Description: This is the first in a mini series on the topic of the Facebook Timeline in 2012. This document will help determine what the timeline is, and give some basic information on how to use it. The goal is to help alleviate some of the confusion, and answer questions we've been getting on Facebook.

What is the Facebook Timeline?
The Facebook Timeline is a new way of displaying the content of your Facebook profile. This includes status updates, contact with friends, pictures, and Facebook App info. The Timeline update packs more information in to the same amount of space. We'll set aside the cosmetic updates for now and try to tackle the functional portions of it. First and foremost, the biggest confusion is the layout.

Layout Changes
At the top, there is a large image and smaller image over top of that - the largest is the Cover, which is intended to be whatever represents you best. Think of it as a greeting image. It could be your smiling face, a picture of your pet, children, or your favorite scenery - use your imagination for this one.

The smaller image sitting over some of the Cover image is your Profile Picture - this is the same as it's always been and should be a picture of the account holder, according to Facebook's guidelines.

Below this photoset is the main content of your page. In the old Facebook, you have three columns: one of the left with your favorites, apps, groups, pages, and friends; one on the right with updates and advertisements; and one in the middle with most of your content. With Timeline there are two columns in the middle that contain everything. What you want is still there, streamlined in to the two middle columns.

More Information
Facebook has much more information available through their website - take a look at this page for more if you can't wait for our next installment: http://www.facebook.com/about/timeline