Disable grouping of photos on the timeline

Question

Does anyone know when facebook groups photos in the same album on the timeline? Is it possible to prevent it from doing so? If you post one or 2 pictures a day (via API) with a backlink to some other website and facebook groups this stuff, chances are one of those links will never even be seen by others. And as far as i know there's no other way to post a big photo with a link on the timeline. So:

• how soon after posting a picture one can post another for it not to be grouped in other's feeds?
• is there any way to overcome grouping via API?
• is there any other way to post a big picture with a description and a link above it (currently, i'm posting them as photos into a specific album)?

Thanks for your thoughts

Answer 1

This question is very interesting to developers who deal with images through the API. I see here two ways to ungroup photo posts.

1. Time

You could solve your problem by waiting the exact amount of time before uploading your photo, even if that would a mean way to proceed. For both page or user, photos will be grouped by albums:

• on the timeline, after exactly 10 hours (need more than 2 photos),
• on the news feed, after exactly 1 hour.

It actually uses the modified's Album parameter to know whether or not the new photo(s) will be grouped with the last group. That date is visible on the album's page:

Untitled Album Updated 34 minutes ago

Note : this is Facebook's behavior and algorithm, and there is no way to overcome it through the API. Also, we can't modify the value of the modified parameter.

2. User Generated photos

Something exists to solve your problem. It is called User Generated photos and it works with Open Graph.

You can allow your users to upload a single photo or multiple user generated photos for a single action.

In that case, your photos will be displayed in big sizes on both news feed and timeline and won't be grouped anymore. And you will still be able to add a description with a link. Moreover, it will promote your app because it indicates your app's name.

Readings:

• Concept: User Generated Photos
• How-to Upload A Single User Generated Photos
• How-to Upload Multiple User-Generated Photos (might be useful too)

By the way, this is what Instagram uses to share photos on Facebook. A good example to follow...

Answer 2

A method I've recently discovered is to post a pic in another album (one you haven't posted with) and then move it to the correct album. It won't be grouped up with the other pics when you post it on your timeline.