Facebook likes to keep us on our toes, right?

They continue to evolve, thanks in part to the new competition from Google+. Facebook introduced three new features recently, including improved Photos, the Ticker, and Top News.

The buzz surrounding Google+ is forcing Facebook to improve their features and differentiate their offering. Competition is good.

But make no mistake, Facebook continues to dominate the social media scene. They recently had half a billion people log in on a single day. With those kinds of numbers, Facebook is still the big dog and still a smart place to reach customers.

So how do you as a marketer keep up with all the changes?

And how do you keep track of the new strategies that are going to give you the most giddyup for your time invested?

Here are three easy ways that you can take advantage of some new Facebook features to propel you ahead of the competition.

1. Upload those big, beautiful photos

The new photos are much larger.

When you upload an album you can create a mini-story that is eye-catching and provocative. Post more pictures on your Facebook Page and think about what story you can tell with the photos.

Showcase an event, your products, or (interesting) happenings at your office.

The other great thing about the new photo size is that they take up more space in the News Feed. You are claiming more real estate than a typical post. Remember to add comments onto the main picture in the Album so you can also get your message across, along with your great images.

2. Keep track of The Ticker

The Ticker has probably been the most controversial of the changes Facebook introduced.

Some people like it, others can’t stand it, and some have hidden it.

I think the Ticker is a great real-time tool that marketers can benefit from if you use it wisely.

The way to get the most out of the Ticker is to encourage interaction. When you are getting more interaction throughout the day on your posts, other people can easily click on their friend’s Ticker update to see what their friend is commenting on or Liking.

In this Ticker post shown, I clicked on Mari Smith’s interaction to see what she was commenting on. She was commenting on another Facebook Page post that instantly expanded.

Now I can discover new Facebook Pages that my friends are commenting on.

Your post can have a longer life if there is a continuing conversation. Any time someone comments, their friends have the potential to see the post and the thread of comments, then jump in and add to the conversation.

Post often (once or twice a day if possible) so you can pop into that Ticker more often.

Make sure you are sharing great, relevant content and ask questions related to that content in the update, just as AllFacebook.com did in the Ticker shown here.

3. Stay on top of the Top Stories

Top Stories aren’t actually completely new.

We used to have Top News and Most Recent on separate tabs. But now they are blended into one stream. Top Stories are what Facebook thinks you want to see, based on past interactions. Filtering the stories in the Stream is something that Google+ doesn’t (yet) do.

If you want to be a Top Story, make sure you are getting those comments and Likes.

So how do you get more comments and Likes?

Again, ask questions and post good content. Mix it up if you are having trouble getting interaction. Post something social and fun.

These strategies aren’t new. But with Facebook’s changes, they have become more important than ever.

When you have started using these strategies, track your progress through the Insights. Watch your post interaction numbers to see if you are getting more comments and Likes. Adjust your strategy depending on what works well for your audience.

Once you start using these strategies, I bet your community will Like you even more.

About the Author: Are you ready to drink the Facebook Kool-aid? If so, Andrea Vahl has lots of handy tutorials on how to get started and how to effectively use Facebook, with the help of her alter ego, Grandma Mary. Get more from Andrea and Grandma here: AndreaVahl.com.