Facebook Customization- Add the FBML Application
Often when you go to a Facebook fan page, you’ll see that they have added some customized boxes such as images and links back to their website, a box with an image that sends people to their Twitter account, or customized tab which looks like a web page and might include a call to action to the ability to submit your email to sign up for their newsletter.
To do this type of customization, you need to add the Static FBML application (FBML stands for Facebook Markup Language) to your Fan page. With this application added to your Fan Page, you can then use HTML code to create custom boxes or tabs for you page with links to outside web pages.
Customizing your Fan Page can be a great way to set your page apart from others but it creates an opportunity for you create a good first impression which might lead someone to “Like” your page and join the community you are trying to create. By including an Email Sign Up box, you can also build your email database to help foster a relationship with your fans outside of Facebook. Be careful not to customize just for the sake of customizing. Have a plan or a strategy for putting additional elements on your Fan Page. I’ve seen quite a few custom tabs that I either only skimmed over or did not read at all because they really didn’t grab my attention. They were just an extension of the person or businesses website. Create a call to action, post content that will really interesting to people and give them a reason to want to come participate with you on your page.
In this video tutorial, I go over the following topics:
- How to find and add the Facebook Static FBML application
- How to find the application in your Fan Page Edit Settings once you have added the application.
- How to check the application settings to make sure you add an FBML box as a custom tab.
- How to add a Twitter badge/ image that will let users click through to your Twitter account.
- How to add more FBML boxes.
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Category: Facebook Applications, Facebook How-To, Video
[...] to our page and there is where you paste in the HTML. I wrote a post on how to do it here: http://magicfanpages.com/2010/04/fac…l-application/ Or you can watch the video tutorial I did here: Facebook will be phasing out FBML and this [...]
Thanks to your sound advice, I realize that I need to step back and wait until I come up with a better plan before I customize my Fan page. I think I was falling into the trap of “customizing just for the sake of customizing.” I’m so glad you shared this because the last thing I need to do is simply create that extension of my Web site — boring! This was great information.