How to Master Facebook Timeline in 5 Quick Minutes

Below are five quick tips on how to personalize, privatize, and generally get the most out of Facebook’s newest feature. It doesn’t take long to master the new interface, and it’s an important exercise for anyone interested in, well, reputation management.

 

1. Privacy 101: How to Hide Things

You probably already know that Facebook has controversial positions on privacy. So you may now find that some things included on your timeline are best kept from curious eyes. This could be anything from an embarrassing status message you posted in simpler social media times, to a rant your ex left on your wall a few months ago.

To hide a Timeline element, click the pencil icon at the top of the offending post, then choose “Hide from Timeline.” Easy.

And please note: Any privacy settings you’ve already set still apply to the Timeline interface. So the photos of you getting wild at last weekend’s kegger are still safe from Mom.