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"Now that Facebook Timeline has finally rolled out for brands, companies have endless opportunities to refresh their social media strategy. Sounds overwhelming, doesn't it? Let's break it down.\nAs of Wednesday, brands can opt in on the new features. If you're not familiar with them, be sure to review them here before you dive into this project. \nSome of the prominent changes include a new layout with cover photo, highlighting features and the ability to edit and update without navigating to a separate page. Timeline will automatically go live for all brand pages Mar. 30\n\n\nFacebook Timeline: A Powerful Tool for Brands\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n1. Cover photo potential\nHere, Coca Cola uses snazzy design to make a strong visual impression on visitors.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n2. Cover photos for teams\nManchester United uses its cover photo to reflect the inherent passion, camaraderie and joy of sports.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n3. Timeline leveraging history\nDating back to 1878, Manchester United can use Timeline to honor its rich history. This photo shows the club's league championship from 1908.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n4. Timeline for callouts \nHere, Manchester United leverages Timeline's strong visual elements by starring a specific current post, making it appear twice as wide.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n5. Coldplay cover photo\nColdplay's Timeline cover photo hints at the wealth of potential the new format holds for bands and other performers.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n6. Ben &amp; Jerry's cover photo\nBen &amp; Jerry's cover photo further illustrates Timeline's potential to make a strong first impression on Page visitors.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n7. Ben &amp; Jerry's Timeline\nBen &amp; Jerry's timeline itself showcases the new brand platform's strong visual elements.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n8. Ben &amp; Jerry's milestone\nHere, Ben &amp; Jerry's uses the new format to call out an important company milestone -- its introduction of several new flavors in 1999.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n9. Timeline makes Pages more social\nWhen you visit a Page, you see how many of your friends have liked the company, as well as friends' relevant public posts. Here, Ben &amp; Jerry's serves as an example.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n10. Different cover photos for different Pages\nRestaurants can leverage the new design by showing off what they serve. Here, Starbucks flaunts its coffee beans.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n11. How many of your friends like Starbucks? \nFurther evidence of how Pages are more social with Timeline.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n12. A local twist\nHere, the Page of Manhattan's Magnolia Bakery shows how, for local businesses only, a map appears in the row of apps below the cover photo.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n13. ESPN's cover photo\nESPN's cover photo is an intriguing shot from the set of its iconic Sportscenter show.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n14. Baby's first show\nHere, ESPN highlights its first Sportscenter broadcast with a doublewide photo in its timeline.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n15. Livestrong's cover photo\nLivestrong chooses to make its logo the central theme of its Page cover photo.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n16. Starring an important message\nLivestrong starred this post that provides resources for people under emotional duress as a result of cancer. Starring it calls extra attention to the post by making it twice as wide as others.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n17. A Livestrong milestone\nOrganizations similar to Livestrong can highlight specific milestones, such as the opening of new services. This post celebrates the debut of Livestrong's Cancer Navigation Center.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n18. Meet the admin panel\nTimeline introduces a new format for administrators of brand Pages, and one that should be simpler to use.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n19. Getting to know you\nThe admin panel features notifications, analytics, messages and, yes, a help menu to ease your transition to the new set-up.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAs predicted, these new features will be a huge opportunity for brands that want to tell a more engaging and authentic story. Timeline makes it easier for people to find information by pushing the Info section, photos, apps and map to the top of the page in a clear navigation bar. Even the President has jumped on board with Timeline.\nSome feel that this could be a potential downfall for companies that do not excel at providing engaging content or brands with various operations compared to those who concisely define themselves under one umbrella.\nOther qualms about Timeline include the fact that it can only be filled as far back as 1800, which some brands claim restricts their complete history.\nRegardless, it gives all companies the opportunity to get creative with cover photos, and their overall presence on social media, as we've already begun to see with early adopters.\n\n\n20 Creative Facebook Brand Page Cover Photos\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n1. Red Bull\n\nNot only has Red Bull taken advantage of Timeline, it has also created a scavenger hunt with prizes to get fans interacting with the company's history.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n2. The New York Times\n\nThe New York Times' Timeline, which features its rather large staff as a cover photo, has highlighted moments from more than 160 years in history.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n3. AT&amp;T\r\n\nAT&amp;T's cover photo brings together an \"ever-changing mosaic\" of its fans' photos.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n4. Manchester United\n\nThe professional soccer team has also taken advantage of Timeline's biographical features, already filling its page with content from 1908.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n5. Dove\n\n\nThe company's fresh-faced models are featured as the cover photo for Dove's brand Page.\n\"Real women have been our inspiration from the very beginning. Today your photos, stories and memorable moments make up our new timeline,\" writes the company.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n6. Madonna\n\nMadonna has switched over to Timeline, and is using her brightly colored album cover as her Facebook cover photo.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n7. Coca-Cola\r\n\n\nCoca-Cola's Timeline dates all the way back to its founding date, May 8, 1886.\n\"The Coca-Cola Facebook Page is a collection of your stories showing how people from around the world have helped make Coke into what it is today,\" writes the company.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n8. Harley-Davidson\n\nThe motorcycle company's history, dating back to 1903, is all filled out on its Timeline.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n9. Nike\n\nNike is also an early adopter to Timeline. Its Page info dates back to 1972, when it was founded.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n10. Kate Spade\n\nKate Spade mixed designs with its cover photo and profile picture, and has filled out to its founding date in 1993.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n11. Toyota\n\n\nThe car company's Timeline dates back to when it was founded, Oct. 31, 1957.\n\"We encourage you to browse through our extensive Timeline to discover (or re-discover) some of the rich history of our products, people as well as messages from our loyal fans like you,\" the company writes.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n12. Coldplay\n\nColdplay has filled its Timeline all the way back to the band's first show in 1998. They've also included interesting facts about their early days as a band.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n13. Facebook\n\nNaturally, Facebook has filled out its own Timeline as well.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n14. Walmart\n\nWalmart has its Timeline filled out back to the day it opened its doors for the first time in 1962. There are images of old stores and information about the evolution of the company.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n15. Macy's\n\nMacy's also filled out its history on Timeline, including pictures of the first \"fancy dry goods store\" in 1822.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n16. Ford\r\n\nFord's Timeline dates back to 1903, when the first Model A sold for $850.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n17. People\n\nPeople has placed some of Hollywood's most familiar faces across its profile as a cover photo.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n18. Today Show\n\n\nThe cast of the Today Show was among a select few photos chosen to roll out the social networking site's new design.\nThe Timeline explores 60 years worth of history.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n19. SportsCenter\n\nESPN's SportsCenter used its colorful studio as a backdrop for the program's Timeline.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n20. Lexus\n\nLexus has included milestones throughout its Timeline, dating all the way back to its start in 1983. The cover photo is a hybrid concept.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWith spring right around the corner, consider Timeline your chance to do a little housekeeping. The features require you to tidy up a bit, as well as do some research on your company's history \u2014 but the results could be quite beneficial.\nAt Mashable, our community team updated our own brand page to Timeline on Wednesday, and took a walk down memory lane. It's an easy way to look back on our milestones, and rediscover what we've learned from past Facebook posts throughout the years.\nIn addition to Timeline, Facebook plans to roll out analytics that will give Page administrators visibility for the first time about real-time activity on the site.\nWill you be an early adopter of Facebook Timeline for brand pages, or wait for the inevitable switch on Mar. 30? Let us know in the comments.\nEssential Facebook Timeline Resources\n\nFacebook Timeline Brand Pages Are Here [PICS]Facebook Timeline brand Pages appear to be a powerful new tool for companies and businesses. This is what they look like.\nTimeline for Brands: How to Prepare for Your Company's New Facebook PageFacebook Timeline for brand pages is here, but you have some time before the changes roll out. Here's how to prepare.\nFacebook Brand Timelines: 6 Big Changes Every Marketer Needs to UnderstandWhile you get your brand ready for the new Timeline format, here are six important changes to keep top-of-mind.\n20 Facebook Page Cover Photos to Inspire Your BrandTimeline has finally rolled out to brand Pages and companies have quickly hopped on the opportunity to get creative.\nFacebook Timeline for Pages: Which Brands Will Win and Lose?Mashable asked an expert what brands can do to make the most of Facebook Timeline for Pages \u2014 and what traps they should avoid.\nFacebook\u2019s Time Travel Problem: Timeline Only Goes Back To 1800Facebook Timeline has a time problem: Profiles using the new design can only go back as far as the year 1800.\nWhy Facebook Timeline Is Made For Its Youngest Users [OPINION]Is Facebook Timeline for you? That depends how old you are. Here's why the newest features are aimed squarely at its youngest users.\nWill the New Facebook Lead to Information Overload?The new Facebook is presenting more information than many users know what to do with. How much is too much?\nWhy Facebook Timeline Will Be Huge for BrandsUsers have been abuzz over the possibilities of Facebook's Timeline, but brands should be excited too. Here's a look at the possibilities.\nFacebook Timeline: 5 Sites for Customizing Your Cover PhotoIf you don't have the time to design your own creative cover photo, consider these fun free services that can help. \nFacebook Timeline: 10 Stunning Designs [PICS]We've collected 10 more examples of creative designs of the new Facebook Timeline profiles.\nFacebook Timeline: 10 Fresh Designs for Creative Inspiration [PICS]If you've got the new Facebook Timeline and are looking for design ideas, check out this gallery for inspiration.\nFacebook Timeline Customization: 5 Tools for Killer Cover PhotosHave you personalized your new Facebook Timeline? Here are five tools that make it easy and fun.\nWhy Facebook Uses MySQL for TimelineFacebook Timeline uses MySQL for database management, a surprising choice.\nEditor's Note: This post has been update with additional resources since it was first published.\n\n"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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