Facebook’s got a brand-new look. Keep reading this article to see: 

• What major changes Facebook has made to its desktop site
• Why those changes were made in the first place
• What this means for the future of Facebook

The New Facebook Layout Puts the Focus on Groups and User-Friendliness

Facebook has been rolling out its new design for a few months now. It started with select, random people getting an invite, and has built up from there. Now it looks like the social media juggernaut is set to wide-release the layout any time now. 

Dramatic changes to Facebook don’t come lightly, either. In fact, this is only one of a handful of times it’s happened. 

But it’s probably the biggest Facebook’s had to date, with much of it updated. The new Facebook layout might take some getting used to, but we’re here to help you navigate through it! 

What New Facebook Looks Like

Facebook doesn’t make major changes like this easily. It comes from years of research and examining what works. So, how did Facebook change their layout? Here’s what to expect when the rollout is wide-released!  

It Looks Like the Mobile App

Facebook has been pumping resources into its mobile app for years. And it’s no wonder either. Facebook has a reach of more than a billion people and 98% of them are using Facebook’s mobile app to scroll through and check on posts. 

Because of this focus on the app, one of the biggest changes to the desktop site is the positioning of the entire page. Rather than being positioned into a left-hand alignment, the page is now more centered, similar to the app. 

You’ll also notice that there’s a lot more white space. The new Facebook 2020 design stripped away a lot of the signatory blue to give the site a cleaner, brighter look to it. Again, this is very similar to the app redesign Facebook rolled out last year. 

Cover Photo Sizes Changed

With the sleeker design, Facebook has also altered its cover photo dimensions. So, if your page changes, the cover photo you’re using might not quite work. 

The old Facebook – now called “Classic Facebook” – had cover photo dimensions at 851px by 315px. New Facebook modified it a little bit to 820px by 360px on your desktop. 

Profile Picture Has Moved

The placement of your profile picture has also moved. Instead of having the cover photo and profile picture to the left-hand side, it is now front and center. 

That means if you have a profile picture that compliments your cover photo because of the placement, it might be time to move it. 

Like and Shared Buttons Have Moved

The profile picture isn’t the only thing moving. Facebook has moved the “Like” and “Share” buttons directly underneath the cover photo. It also included a more prominent “Follow” button for easier access. 

This means that 100-percent of your profile picture will be shown. No more buttons will crop up slightly from the bottom. 

It should also help with getting customers and followers involved on your page or profile, since these buttons are in a more prominent location!  

It Has a Dark Mode Option

For those that love to use Facebook’s mobile app on dark mode, you can rejoice! Facebook has the ability to switch to dark mode on your desktop!

Simply go to the quick settings button on the top-right hand of your home page and toggle Dark Mode to “On.” 

You can switch it back any time you like, as well!

The New Facebook Layout Prioritizes Quicker Access

The most noticeable difference on your home page redesign is the new navigation sidebar. Facebook now gives people a way to quickly get to one of its various points. 

The new navigation sidebar shows people their Friends, Messenger, Pages, Marketplace, Facebook Watch, and other areas of interest. The larger font size lets people glance through their list easier as well. 

If you manage a lot of Facebook pages or groups, you can toggle them under the shortcuts banner on your sidebar still. 

Facebook Stories have also been moved above the status update box.  

This is all part of the initiative to streamline Facebook’s look. It’s a pretty big task considering everything Facebook has to offer. There’s a hope that people will be able to quickly navigate to what they want, rather than climbing through a mountain of information. 

The New Facebook Layout Emphasizes Privacy

Facebook has a long, sordid history with privacy. The company constantly comes under fire for various privacy concerns and it has long tried to rebrand itself as a privacy advocate. 

The new Facebook design reinforces the advocacy. The new design puts the Groups tab on the top of the page as a button. Clicking on it takes you to a newsfeed of updates from your groups, as well as recommendations for other groups you might like. 

In general, Groups are going to be playing a bigger role going forward. They are focused on specific interests and can be set to “Private” to not allow in anyone outside of the group. 

So, where your newsfeed might be cluttered with information you don’t want to see, your specific group offers you a space to get away from all of that. 

In fact, Mark Zuckerburg, CEO of Facebook, sees privacy as the future for the social media channel. 

In a blog post before the unveiling of the redesign, he said that, “I believe the future of communications will increasingly shift to private, encrypted services where people can be confident what they say to each other stays secure and their messages and content won’t stick around forever.” 

This new focus on Groups rather than the newsfeed will be something to watch out for, especially for small business owners who use the newsfeed to display their content. 

How to Get the New Facebook Layout

The new Facebook layout will be widely released sometime this year. But, if you can’t wait for the new Facebook update, there’s a way to switch. Just go to your quick settings button, which is the down arrow on the top right-hand of your screen. You can select “Switch to New Facebook.” 

And if you want to keep Classic Facebook for as long as possible, you can switch back by doing the same thing at any time! 

Keep in mind, though: Facebook is still in the process of designing certain aspects. If you have a small business page, it might not take effect yet.

How Can We Help You with Facebook?

As we just saw, Facebook’s new redesign might take a little bit of work to figure out. But, with these new features, it could end up benefiting people greatly in the long-run!

And if you want to know more about how Facebook works or if you’re using your business page the right way, give us a call at (847) 254-0837 or send us a message on Facebook!