Facebook Timeline and SEO

If you do not have Timeline yourself, chances are you have seen it on friends’ pages. The once-optional Facebook feature is going to become compulsory next week. Any change to the 800 million user network causes shockwaves among those who do not appreciate a change of scenery, but this shift, as well as other new features, could affect SEO and content marketing efforts as well.
Timeline provides a reverse chronological glimpse of your present and past. Friends can see, at a glimpse, posts from last year, a photo you posted in 2008, what you listened to on Spotify, or what you pinned on Pinterest. Facebook also launched “Apps for Timeline.” Users can add these apps – from Foodspotting, Ticketmaster, Rotten Tomatoes, Pinterest, TripAdvisor, and more – so they will become part of your timeline. This, says CEO Mark Zuckerberg, will help people share more seamlessly. It can also be a great opportunity for marketers. Why?

1. The 60 new apps, with more on the way, mean that people will spend even more time interacting with Facebook in one form or another. This can mean greater engagement, and on a deeper level, with brands.
2. Brands will be able to target an audience better. If they can see that users like not only music, but specific artists, they can tailor ads with incredible accuracy.
3. It appears that ads will remain on the viewable page rather than scrolling off as people navigate down the page, which means you get more exposure per impression.
4. Marketers and advertisers will be able to create more varied Sponsored Stories, which increases the likelihood of click-throughs.

This new territory is going to be tough for marketers to navigate, simply because it is so vast and uncharted. It’s the Wild West of social networking, but if played right, it can be a huge boon to businesses and brands.

Posted by Hitesh Patel, Managing Director at Bullseye Media