Facebook's Facelift and Why Websites Change...

by Chris Neiger

I just found out this week that Facebook is making some changes to the profile pages of its users. Some developers have access to the new features this week and in about three weeks most users will be able to see the changes. Rob Hof from BusniessWeek said:

"The new design will be more organized, with separate tabs for feeds (posts and other fast-changing info by the user, his or her friends, and Facebook applications), info (basic personal info that doesn't change much), photos (one of Facebook's most popular applications), boxes (bringing together Facebook applications into one tab), and custom applications (tabs created by users for their favorite applications)."

I, for one, am all for it. I can't help but feel informationally overwhelmed whenever I log in to my Facebook account. I don't remember adding all the applications and updates; all I want is a simple way to communicate with my friends. Why do I have to be "hugged" or "poked" at the same time? With social networking and business websites constantly trying to evolve into a one-stop shop, the over abundance of information is out-weighing the use of good communication (if I were still in school I'd probably write some thesis on "Communication vs. Information in the Emerging Internet Market", or something like that).

To fix the information problem, some companies continually have to rework the appearances and functionality of their site in order to balance out the two. Businesses are still learning how people search a website and what they want while they're there. The Internet is full of businesses guessing at what they can do to increase traffic to their sites and disagreeing as to what is really effective. If you don't believe me, start a conversation about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and find out how many people agree to its effectiveness, ineffectiveness, longevity, etc. If that weren't enough, users continue to adapt how they use sites, the time spent looking for them, where they look, what they want and so on.

So when Facebook, or any other site you regularly visit, starts making changes and you wonder why, remember that ultimately they're trying to get into your head and make a site that you want to spend time at. And if you own a business, but haven't updated your site in a while, you might want to start thinking about it. Depending on how much traffic you have and what you currently offer, your users will eventually want new features that make their experience faster and more enjoyable. Just be sure not to offer them too much clutter that they don't need. I'll leave you with a recent clip about this very topic from the The Office... Watch the clip here.