Facebook Gets a New Face Lift: Sneak a Peek Here!

Not quite yet. As exciting as it sounds, these features are still in the beta stages. Still in the works, but the overall idea is to make a better user experience for everyone.

When I opened my profile this morning, I was staring at an invite to view a SNEAK PEEK of the NEW FACE- of Facebook! You may have seen it yourself, but in case you missed the chance to click the link, I've highlighted the best parts.

“User experience encompasses all aspects of the end-user’s interaction with the company, its services, and its products.”

– Don Norman, Cognitive Scientist & User Experience Architect

Don't be alarmed! In the tech industry, these are referred to as UI/UX improvements. Just a fancy way of saying the platform has been optimized for an easier user interaction/experience. These are some of the best improvements I've seen from FB in quite a while.

Here are the 4 MAJOR changes to the #Facebook #interface...so far:

1) Easier Navigation

The new layout is #designed to offer users a quicker/faster method of finding, selecting, and navigating through the #platform. For now, screenshots ONLY show the desktop view.

Image from Facebook's Sneak Peek - Beta Navigation

The first change you'll see will be the menu bar across the top of the screen. The icons for #Messenger, #Notifications, and #Profile are now placed in the far right corner. More hidden icons, such as the Home and Contacts icon, are now more visible and accessible for use.

2) Rest Easy

How many times have we picked up our phones in bed, only to be greeted by Facebook's harsh white background light? Now your eyes can rest easy with the Dark Mode option.

Image from Facebook's Beta Sneak Peek - NEW Dark Mode Feature

Right now, Facebook has only provided us with #screenshots of the new #features, but they are promising we will be able to test out the beta interface soon! What a tease?

3) Cleaner View

Check out the "less is more" view. The larger text helps with #visual #hierarchy, which helps lead the user's eye and will also help the reader differentiate information.

Image from Facebook's Beta Sneak Peek - New Beta View

4) NEW Video Viewing

Viewing videos will also be changing as well, according to Facebook's Sneak a Peek available at http://bit.ly/2HgyI4A, it mentions an immersive experience. Whichever way we choose to look at these changes, the real test will be when users get the opportunity to interact with the platform.

Image from Facebook's Beta Sneak Peak - New Video Layout

As I write this, more questions come to mind. How will this affect #business pages? Will #click-through rates improve from the cleaner look of #ad placements? Hoping it's all for the better, but somethings will have to wait until we get there.

Until We Get There,

Naomi Barron

Digital Media Manager - Helping Business Build & Expand Their Online Platform.