6. Create Custom Tabs from Scratch
You probably have a Facebook profile, but does your band, business or client have a Facebook Page? Pages are a great way to connect with fans and consumers, and we're going to show you how to customize and maximize your FB Page.
If you require even more customization than what’s provided by the iFrame apps discussed on the previous page, you can create a custom tab from scratch. It lets you point to and display any webpage on the Internet by specifying its URL, so this is best if you already have your own website or hosting server. It’s similar to iFrame Apps, but you can choose the tab icon displayed on your Page. While this method actually involves creating a Facebook app, it doesn’t require any coding or programming experience beyond the same basic HTML understanding required when working with the iFrame apps.
First, add the Facebook Developers app to your personal Facebook account (or one that’s assigned as an administer to your Page) and click the Set Up New App button to get started. If you haven’t already, you’ll have to perform an account verification using your mobile phone or credit card.
Here are the chief app settings you need to define, organized by the setting tabs:
About:
Icon: Shown for your custom tab when added to your Page.
Website:
Site URL (http://www.yourdomain.com)
Site Domain (yourdomain.com)
Facebook Integration:
Canvas Page: enter a page name to be used for your Facebook URL.
Canvas URL: enter the URL that Facebook will pull in your iFrame content. In other words, this should point to a webpage on your separate website (http://www.yourdomain.com/facebook/) that you want displayed on your custom tab of your Page. Keep in mind this can’t point to a main domain, it must point to a directory. Thus you’ll have to have an index webpage uploaded to the directory.
Secure Canvas URL: should point to the HTTPS URL (https://www.yourdomain.com/facebook/) of the same page. If you don’t have your own SSL certificate, you may be able to use the one from your website host (https:// yourdomain.yourwebhost.com/facebook/).
Tab Name: enter what you want should as the name of the tab in the left column on your Page.
Tab URL: enter the same as you did for the Canvas URL.
Secure Tab URL: enter the same as you did for the Secure Canvas URL.
To add the app (custom tab) to your Page, visit the My Apps page of your developer account, click the Application Profile Page link, and then click the Add to My Page link from the left column.
An excellent tutorial - literally Facebook Page 101.
By the way, if you're looking for a tool that blows landing pages out of the water - take a look at MyWebees (http://bit.ly/my-webees). It imports your entire site - your ENTIRE site - into your Facebook page with three clicks of your mouse. And you can see how easy it is for your Facebook fans to just go over to another Facebook tab to browse your site
Thanks!
Does anyone else have a favorite Facebook app or customization technique I didn't mention?
- Eric Geier (the author)
http://www.egeier.com
It is a known fact that any type of business cannot survive in the competitive market without promoting itself. Promotion of products, services and businesses can be done via social media marketing. Facebook is the leading social media network with the largest user base in the world and it has a variety of applications, but which one you choose depends on what type of business you have to offer to consumers. We can utilize Facebook applications to push businesses next level. One such app is the Facebook Marketplace where one can buy or sell anything.
Regards,
Business Gifts
I am not sure why it is so hard to find simple information about google analytics. I want to add it to my facebook, twitter and blog page but not sure how. Does anyone know? I have google analytics account and have created the required script to copy to the HTML or FBML or iframe. However, I am not sure which one is which now and how to modify access HTML or required file to add the script to start monitoring traffic.