Facebook is busy testing out many new features lately. Today I got an new option that allows me to create posts that will not be published to my Timeline, but can be found in News Feed and search results.
Here is how Facebook explains the new feature:
[quote]Now you can create posts that only show up in News Feed and search results. They won’t appear on your Timeline.[/quote]
There is no doubt that this is a test among a few users, but it could certainly be the preview of a very interesting feature for all Facebook users.
Until now, everything you have shared on Facebook, actually was shared across the platform: on your Timeline obviously, in News Feed for your friends to see, and in search results. The new feature allows you to “hide” your update from your own Timeline.
If you like our stories, there is an easy way to stay updated:
Follow @wersm
Once you share a post that you have decided to “Hide From Your Timeline” it will appear in News Feed and you can access it again through the new “Your Posts” menu option:
This is actually a massive change for Facebook, and I can think of at least 2 reasons why this will certainly impact the way people use the platform:
1. Share Something That Only Matters Now
Sometimes you want to share something just because it feels right at the specific moment in time. And that is the right way to approach the platform. After all, Facebook is certainly aiming at also being a news hub. What you don’t care about, is for that update to stay on your Timeline.
If you like our stories, there is an easy way to stay updated:
Follow @wersm
2. Share, Without It Coming Back To Haunt You Later
How often have you heard stories about people checking out your Facebook profile to get an idea of who you really are? It might be recruiters looking to see whether you are a solid candidate for a job, or it could be your employer, your family or friends.
Sometimes we just don’t want the things we share on Facebook to come back and haunt us later. Well, if it is not on your Timeline – a.k.a. profile – then there are very few chances someone would find it when looking you up, right?
If you like our stories, there is an easy way to stay updated:
Follow @wersm
No matter what your reason is, I think it is a cool new feature. The ability to share updates that will not be published to your Timeline is, at the least, giving you an option you never had before.
What about you? Can you think of more reasons why this new feature would be useful?
[box]Also Read: You Can Now Notify A Few Friends When You Post On Facebook[/box]