You probably already know about it now. Mark Zuckerberg once again has introduced new features. Actually, from my perspective, Facebook now IS the internet. Over the past two years, little things have released that have helped us stay connected. Video Calling, the “share” button on your blog, bigger image viewing, new tagging features, introducing the “heart attack” of last week known as the “ticker”. As I came to think of it last night, I thought back to when I got my facebook profile for the first time. I was just leaving MySpace, my friends got invited to Facebook and all it did was after I left High School, allowed my friends & I to continue a conversation. It was a messaging system.
Yesterday morning. I got to my desk and went to work. I soon found out from a friend that F8, Facebook’s annual keynote was live. I tuned in. As I chuckled out loud to the impersonation by the amazing Andy Sandburg. Shortly after, I soon was opened to the new world of what is “Timeline“. No, timeline isn’t that new ticker everyone hates on their page.. It’s the new way to view your life. I installed it from here and I started to find ways to use it for our business & life. Shortly after, my friend also installed the update. Conversations started on how we could use this within Photography emerged. Here are a few of my thoughts on how it can be useful.
1) If you’re like many, you most likely tag your clients in their wedding photos. If you’re a film photographer you’ll understand the power of the term, Archival Print. Facebook just became Archived. A few months after your client is tagged in their images, many posts bury that down, becoming hard to find the pictures on their wall. Now, in timeline, their friends scroll to the year they were married and behold, facebook can mark their wedding as a “featured” event. Now, their images are one of the main items in that time period. More features for your images!
2) Applications. They’re driven by an engine called the “graph”. One way I’ve tested it last night was with our friend Kevin Swan. Kevin uses Spotify. I use Spotify. Facebook understands that we both do. Like before, you would be asked when using an App if you want to “publish” the app to your wall? Not anymore. Kevin started playing an album by 3 Doors Down. Spotify guessed I’d like that music, as I do. It showed in my news ticker next to my new profile. I clicked on the song and the song instantly played ON facebook. I continued to surf facebook, chat with friends, update my status, all why I was listning to music WITH Kevin. At the same time, Facebook now started to recommend me songs Kevin & I both may enjoy. As a photographer, why is this good for you? What if the company you use to host your images, created a Facebook App tied to their gallery. When a friend of the Bride & Groom looks through their images, it pops up in their ticker that someone is viewing the photos. From there, one can click on the ticker and be taken to the images. FREE marketing for you. As of now.. I know of no company doing. I’d guess that developers are already working on it and we should expect it very soon! Companies such as Hulu & Netflix are already about to release Apps’ so you can watch movies within Facebook!
Now as a Photographer, how will this be used in your business?
Here are a few thoughts.
1) When we get an inquiry, first thing we do is go to Facebook and add them as a friend. This allows us to get more connected. Before, you really couldn’t get their life story. But now, when you add them for the first time, you can with Timeline. This is a CONVERSATION STARTER for you! You now know where they were 4 years ago, you know what they like & don’t like. Transparency.
1) Pages will get Timeline. It’s just a matter of time. I also believe that Pages will be connected to Profiles in a new way. We can also then make all the weddings & portrait sessions we post to our page a “featured event”. They’ll now stand out more than ever before. It’s more powerful than a Tumblr & feels like a safe place to give a scope into your world. You can feature an image from your latest shoot in the header. This allows you to stay relevant! There will be app’s that will come out soon that’ll change the way we serve our business on the web. Stay on your toes. It’s coming.
2) I’m still developing how we’ll use this in our business. The question really is.. How will our clients interact with our “pages”? When we tag them in images, they’ll have the new timeline. Will they make your photos the top featured event on their timeline? Think more of, “How can I get my clients to interact with their images on the timeline?” Also, the ticker will be your best friend. It will share your content to clients friends more than ever before. In a live stream, almost like twitter.
I’m staying on my toes. I’m going to go through all the past years of my timeline and take away items I forgot about that I don’t want shared. I’m going to choose other items to be featured. I’m also waiting for what is next. F8 is still going on right now and we may see more features coming soon. Get ready for more change. When it comes, immediately think of how you can benefit in your business from it.
Okay, one last thought. Are you seeing how awesome that top profile header is!!? Your clients can make your photography, the main thing on a profile. Similar to what I did with our pictures by Gray Photography. Now, friends can ask, “Who shot that awesome picture on your header? I can then promote our photographer.”
If you’re looking to learn more about Facebook Pages and how they can be a benefit to your business. Get our webinar. With all these new changes coming, for those who purchase it now and purchased it in the past, a FREE webinar as a follow up explaining new Facebook Pages when they come will be exclusive for them.
