No coincidence that lately I've been hearing some grumbling from various people and businesses (our clients included) about Facebook. They don't like the new timeline, they're not seeing the same results or getting the same results as they did when they first started. Is Facebook to blame? Partially or depending on how you see it, TOTALLY!

Let's face facts - people HATE change. It pulls them out of their comfort zones and forces them to work and possibly think harder. We work hard enough each day; we don't need someone throwing a monkey wrench in to our carefully laid business goals. But, as the old adage goes "change is inevitable". If you don't change (or at least roll with the punches) then you become stagnant. Stagnate and you know what the next phase is....DEMISE!

Yes, Facebook has made things a little more difficult for businesses to promote their brand online. It used to be simple getting fans to "like" your page. Even when Chaos Marketing began, we could virtually help gain a new business 100+ overnight! But that's changed. Now, only a page administartor can suggest a business page. And if you're admin only has 57 friends, don't expect huge fan gains overnight. Admittedly, I was a little miffed about losing this fast growing ability to. But overtime, we've come to see that sometimes easy going, organic growth gets more results. That's how Chaos Marketing has grown these past two years. It's been a successful formula for us so why not a business on Facebook? Your customers and fans are not bottlecaps - don't collect them like they are!

The new timeline for business pages will certainly bring about some changes. Personally, I'm excited about them. I like the new banner photo at the top. I like the customizable tabs. I even like the sometimes confusing page layout. If you study it long enough, you realize that it's actually a more concise and precise layout. It allows a business to organize and highlight the businesses content and photos. It keeps your fans comments in one easy to find area. And the Admin Panel keeps you up to date on page activity even more than before. This can be an especially useful tool for those who don't check up on their business page as much as they would like. The "timeline" feature is a great resource tool that allows you to "check up" on your business and what you've done in the past. Perhaps you had some great contests or content in the past. One word: RECYCLING :)

So you see? Sometimes change can be a good thing. Yes, I know know (as does Facebook) that not everyone will agree. Perhaps this timeline is the final straw. Time will tell. But a true business person knows that marketing doesn't rest entirely on the social shoulders of Facebook (we certainly hope not!). New marketing tactics come along everyday and it all depends on far YOU, the business owner, want to step outside the box and take a chance. Your customers ages and tastes change - so should your marketing practices.