Earlier this year, Facebook announced they were slowly changing the setup of public pages, including businesses, influencers and similar categories.
This change is set to improve page experience for Facebook users and public page owners alike with new features added, including additional news feeds for page administrators.
Whilst the update is not yet widely available, Facebook has announced it will soon become the norm across the globe.
However, if you’re a business owner, it may be worth sticking with your classic page for a little while longer. Here’s why…
What is Facebook’s New Pages Experience?
Facebook’s new Pages Experience is designed to enhance the way public figures and businesses build their Facebook community. It allows businesses to connect with their audience and manage their professional presence easier than the classic page experience.
What changes have been made with Facebook Pages?
1. A new layout.
Those making the switch from the classic Facebook layout will be treated to a new page layout. Facebook claims the layout to be ‘cleaner and more intuitive’ enhancing user experience.
2. A personal and public profile in one.
Maintaining both your personal and public presence on Facebook has never been easier — well, it’s about to be. The new Page experience will allow users to switch easily between their professional/business profile and their private one, a feature previously not available.
3. A new news feed.
Those who update will also be able to access a second news feed just for your public profile. This means you can follow brands that matter to your business directly from your business page rather than personal.
Having a separate personal and public profile makes it easier for business owners to have a news feed dedicated to their personal life and one with topics concerning your business. The business news feed will also be available to other page administrators.
Should you update to Facebook’s New Pages Experience?
It’s recommended you should not update to the Facebook New Pages Experience just yet.
There is evidence to suggest some third-party scheduling and advertising platforms as well as abilities may be impacted by switching to Facebook’s New Pages experience. Some people have also reported having seen changes in permission levels with some administrators reporting the New Page Experience limiting their control over the page. Those who are Facebook Partners have been impacted occasionally even losing access to their business manager.
Unfortunately, as this feature is still being developed by Facebook, their APIs are not yet equal with their UI (user interface), impacting third-party platforms and some features. It’s expected these issues will be resolved within the coming months. However, if you do have issues after switching over it is recommended you get in contact with your third party provider for the best advice.
Why you should not switch to Facebook’s New Pages Experience just yet.
1. Classic view isn’t available for all pages.
Unfortunately, once some pages have switched over to Facebook’s New Pages Experience, they will be unable to switch back. The worst part is, there is no way to tell if your page will be one of these until it’s too late.
As mentioned before, some third-party advertising platforms will be negatively affected and may not be able to run effectively on the new Pages. At the time of publication, the most effective solution is for businesses to switch back to classic pages for the time being where possible.
2. Posts may be lost in transition.
If you are able to switch back to your classic page it is likely you’ll lose access to some elements of your page. Facebook has noted this includes:
Insights: Classic insights will only be available.
Ads: Those created on the new page will be stopped. These campaigns will not be able to be edited or restarted from the classic page.
New Content: Any new posts created on the new Page will not transfer back.
3. Some campaign types will not be able to run.
The updated New Page Experience can also alter your ability to run some types of Facebook Ad campaigns. Even if your third party provider or agency isn’t removed from your page, you may not be able to optimise for certain campaigns — primarily lead ads and other conversion type ads including sales, sign ups, app downloads to name a few may be impacted.
Frequently Asked Questions About Facebook’s New Pages Experience.
Will posts be lost when switching from Facebook classic to new Pages Experience?
Facebook claims when a business switches to their new Pages Experience, all existing content will transfer to the new format. This includes photos, videos, stories and groups your page may be involved in. Most importantly, if your page does have a blue verification tick, that will transfer over too.
Will page settings be lost when transferring between Facebook page types?
Some classic features will not be able to transfer over to Facebook’s new Pages Experience. According to Facebook, changes to Pages include:
- Classic page roles, such as moderator and editor.
- Likes from profiles which do not follow your page.
- All classic publishing tools such as scheduling. Scheduling will now have to be through creator studio or Facebook Business Suite.
- Business features including offers, jobs and appointments.
- Other features such as reviews, check-ins and templates.
It’s important to note while these features are not currently available they may be restored in the future.
How do I switch to Facebook’s new Page Experience?
Switching to Facebook’s New Page Experience is simple, but once you have switched to the new Page Experience some users will not be able to transition back. If your page is eligible for the new update you will see a notice on your current page introducing the new Pages. Follow the prompts (learn more, get started, then next) and select publish and your page will be switched over.
How do you switch back to a classic Facebook Page Experience?
Most pages will be able to easily switch back to a classic Page Experience for now. As mentioned above there may be implications to switching back and downloading information from your new Page is highly recommended.
To switch back to Classic Facebook:
- Open your new page.
- In the menu besides Edit Page, click the three dots and select Switch to Classic Pages.
- Follow the flow, then select Continue.
- Your page will be switched back to classic view.
If you have any concerns relating to your Facebook business page get in touch with one of our digital marketing specialists.
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