Filter out the nonsense, that sentiment is the driving force behind Facebook first major update to its newsfeed since 2006.

Today, Facebook announced a whole new way it plans to filter content in an attempt to feed our content addiction as efficiently as possible. To do this, Facebook will start grouping its user’s content and activity into categories such as what music you are listening too, updates on pages you have liked, and deals and offers that might pertain to you.

While Facebook already has the analytic data on nearly every one of its 3 billion active users, until now the newsfeed has yet to harness that user specific data in an efficient way, starting today however, that all changes.  Below is a list of some of the specific features that were released today, as well with bullet points of how they could effect your Facebook experience.

New Layout of Newsfeed:

The new news feed will be more like a personalized newspaper than your standard facebook newsfeed. The new design effects the way you will see your friends content by focusing on the images your friends post, making it like a well designed periodical.

Larger Images:

Facebook is taking your images and putting them front and center in your newsfeed. As well as individual photos, your photo albums will also be getting a major facelift. These larger images will also change how third party data is presented to you, such as content from Pinterest or Reddit.

Image based Stories from the Web:

Sharing popular stories with your friends is now as simple as browsing your newsfeed by presenting the most popular and most shared images before other, less popular posts.

1) New Timeline:

Facebook will be enlarging your profile pictures as well as streamlining its presentation of user data through its popular timeline feature. Now, seeing what a friend is up to, what friends you have in common, as well as the recent places they have been have never been easier.

2) Pages you Liked:

By having data on what information is being shared, facebook will be able to provide a summation of the most popular content from popular pages that you have liked. Content from sites such as NPR, CNN, and Fan Pages will be streamlined to present only the most popular stories from these various pages.

3) Some of the New Feeds:

People told facebook they wanted more control of the stories they saw on their Newsfeed, and Facebook has delivered. Some of the brand new Newsfeed options are: feeds designated to sports, music, news, photos, games,  videos, a revamped “whats happening” feed, and an “all friends” feed. Music will be a very popular news feed option and is poised to revolutionize how artists present not only their albums but also photos from their recordings in the studio and promotional materials from the album. These feeds will be sorted based upon the frequency a user interacts with them, and all of these feeds will be available on desktop as well as Facebook’s popular mobile app.

4) Altering of the Facebook’s Mobile and Web Interface:

Facebook will be changing its look as well as the way you navigate around the popular social media site. The new interface will be similar to the mobile experience, and vice versa. This consistency is aimed at developers and publishers, as well as users, with the goal being making feeds feel more uniform across all of today’s platforms.

Above all else, this update streamlines the basic user experience of Facebook. Instead of wading through what Suzie Q thought of her date with whats his face, and the ramblings of your college roommate’s ex girlfriend regarding the latest episode of New Girl, you can now spend your time perusing only the filtered content you want to see.

Everything from updates from specific pages you liked, to Facebook photos of friends and family will now be neatly categorized for your  viewing pleasure. Through this update, Facebook has now made it easier than ever to follow the people closest to you, while at the same time filter out the nonsense.

Check out the full list of updates and get on the waiting list by going to Facebook’s News Feed Page. Happy filtering 🙂

Meet David A. George

David A. George I'm a UX + Growth Marketer passionate about people, music, intelligent UX, Android, and breathing underwater. I'd love to connect with you on LinkedIn, Twitter, and on my website.