Facebook has revamped its page layout and made quite a few changes. These changes will change the way users will interact with public profiles. Facebook made changes on 6th January after testing the features a few months ago.
The biggest and most impactful change is the absence of the ‘Like button’ on public pages. Facebook clarified that the only information shown to users will be the number of followers and a dedicated newsfeed. The company says that the true popularity of a page may be misrepresented by the number of likes it has. It says that the number of followers of a page may better indicate its popularity.
In a blog post announcing the changes, Facebook said;
We are 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, which helps give public figures a stronger indication of their fan base.
The redesigned layout is aimed at making Facebook more accessible. The new layout is more intuitive according to the company. It is also aimed to help users navigate better between a personal profile and public pages. The simplistic design is created to display information like bios, posts, and statuses more clearly.
The next big change is the dedicated newsfeed feature. The dedicated newsfeed is going to recommend new connections, pages, groups to the user. Comments from public figures will be displayed at the top of pages for easier access. Users will also be able to follow pages directly from comments and recommendation posts.
Other changes include updated task-based admin controls and improved safety features. The updated admin controls now make it easier to manage pages. The controls will now allow admin to give complete or partial access to people concerning aspects like page insights, community activity, Ads, and much more. Facebook has also reaffirmed its stance on making Facebook a safe space for all. Its new safety features will detect inappropriate activity like hate speech, graphics, and spam content.
Facebook has said that it will continue to roll out more such changes in the coming months.