After announcing it almost a year ago it is final now. August 23 some changes wil effect your Facebook page.
The changes:
- Boxes. We will notify users via messaging in profile boxes and in the Help Center that the “Boxes” tab, boxes on profiles and Pages, and application info sections will be going away.
- Application Tabs. Next week, we will give Page admins the ability to preview their custom tabs in the new 520 pixel width so they can modify their layouts as needed. All profile and Page tabs will be resized automatically beginning the week of August 23.
How will this effect your Facebook page.
Width application tabs
If you have a welcome Tab or another Tab that has been created with a FBML app the width will change to 520 px wide.
For example a tab like this on your page – made with the Static FMBL app
At the moment it is possible to make this page 760 px wide – this will be reduced to 520 px.
Make the necessary changes for your tabs:
Here you can see that for the width of this tab I have already set it to 520 pixels wide.
Boxes will be removed
What boxes are they talking about?
This is an example of a box from the same Static FMBL app as mentioned above. You can find it in the left sidebar.
You could use the FBML app for boxes and tabs. No longer, August 23, the option to make a box will disappear.
Profile image width change
Not sure if this will also happen August 23, but it will change.
Facebook announced earlier that they will also change the Profile Picture Size
The new size will be 180 x 540 (down from 200 x 600).
So the new recommended profile picture width is 180px wide, while height can vary as needed. The thumbnail that Facebook uses is generated from this picture.
The system crops images when generating a thumbnail, losing information around the edge. According to Mashable there is a “title safe” area within all images. So when you create your profile image that’s 180px wide, allow a 12 pixel border around crucial information (such as typography or a logo) to allow for automatic cropping.
Inspiration: Facebook App Profile Box and Page Tab Changes Coming on August 23
Thanks for the info Erno. Just beginning to look at customizing my fan pages, your info will save time.
The fan page profile width is going to change as well? Dang… I just designed a new fan page banner! Thanks for sharing that info, Erno. Is there a link to a FB article which states the changes? I’d love to share it with my FB fans and blog subscribers. Eydie
@Eydie this is the announcement on the FB blog developers.facebook.com/blog/post/399
@Kay any questions on customizing your fan page, just let me know.
Facebook changes things yet again! *Sigh* So, to be clear, all custom FBML boxes that appear in the sidebar now will be removed? And we will no longer be able to move boxes to the sidebar in the future?
Yes that is correct Stephanie – all customer FBML boxes will be removed from the sidebar. You can keep them by moving them to the tabs. No boxes for now, don’t know what the FB future will bring us
Do you know if the application canvas page will change also (like farmville) ?
Couldn’t find anything for the standalone app in facebook concerning if the resize will affect them
Interesting question Nicolas. I think that all application tabs will be reduced to the 520px width.