A wise man once said …

You can’t just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they’ll want something new.

That wise man was Steve Jobs and it seems that a certain Mark Zuckerberg took those words to heart because last week, Facebook went through a round of changes that rocked users to their core.

As consumers, we change our behavior patterns constantly. Our likes, our dislikes, the way we interact with others and communicate changes all the time. So, wouldn’t it then make sense that a social network that thrives on those attributes change as well? We pride ourselves on progression and innovation, yet Facebook’s progression and innovation is consistently met with anger, outrage and an “I want the old way back” mentality.

Change is inevitable, especially when it comes to the realm of social networking. Whether it is Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or whatever else decides to come along, change is inevitable. As consumers, we can either embrace and take advantage of that change or turn our back to it. My opinion is to embrace it because if you don’t, you will get left behind, which brings me to the most recent changes to the social networking giant.

• Rumors (Not the Fleetwood Mac kind). Rumors are no fun, especially when they affect our wallet, so let me set this one straight. Facebook still features “it’s free and always will be” on its homepage and I expect it will remain that way. You will not be charged for the updated profile. Facebook makes a ton (and I mean a TON) in advertising so for now, there is no need for them to charge users to use their platform.
• Ticker. While not the thing that keeps Facebook alive (insert lame joke), the Ticker is in essence alive as it is a real-time list of things your friends are posting now that scrolls down the side of your screen. Don’t worry, it won’t be taken over by Farmville. Just status updates, photos from vacations. With this update, media consumption is about to get more social than ever before. You will be able to discover new music, videos and other media content at the same you’re your friends are consuming it.
• News Feed. Say sayonara to Top and Recent stories as they have been combined. While this may seem annoying, Facebook is actually giving consumers more control over what they deem is – and isn’t – important. You can control what type of content is considered a “Top Story” by labeling stories as important or unimportant. Don’t like what a certain friend is posting? You can now unsubscribe from them completely (and no, they won’t get an email alerting them to the fact).
• Lists. I’ve been a fan of lists since Facebook first created them. Lists allow users to segment their friends into groups and Facebook has realized the importance of segmentation. We like to consume a lot of information but we like to do so in an organized manner. Enter Smart Lists. Facebook has created smart lists based on geography, education and employer.
• Timeline. The Timeline, which will replace profile pages, represents a marketing industry trend that emphasizes quality storytelling. With the newly updated profile page (I’ve added a picture of my updated profile for your viewing pleasure), Facebook automatically adds pictures, status updates and life events from your past to your Timeline (beware of what you posted in the past!). With the Timeline feature, users can also add applications to their profiles to show a variety of information ranging from what songs they might be listening to, to the recipes they are trying or the runs they might take. The other noticeable change is the larger-than-life profile photo (branding opportunity!), something I am personally a huge fan of.

Phew. I’m exhausted just typing all of that! For now those are the biggest changes that have come down the Facebook pipeline but sit tight because you can bet your bottom dollar that more will follow. But remember what I said. Change is inevitable. Embrace it. Don’t run away from it.

What do you think about the most recent Facebook changes?