Classic vs. New Page Experience on Facebook
Updated: August 9, 2022. Facebook’s New Page Experience continues to be a point of confusion for many. While Facebook officially rolled out the new experience in January 2021, many are finding that their Facebook pages have not been switched over yet.
Though some language suggests that Facebook users may be able to make the switch themselves, that does not appear to be the case at this time. Facebook has control over updating pages to the new experience. Once that occurs, the page administrator should receive a notification noting that their specific page has been switched automatically.
(As of August 2022, only 19 percent of the Facebook pages that More Canvas Consulting manages have switched over to the new experience.)
However, for those pages that have switched, we continue to recommend that you do not switch back to the Classic Page. While Facebook now provides users with instructions on how to switch back to the Classic Page, they also provide the implications in making that change. Switching back to the Classic Page will result in the following:
All ads created under the new page will be stopped permanently.
No access to new, simplified insights.
Losing the New Page experience features (news feed, groups, etc.)
All content created on your new page will be lost (photos, video, posts)
Click here to learn more about how to switch back to Classic Pages and the implications of doing so.
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Have you recently experienced a change in your Facebook business page layout? Facebook may have automatically changed your page to the New Page Experience. (If it hasn’t yet, be patient. Follow the instructions to “switch into” your New Page Experience, found in this article. But please note that if Facebook hasn’t switched your page to the New Page Experience, you will not see this available on your screen.) This new layout doesn’t just include a cosmetic refresh, it is also changing some functionality. Facebook’s stated intentions are for businesses to enhance their social media strategy and experience. However, this change may be causing some issues with how you normally operate on Facebook, and it may be fueling some frustration.
While there is an option to switch back to the Classic Page Experience, we encourage you to first consider the implications of sticking with what’s familiar. If you have a Classic Page for a business or public figure, at some point Facebook will likely induce all Classic Pages to convert to the New Page Experience. No time like the present to adapt to changing tech, and keep your social skills sharp. Plus, some anecdotal evidence suggests that Facebook is “punishing” pages that stay with the Classic Page and giving preference, and more visibility, to content on pages that opt-in to the New Page Experience. (Emphasis here on “anecdotal.” Though reports from users are worth considering, we haven’t yet found a reliable data source to verify this claim).
Iterations and versions of the New Page Experience may continue to roll out, and as the changes launch, there will be a continuous blossoming of Reddit threads (like this Reddit thread describing one user’s confusion), and blog posts (like the one you’re reading right now). Read through several sources to triangulate and validate information. You can also go right to the Meta Business Help Center or Meta’s “Get Started” page to find answers to your questions about Classic Page versus New Page, although you know that Meta will not be effusive about the potentially negative impacts their updates may bring to users.
For those of you who currently manage a Classic Page, you’ll immediately see a difference in the new Facebook Page Experience when trying to use metrics to understand your audience, collaborate with a team, and schedule content in advance. Get ready.
If there are people who like, but do not follow your page, those likes will not transition to your new page
Page Roles, such as “editor” and “moderator” will be replaced by something called “Facebook access” or “task access”
Want to schedule content to be posted in the future? Say goodbye to Publishing Tools, and hello to Creator Studio or Meta Business Suite
The team at More Canvas suggests that you get comfortable with the New Page Experience, and find out what you can do to make it work best for your business.