Getting Started with Facebook Timeline

Facebook is constantly changing ever since its initial launch in 2004 and it continues to go through facelifts. The newest update is probably the biggest and it is called Timeline. Your profile page layout completely changes, with one large picture at the top acting as a banner and the rest of your information (posts, pictures and statuses, etc.) reading like a cool website for yourself. You can go as far back as when you first logged on or to when you were born. Timeline acts almost as your life scrap book and is great for those who love to reminisce.

Initially Facebook Timeline was only made available to developers for which we wrote a tutorial in no time for you to get access to the Timelime before everybody else does. But recently, this Facebook feature has been made available to all and you can activate it as described below.

Getting started is really easy: type ‘Timeline’ into the search bar at the top of your home page. Feel free to watch the video to get a better idea what Timeline is all about. Click Get Timeline. Once you are here it’s pretty easy to just follow the flow of the page to set it up how you want it. You will receive a message letting you know that your Timeline profile will not go live for 7 days so that you have time to perfect it.

Lets get started: Add a Cover

First things first add a cover; a cover is a large photo you choose to act as the banner of your profile page: You can choose from your Facebook photo albums any photo or upload a new one. Next step is to add your Life Events; this is what builds your timeline. You can do this by visiting the left side of your page under your banner picture where you can set your status. You are given these Life Event categories and sub categories to edit:

Work & Education

• New Job
• Retirement
• New School
• Study Abroad
• Volunteer Work
• Military Service
• Other life event

Family & Relationships

• First met
• New relationship
• Engagement
• Marriage
• New child
• New family member
• New pet
• End of relationship
• Loss of a loved one
• Other life event

Home & Living

• Moved
• Bought a home
• Home improvement
• New roommate
• New vehicle
• Other life event

Health & Wellness

• New eating habits
• Weight loss
• Glasses, contacts, other,
• Broken bone,
• Overcame an illness
• Quit a habit
• Other life event

Travel & Experiences

• New hobby
• New instrument
• New language
• Tattoo or piercing
• New license
• Travel
• Achievement or award
• Changed beliefs
• First word, kiss, other
• New sport
• Other life event

Once you edit all of these you slowly start to see your life build before your eyes. You and friends are able to scroll through past years and enjoy memories. Now that you know how to get started, be prepared for your time to be taken up by this virtual scrapbooking. Embrace the new change and have fun with it, Happy Facebooking!

[Facebook Timeline Cover Credit]

For further reading:

1. How to get access to Timeline – the new Facebook User Profile Right Now?
2. Timeline – The new Facebook Profiles unveiled
3. [How to] invite all your friends to Facebook Page or Group?
4. 15+ Facebook facts you would like to know! [Infographic]
5. [How To] tag friends on your Facebook Status Message?
6. [Spam Alert]Beware of the latest Worldcup Video Spam on Facebook

Tagged as: facebook features, Facebook Timeline, Timeline - Facebook user profile, Timeline - Story of your life