For most Facebook users, one of the only times when a user’s profile page gets any attention from the majority of their friends is on their birthday, assuming they’ve told Facebook when their birthday is. Facebook is now enhancing the birthday experience past text-based well wishes by introducing birthday videos and the ability to fundraise for nonprofits in order to celebrate your birthday.
In its announcement, Facebook wrote:
“People come to Facebook to send well-wishes and celebrate birthdays with friends. In fact, every day more than 45 million people give birthday wishes on Facebook, which is why it’s important to us to ensure you can celebrate the way you want to.
We’re excited to announce two new birthday experiences that we hope will make birthdays even more meaningful while you’re celebrating on Facebook.”
The first new feature is the ability to raise money for your favourite nonprofit. This feature will only be available for users in the United States for the time being. Two weeks prior to your birthday, Facebook will send you a message in your News Feed asking if you want to run a fundraiser for your birthday. You’ll be able to choose from 750,000 nonprofits that your birthday well-wishers will be invited to donate to – rather than giving you money for your birthday.
The second new feature is birthday videos. With shareable birthday videos you can send one to your friend as a present and they’ll be able to see it on their birthday. Facebook hopes this will make your birthday message stand out.
What do you think about the new additions, will you use the new tools to enhance the birthday experience online?
Source: Facebook