Not all Facebook applications work on a business page. In fact finding an appropriate application that builds meaningful interaction, and that works on a business page, is a time-consuming task indeed. Applications that can be added to a business page have the words “Add to my Page” in the top left-hand corner of the application Page.
There are a couple of applications that are definitely worthwhile. Static FBML by Facebook allows you to create some pretty fancy tabs using a combination of HTML, CSS and PHP. Rather than being forced to accept pages of plain text, FBML allows you to create customised pages containing pictures and formatted text and that make use of the many interactive functions of the Facebook platform. With the help of my friend Brett Nickisson, from bn ething designs, I’ve created a styled landing page on the landing tab for The Real Estate Marketing Maven’s fan page.
If you have a blog – highly recommended by the way – NetworkedBlogs is both useful and worthwhile. It imports your blog into a tab entitled blog and helps you connect with other bloggers on their network, including some of the most prominent and influential blogs on the net.
Social RSS is another handy application that imports a variety of RSS feeds into a tab labelled blog/RSS. Although best suited to blogs any RSS feed can be added including feeds of hashtags mentions from Twitter or your latest listings.
The tabs created by applications rarely allow any form of customised business branding. Unlike pages produced with Static HTML, tabs produced with other applications are usually one-size-fits-all. This need not be permanent. Social RSS, for example, offer a customisation service for any feed; and this can in turn be used as an application that others can add to a personal profile or fan page.
Have you installed an application that works well? Love to hear if you have.
