AP Photo/Paul Sakuma
Facebook is testing a new version of users’ Timelines, less than a year after the social network went through a major re-design. Rather than the two-column layout, Facebook will move all the posts into one column on the left, with sections such as “Recent Activity” and “Friends” on the right, according to Inside Facebook.
Many users originally complained when Facebook introduced Timeline, saying it was confusing to have to jump from one side of the page to the other to read posts in order. With this re-design, however, the line down the middle of the page is removed, ironically making the page look less like a Timeline. The dates on the right side of the page, allowing users to jump to a particular time, are still in tact.
On the revenue side, The Daily reports that Facebook has fast-tracked a plan to introduce classified ads, including apartment rentals and job listings, into users’ newsfeeds. While similar to the promoted posts for users, which allow average Facebook users to promote a post so it appears in more friends’ newsfeeds, posts for individual housing, for example, would not be paid. Additionally, users could tag relevant Facebook friends in the posts, share posts with others, or link to outside sites.
The Daily said, “The projects section is maybe the most interesting. Similar to Craigslist’s Gigs section, it would let users post tips and information about a variety of topics from clearing brush to installing WordPress.”
This is a major opportunity for Facebook, as companies are already using the site to reach out to potential employees. And with the targeting abilities, these classified ads could find more relevant readers than a site like Craigslist, which seems to be Facebook’s target in this upgrade.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, many current and former Facebook employees were finally able to sell their stock after the lockup period ended and the stock exchanges re-opened after Hurricane Sandy. Facebook’s stock price dropped slightly, but due to solid earnings results last week and the announcement of this new classified revenue stream, the price hasn’t fallen below $20.
Did you like the original Timeline or are you excited for this change? Would you use Facebook to post classified ads?
