With such a great variety of Facebook page applications out there, it’s become even harder to find a suitable application that matches your business or personal goals.
Here’s a look at seven popular tools for adding miniature applications, or tabs, to pages on the social network, as reported on Mashable and written by their Guest writer Lynn Marie Hope runs Host FB.
Static HTML
Installation
1. Go to the Static FBML application.
2. Click the blue box labeled “Add Static HTML to a Page”
3. Choose the page the app to be added to and click “Add Static HTML: iframe tabs”
4. Once done, you will be taken to your Fan Page. Find new tab marked with a star, and click on it
5. Input content into fan and non-fan view using regular text or custom HTML (preferred)
Pros
- Recognizes HTML/CSS/Java Script and highlights the tags
- It’s good for pre-made coded templates
Cons
- Doesn’t host images, styles, media files (you’ll need to host supplementary files at your place)
- Requires HTML/CSS knowledge
Pricing
Free!
Summary
It took me few minutes to play around with the app and understand how it works. This is a nice freebie as long as you are pro in HTML/CSS or have a pre-made template. Is useless for a beginner.
TabFusion
Installation
1. Go to TabFusion‘s page and and click “Enter”
2. On the upper right, click “Sign in with Facebook”, Allow the app to communicate with your Facebook account
3. You’re on Dashboard: Click “Design” then “Website”
4. Choose tab icon, then go to TabMaker
5. Click “Enter TabMaker” and start editing my page
6. And now trouble begins… I’m lost and cannot publish my app. Need help!
Pros
I had no chance to see any. Share your experiences in the comments section, please.
Cons
- Process is too long and complicated
- Lack of editing tools and features
Pricing
Basic apps are free
Summary
Though the basic apps (such as website, music, etc) are free, the installation process os quite unfriendly. The price actually explains the quality. I couldn’t finish mine app.
TabSite
Installation
1. Go to the TabSite page and hit “Connect with Facebook”
2. Connect an app to Facebook by clicking Allow
3. Complete the registration form
4. Select Facebook Page and Level
5. Choose the name of the tab from the list and hit “Create Tab”
6. Click “Okay” to access page builder interface and start building the page
Pros
- Great number of add-ons such as forms, widgets
- Drag and drop management
- WYSIWYG text editor and custom HTML area
Cons
- Takes six steps to get to actual page builder
- Complicated and a bit unfriendly interface for a beginner
- Most features require Pro level
Pricing
Free: One page with branding
Bronze: $5 monthly, or $50 yearly
Silver: $10 monthly or $100 yearly
Gold: $15 monthly or $150 yearly
Summary
There are plenty of widgets available, but most are available with paid accounts only. The tab builder interface is equipped with a ruler grid, image library, pus layers and templates management. Unlike the usual click-to-upload feature, these guys a implemented drag-to-upload which made the editing process a bit busy and uncomfortable.
WelcomeTab
Installation
1. Go to the WelcomeTab page and hit “Activate this App”
2. Connect SocialAppsHQ to your Facebook account
3. Complete the registration form
4. Click “Connect with Facebook” and Allow the actual Welcome tab app to be connected
5. Choose a plan. Tried clicking “Free trial” few times with no luck? Basic plan costs $0.99.
6. Choose a page to connect app to. Again, this is where it keeps asking about payment, even if I choose Free
I guess it’s not my day, cause I’ve got no credit card with me to try this app. So, based on this two-minute overview, I can say the following.
Pros
I had no chance to test all handy features declared by developers. No free trial? I wasn’t prepared to pay (even 99 cents) for a try.
Cons
- Invalid free trial
- Takes 6 steps (at least) to get to actual builder
- The actual app page on Facebook looks unprofessional with 40% of the page being cut off
Pricing
Free trial (we’re not completely sure it’s working properly, however)
Starter: 99 cents a month
Standard: $9.99 monthly
Vertical: $29.99 monthly
White label: $99.99 monthly
Summary
The application developer has stuffed this app with Like Gate support, real-time analytics, css control, WYSIWYG editor, image hosting and an option to share content and invite friends.
IWipa
Installation
1. Go to iWipa‘s page on Facebook and click “Install”
2. Choose a page and connect an app (via normal Facebook app connection interface)
3. Click on new tab on your fan page and hit “Activate”
4. You’ll be taken to your account dashboard on Iwipa to start editing
5. Edit and publish
Pros
- WYSIWYG text editor and custom HTML area
- Fan-gating
- Google Analytics
- Appearance management
Cons
- Too busy and overloaded admin interface
- Broken links happen sometimes
- Most of the options require payments
- Uniform layout for all the pages
Pricing
Free level: pretty basic
Pro level: $9.97/mo & $99,97/yr
Summary
I lost myself few times before I built a simple page. I wish this interface was more friendly and could differentiate primary and secondary options to a user. As is, the app is too overloaded and busy for a regular user. Paying a free will give you quite good tool to build a tab for Facebook page. I wish the developers could fix the interface and make it more intuitive and friendly.
Lujure
Installation
1. Go to Lujure‘s official site and register for a free trial
2. Allow the app to connect to your Facebook account by clicking standard Allow box
3. Choose a page to add the app to & input the title for new tab
4. Edit the content via editor
5. Hit publish (that’s where you will have connect app to page by clicking “Add Lujure to my page”
Pros
- Very fast interface
- Free plan offers decent number of features
- Drag-and-drop management
- Community support forum
Cons
- Building process is not completely intuitive (some actions require you to hit “Done” or “OK” twice)
- Too expensive in case you want to use its advanced features
- Requires basic graphic application knowledge to customize the images
Pricing
Free: includes or one page with Lujure branding
Consultant: $30 per month
Business: $300 per month
Summary
Lujure is really great for beginners, and users with medium HTML knowledge. The paid seem a bit expensive in comparison to other apps. Despite its price, Lujure is a great alternative to build custom iframe tab for your Facebook page. Each box is edited in a separate popup block, and you can drag and drop the boxes. Measuring rulers help organize the design, which is cool. The ”like gate” and layout templates are useful, and the installation process is smooth and painless.
PageModo
Installation
1. Go to PageModo‘s website and click “Start Now”
2. Click “allow” to enable connection between app and your Facebook account
3. Select the page to add new app to
4. You’re on the dashboard: choose the theme for your tab
5. Start building the page via editor, and publish once done
Pros
- Intuitive interface
- A number of tab icons to choose from
- Variety of themes
- WYSIWYG text editor
- Ability to customize your tab label name
Cons
- Doesn’t have HTML editor
- Free plan requires to like the PageModo fan page
Pricing
Free: One page with PageModo branding
Basic: $6.25 monthly
Pro: $13.25 monthly
Agency: $33.25/mo
Summary
Pretty nice, useful and quick tool to build a custom tab. But to my opinion, for lack of an option to input custom HTML and JavaScript code this application might be useless for people with intermediate and advanced level of coding knowledge.
Conclusion
Hopefully you now have an idea about available do-it-yourself tools for building custom iFrame tabs on Facebook. Just know that none of this applications will be able to help you if you don’t have a basic sense of style and balance. Using pre-made layouts and templates will streamline your work, but knowing how to format images, code in HTML and JavaScript and set up cascading style sheets will enable you to do more with the tab applications.
Guest writer Lynn Marie Hope runs Host FB.
7 Killer Apps For Building Custom Tabs On Facebook
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