Facebook is rolling out five new features for profile customization to its users: seven-second profile videos, temporary profile pics, more visibility controls with new 100 character field for About Me, mobile design with sections for photos and friends, and the ability to pin Featured Photos to the top of a profile page.
As in the past, Facebook is rolling out the new features gradually to more and more users. We’ll summarize each new update so you can utilize it immediately once your profile changes.
Profile Videos
Look out Live Photo (or should I say Harry Potter), Facebook now allows seven-second videos in place of a profile picture. The video you upload is public and without sound unless you click on the video. You select a still of the video that will appear as your image icon to users not on your profile page. This addition serves as further proof that Hogwarts exists.
Featured Photos
Featured Photos allows you to add up five extra photos to show off your style, personality, pets, or activities. Along with the new bio, it’s a feature intended to present the user as a well-rounded person. The featured photos are public; therefore, they give users you aren’t friends with a chance to see more of who you are.
Temporary Profile Pics
When the Supreme Court ruled on marriage equality, millions of Facebook users added rainbows to their profile pictures. Naturally, Facebook realized people use their photos to express opinions, political stances, and creativity. Thus, the addition of temporary profile pictures. Upload a picture from vacation or take a stance for change and set how many hours, days, or weeks you’d like that picture to replace your regular profile pic. When the time runs out, it will revert to your previous photo.
About Me + Visibility Control
On the old Facebook profile, About Me was buried with various other information under the general About section. Now, when you set your About Me to public, it will appear just under your profile picture and give you up to 100 characters to describe yourself to friends and strangers.
Mobile Design
Recognizing that users do most of their Facebooking on smartphones, Facebook is overhauling the web-focused design for a mobile-centric one. The profile pic/video moves to the center and gets bigger. Facebook is also changing the way basic info is presented so that the overall picture of who you are can be seen in a glance.
The new features create a smoother, more lively profile for users and a clearer picture of the consumer for advertisers. These new additions to Facebook are minimal but will likely have a large impact in the long run as the company keeps pace with the evolving world of social media. After all, nobody wants to be Myspace.
Image Credit: d8nn / Shutterstock.com / Giphy
