Facebook changes show strength of Twitter appeal

by Stevie Smith - Mar 6 2009, 16:00

Looking to cement its place at the head of the social networking pack – and to fend off the surging rise of a certain micro-blogging service – Facebook has this week unveiled a revamped screen layout that should help bolster user appeal for the hugely popular service.

In terms of additions and alterations, the shuffled user homepage offers an obvious aesthetic redistribution of existing network components but also includes access to new public profiles for celebrities and organisations (which brings Facebook a little closer to the real-time messaging structure of Twitter).

“The new home page will let you see everything that’s shared by your friends and connections as it happens,” outlined Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in an official blog post explanation.

“It will also provide you with more control by letting you choose exactly who you see among the people and things you are connected to,” he added.

Beyond reshaping Facebook to tap the appeal of micro-blogging rivals, another change likely to inspire real-time updating sees the removal of ‘What are you doing right now?’ as the standard query on status message boxes. This also promotes the passing of quick and easy notes on any subject without banal, rambling self-referencing as sent updates will no longer begin with the user's name.

The tweak to Facebook Pages adds comment wall access and status updating to public profiles designed for both the famous and named organisations, which will allow general users to connect (we don’t want to say ‘follow’ or ‘stalk’) high-profile Facebookers in much the same way they would with friends and family.

Facebook has said the final version of its overhauled homepage design will be officially integrated into the overall service at some point next week.

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