Timeline is looking to capture your entire life history on one easy-to-navigate, continuous scrolling page. The positive is they’ve done it beautifully.
I’ve personally used a few photo history recording web apps, scrapbooks and timelines which attempt to clobber together photo events of your life. But there was something missing from them and Facebook looks to have found the secret sauce. The Facebook Timeline allows you to go back in your time machine to add and view your entire life history.
What is truly unique is the possibilities of the Timeline when used with the new Lists feature to only expose what you want with those you wish to share with. Consider your own genealogy project, mapped out with rich media of photos, video, life events and location data. Facebook already pre-populates your initial timeline with data and media you’ve already entered and uploaded.
And remember, you’re able to view these events, photos, travel destinations and check-ins in a global map view as well!
As an example of this, I’m starting to populate my timeline with when and how I met my wife, Pam as well as restrict the majority of the events to only be visible to the both of us (through a new List with just Pam).
It’s as personal as you’d like to make it, and as private as you want it to be. Facebook has found another very unique and sticky feature to hold it in good stead as the leading Social Network.
Is It Going To Be Great For Business?
The very same features will provide incredible business growth and consumer connection as well. Social Networks allow today’s switched-on businesses to interact and connect with their customers and potential customers on a far deeper and personal level.
For a brand, as an example, imagine the impact and connection achieved when a brand timeline is completed with the new Facebook Timeline feature set.
• When the brand/business was first established.
• A photo history of the new products as they were released (how people love to see products from yesteryear).
• Pivotal points and events in the company’s history (first full-time staff member, first small business award).
• When the staff numbers reached new heights.
• When and where (using location pins) new branches opened.
• Humanise the brand timeline with team sporting events and sponsorships.
• Connect with customers around your brand’s contributions to charity or other social enterprise activities.
The possibilities and imagination run wild. Once Facebook deploys their Timeline into Pages, get ready for the next evolution of your business’ social engagement - the brand awareness and consumer connection it will generate will be significant.
What are your thoughts (positive or negative) on where Facebook’s Timeline and new feature set is headed?
Martin is the General Manager at Traffika. Follow him on Twitter @Martin_Cooney or Google+
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Image courtesy of b_d_solis on Flickr.
