute….
Anonymous

You mentioned that Facebook explicitly states “This space is not meant for promotions, coupons, or advertisements.” regarding cover photos.

That seems like a ridiculous policy. For business pages, isn’t the fact that you have a page a form of advertising? How can any form of a cover photo not be advertising for a business page? Old Spice shows a product image, the Today Show shows their hosts, etc.

Facebook is advertising, whether it’s a personal profile or a business page.
Anonymous

Thanks, Tim. Very helpful writeup!
Kevin Kinnersley

I don’t mind, there are way more benefits especially the greater width in custom tabs! Very excited for this. I was never a fan of the hidden content or “click like” to see things anyways, especially for music, I will become a fan IF I LIKE the sound of your music and not before, I will never click “like” to listen, I will click “like” when I like it! – Am I the only one who thinks this way? :S
- http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
  
  Actually, custom tabs can still be fan-gated. The only change is that you can’t set a custom tab as the default landing page for non-fans of your Page.
  Of course, clicking the Like button to hear some music is a pretty low bar of entry, don’t you think? And you can always then Unlike the Page if you wish.
  - Kevin Kinnersley
    
    Really, how can they still be fan gated? Is it just the old method and it still works? – I don’t know, maybe I am too picky but when it comes to certain methods I dislike doing it. Don’t get me wrong it works, and I have tried to do it myself in the past but I do dislike it and think it’s a bad way to do things, in the long run if a fan clicks ‘like’ then unlike it’s kinda damaging to your band, is it not? Or can only the band see these results? I should probably look into this more before talking about it but I have never being a fan of the whole ‘like’ fan gate.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000160582921 Martin Sach

Thanks Tim, once again you have told us about something and then explained it better than anyone else. Much appreciated.
http://socialfreshacademy.com/ Jason Keath

1905 is not the earliest date. The earliest milestone date is created by your founding date. We tested it well back into the 1800s
- http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
  
  Hey Jason, Thanks for this! What a relief! I’ve modified this post to reflect this.
http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware

Nope, you can’t mix ‘em the way you could before.

However, I think the sorting options are pretty cool. I’ve not had the desire to mix our posts with our fans’ posts, and prefer the new way, using “highlights” where the “posts by others” are aggregated in a fairly prominent box.
But, yeah, it’s always a trade off.
http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware

Actually Kaitlyn, there IS a way to see all activity on your Page, assuming you’re wanting to do this as an admin of the Page:

Click the Admin Panel link at the top right of the Page.

In the Admin area, click the “Manage” tab, and select “Use Activity Log” …

This shows you a strictly chronological view of all activity on your Page.

As I said, this is for Admins only. But that’s the closest it comes.
- Anonymous
  
  Hi tim, thanks for the article. So only the administrators can see
  a strictly chronological view of all activity on your Page? And there’s a way not to have months old posts appearing suddenly in the right column?
  - http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
    
    To see a chronological listing (most recent first) of comments by others (not the Page), click the “Admin” button and then click the “Manage” tab and select “Use Activity Log”.
    I don’t believe there’s a way to see the Page’s posts intermingled chronologically with users’ posts. And no way I’ve found, other than using the “highlight” feature, to control how the wrapping behaves.
http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware

I don’t believe that a message like that would violate Facebook’s restrictions on the Cover Photo messaging. .
http://www.facebook.com/people/Viktor-Rajek/547381825 Viktor Rajek

Did you notice that in timeline if you click on a strange person, such as someone not friend with you, you can see the pages he is admin of. It kinda reveals the identity of admins of any fan page. Is there any privacy setting to avoid it?
- http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
  
  Not sure what you’re talking about. By “strange person” do you mean someone you don’t know or someone who’s not a fan of your Page?
  What is the click path to finding out the pages they admin? I couldn’t replicate what you seem to be describing.
  Are you talking about Personal Profile timelines and Fan Pages?
  - http://www.facebook.com/people/Viktor-Rajek/547381825 Viktor Rajek
    
    Ok there is a guy that we are not friends anymore. It concerns personal timeline pages. I used to know this guy personally, so I just found him through the search tool and opened his profile, that anybody who is not friends with him sees. Such as his timeline cover photo, regular photo, and his likes, interests etc, and on the bottom there is is area called admin and shows all the pages he is admin to. That means whoever clicks on my timeline and is not friends with me can see the pages I admin. That is privacy and security breach. How to avoid that or hide that bar about admin.
    - http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
      
      I haven’t seen that “bar about admin” … provide a link to where you think someone can see what pages you admin.
http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware

I don’t see a bug. I tested the start date of 1099 AD and it worked fine.
It appears that 1000 AD is the earliest you can go.
http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware

Yes, I see that clicking the “About” under his info under his Profile Pic shows the Pages he’s set up.
And some pages show the page owners and some don’t. I’m not sure why this is or where there’s a setting to change it. Sorry!

Let me know if you figure this one out!
http://www.facebook.com/vincelawfb Vince Law

How do you suggest sending them to another tab URL?

Can we do it automatically or do we have to try to entice them to click on a link?
- http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
  
  Just put the tab URL in the <a href> tag. Every tab on your Page has a unique URL … You can see it in your browser’s address bar.
  - http://www.facebook.com/vincelawfb Vince Law
    
    I understand that I can add links to my About description and every tab has its own URL.
    
    However, I still don’t see a way for the user to get automatically redirected to the my desired tab URL when he arrives on my Facebook page.
    - http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
      
      There is no longer the ability to set a default landing tab, per this article.
Miles Pearson

Want a default landing page?
Establish a redirect script on your web site… say mywebsite.com/facebook/
redirect to the url of the Facebook page you want!
- http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
  
  Or just provide people with a link directly to your Welcome page on Facebook. Ours is:
  https://www.facebook.com/HYPERARTS/app_126026510774735
  
  Although it’s not fan-gated.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Alice-Ingrahm/100000082052355 Alice Ingrahm

When adding a status update in the old facebook layout, there used to be a link entitled “Link” listed along with Status, Photo, Question, etc.
“Link” is no longer there. Other than just typing out the URL, is there still a way to add a text link to a post when sharing “What’s on our mind?”
- http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
  
  If you figure this out, let me know. However, I recall it missing in the old version, as well. Although I vaguely recall it *used* to be there then disappeared. Facebook working in mysterious ways….
http://www.facebook.com/jeanne.mccann Jeanne Marcarelli Mccann

If no advertising is allowed on new cover page, how does this guy get away w/ it?
http://www.facebook.com/hughbriss
Great article, btw!
- http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
  
  The Hugh Briss page probably crosses the line, specifically with regard to:
  “Cover Images … may not contain … Calls to action, such as “Get it now” or “Tell your friends”.
  where he has “click here to find out more”
  
  and may not:
  
  “Contact information, such as web address, email, mailing address or other information intended for your Page’s About section
  where he has his website URL.
  
  He’s taking a risk that I simply wouldn’t because the penalty may be devastating.
  But to each his/her own!
  - http://www.facebook.com/people/Brooke-Bates/34003932 Brooke Bates
    
    Is there a way to report violators to the FB police without being the bad guy? Sounds petty, I know, but it irks me to see companies use blatantly promotional cover images when my company is trying so hard to follow the rules!
    - http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
      
      I’m not sure where you’d complain, Brooke. As I said, Hugh Briss’s Cover Photo on his Personal Profile has content that’s not permissible on a Brand Page Cover Photo, but that means it’s not a violation of Facebooks rules around this.
      I suppose you can turn someone in if you want. Myself, I’m just not that upset about what others do on their Cover Photos.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Amanda-Smith/100000111666713 Amanda Smith

I can’t seem to get the custom tab image to word. Every time upload a graphic (111X74) it defaults to a random graphic in their system. Is this a bug or am I doing something wrong/
- http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
  
  If you’re talking about the Custom Tab Image for the Photos tab, then it’s a bug. It *should* display the most recently uploaded image.
  If you’re talking about images for custom tabs you’ve added, this should be working.
  I find everything is working fine now.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Joyce-Nichols-Moore/1566099330 Joyce Nichols-Moore

thank you so much for this article…it helped a lot!
- http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
  
  You’re welcome, Joyce!
http://www.facebook.com/ericmolho Eric Molho

Great article. Can you help me understand how/why these random old posts show up on the right hand side of the timeline? There’s a little comment that pops up that says this is because I’m friends with the person who posted this. They are completely random and out of context. Is there a way to shut this off?
- http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
  
  I don’t think there’s a way to shut them off. However, if it’s any consolation, these are displayed only to you. I know it’s a pain.
http://www.WendyMoore.net/ Wendy Moore

Thanks for the very informative and information packed post Tim.

Lots of gems to ponder here. I wonder when the next batch of Facebook changes will roll out!

Wendy
- http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
  
  I don’t have a clue, but let me know if you find out anything!
http://www.facebook.com/people/Andrea-Deering/547040188 Andrea Deering

Hi!
I have been scouring the net for an answer to this question, and I can’t figure it out, I thought, if anyone knows, you would .

I have a Facebook page for my business, but we have 4 locations, I have read that I could have a “Locations app” or a “Facebook map app”, OR parent and child place pages to show all the locations, but I have yet to actually find those apps (I just find map ones that allow one location), or can I figure out how to do the parent/child pages (not available to all yet maybe?).

Anywho… what would you do in this situation? Our locations are all in the same vicinity (across 3 adjacent cities) so the info expressed would be topical to everyone.

Thanks in advance, I really appreciate all of your articles, so much great stuff
- http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
  
  I’m not sure how you deal with this, and I’m unfamiliar with parent/child pages.
  My suggestion would be to create a custom iFrame tab that’s one of the four visible tabs in the new Timeline format. You could call it “Our Locations” or “Visit One of Our Stores” or whatever.
  Then you have a 810px wide tab where you can have a map for each location, etc. This could be done in HTML/CSS/JavaScript/PHP, as iFrame tabs support standard Web coding.
fallenX

I am the page administrator for a young man who passed away. It’s more like a memory page. Under the profile picture, the area is blank, with a link for “community”. You have to click on that link to see the description of the page and the young man the page is about. How can I make this large area contain the information I need for those visiting the page, without them having to click this area? Right now, it is just a large wasted space under the profile pic, and I have spent hours trying to figure out how to fix this. Please help!
- http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
  
  If I understand correctly, you need to click: Admin Panel (upper right) > Manage > Edit Page > Basic Information
  and write the content in the “About:” box.
http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware

Sure. Send along the URL.
http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware

If you use “overflow: hidden” for the body of your index page, you won’t have scrollbars — and thus will not see any content that exceeds the height you specify.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Rao-Afzal/1281095397 Rao Afzal

how can i hide fan page content tab in new time line version of facebook?
- http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
  
  You can’t hide the tab. You can move the Custom Tab Image from the top four so that the user has to click the arrow to see it. Or you can remove the tab from the navigation via your Page Admin area.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001102716735 Wael Salman

Hi

I have like 10 Facebook fan pages that I have just created – No likes yet , however I am trying to edit – change permissions , and add about , etc details. Whenever I change and press Save – nothing happens …Can someone tell me what is the problem??
Should I wait until I get number of likes and then can edit it??
- http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
  
  I can’t tell you why this is happening.
http://www.facebook.com/kathleen.o.kanavos Kathleen O’keefe- Kanavos

I have interconnected my Timeline pg to my profile pg, LinkedIn &Twtter so that I can SHARE from Timeline for max reach. I LOVE that ability!!The problem is that sometimes when I hit the share button on Timeline a box will pop up saying “share on your wall” and then it goes to my profile pg which is what I want, but more often than not “share on your timeline” will pop up which is rediculous, because why would I want to share where I already am???It rather defeats the purpose of sharing. The inconsistency is annoying. Any suggestions?
http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware

Yes, you can still fan-gate Facebook custom page tabs. This tutorial should help.
http://www.facebook.com/marilyn.albert.39 Marilyn Albert

For some reason, the “message” tab is missing from my new timeline page (really dislike it with a passion, by the way). In its place is “activity log”. Someone wanting to send me a private message can’t do it. What the heck happened to that tab, and how do I get it back??
- http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
  
  Our “Message” tab is there. What’s your page URL?
http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware

Tara, I believe your page has to be a “place” page to have the Recommendations box. To be a place page, you have to provide an address in the “about” section.
- http://twitter.com/naturalmaid Naturally Maid
  
  I have an address listed and there is no recommendation box at all.
  - http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
    
    What’s your Page URL?
    - http://twitter.com/naturalmaid Naturally Maid
      
      http://www.facebook.com/NaturallyMaidCleaning
      - http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
        
        There seems to be lots of incosistency in how Facebook deploys Recommendations box. I don’t see it on your page, and I *do* see that you’ve included an exact address in your About section.
        I can only suggest you go into your Admin area and check the “Basic Information” (where you input your biz address) and see what the “Category” settings are.
        Our HyperArts Page, which has a Recommendations Box, has the category set to:
        Local Businesses & Places AND Professional Services
        
        These would work for your business as well, it appears.
        
        Let me know if changing the categories helps. That *may* be the reason. If not, I’m at a loss!
      - http://twitter.com/naturalmaid Naturally Maid
        
        Thanks for your time, Tim! I changed it. I don’t see anything so far but perhaps it takes Facebook a while to “catch up”.
      - http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
        
        Well, please let me know if you gain any further insight into this or if a Recommendations Box magically appears.
        Some speculate that a user has to first recommend you for it to show up. I think that — although not consistently — this option is given when liking a Page, although I can’t recall seeing this.
        And, as we know, Facebook is bug-ridden!
http://profile.yahoo.com/477HU355J4KYVOWYENPFWDJX44 Fdsjfh

I accidentally went through the whole timeline tour after converting my account then I exited out of the box that said “publish now”. I want to publish my timeline, but I can’t find the button anymore? Does anyone know what I can do to publish it as soon as possible?
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1282723157 Ahmad Kamil Khan

pls tell me the setting due to which fan should lyk the page before posting on my page?
http://www.facebook.com/laurenderemer Lauren de Remer

Is it still against the Facebook Guidelines to promote a contest in your Page’s cover image?
- mizmendelson
  
  Yes, I’m afraid so.
- http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
  
  Lauren, Read this post on Cover Photos breaking Facebook’s rules. There are links to the rules in the post, as well.
http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware

I assume you’re talking about your fan page. So I’m not sure what you mean by your “status”.
If you mean you only want fans to see your page’s status updates, they are set as “public” and you can’t change that to fans only, or anything other than public.
Ben Cole

Hey Tim, great advice, thanks!! One question, I notice that in your About area, you have a hyperlink to the “Web Design” category. I can’t seem to find out how to add category links like this to my page. My category is currently “Local Businesses and Places; Local Business” but i have tried a number of others and none seems to be able to add these linked categories.
- http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/ Tim Ware
  
  In your About area, do you provide a physical address for your business? This makes it a “Place” page.
  On our HyperArts page, we have for Category: “Local Businesses & Places” and “Professional Services”.

Facebook Timeline for Pages – Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions: Timeline for Facebook Pages

Rollout details

How much time do I have to change my Page to Timeline?

Can I preview my Fan Page in Timeline before it goes live?

How do I publish my Timeline Fan Page once I’m ready?

Administration

How do I edit my Timeline Facebook Page?

How do I specify a default landing tab for non-fans?

How do I edit the “About” section that appears under the Cover Photo?

What is the earliest date that can be set in the Timeline?

How do I manage the four tabs under the Cover Photo?

How do I UNLIKE a Page?

Design, Display and Layout

How do I add a Cover Photo to my Timeline?

Can I use the Cover Photo to advertise promotions and deals?

Can I customize the Custom Tab Images under the Cover Photo?

How to change the order of the Custom Image Tabs (aka “Views”)

To change which tabs show up in your top 4

To change the Custom Tab Image

How do I control the photo that appears in the “Photos” Custom Tab View?

Posting content to your Timeline Facebook Page

How do I keep a status update at the top of my Page?

How do I highlight a status update?

Can I both highlight a post AND pin it to the top?

Custom iFrame Tabs — WOW!

Where’s the Like Button on my custom tab?

Facebook’s intent with these wider tabs? Think: Your Website on Facebook…

A few other cool new Timeline for Pages features

Additional Resources

Frequently Asked Questions: Timeline for Facebook Pages

Rollout details

How much time do I have to change my Page to Timeline?

Can I preview my Fan Page in Timeline before it goes live?

How do I publish my Timeline Fan Page once I’m ready?

Administration

How do I edit my Timeline Facebook Page?

How do I specify a default landing tab for non-fans?

How do I edit the “About” section that appears under the Cover Photo?

What is the earliest date that can be set in the Timeline?

How do I manage the four tabs under the Cover Photo?

How do I UNLIKE a Page?

Design, Display and Layout

How do I add a Cover Photo to my Timeline?

Can I use the Cover Photo to advertise promotions and deals?

Can I customize the Custom Tab Images under the Cover Photo?

How to change the order of the Custom Image Tabs (aka “Views”)

To change which tabs show up in your top 4

To change the Custom Tab Image

How do I control the photo that appears in the “Photos” Custom Tab View?

Posting content to your Timeline Facebook Page

How do I keep a status update at the top of my Page?

How do I highlight a status update?

Can I both highlight a post AND pin it to the top?

Custom iFrame Tabs — WOW!

Where’s the Like Button on my custom tab?

Facebook’s intent with these wider tabs? Think: Your Website on Facebook…

A few other cool new Timeline for Pages features

Additional Resources

Blog Categories

HyperArts Web Design

HyperArts Services