7 Killer Apps For Building Custom Tabs On Facebook

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

Who Is an Average Facebook User?

What does it mean to be average on Facebook? On a given day, 26% of users “Like” a friend’s status, 22% comment on a friend’s status and 15% update their own status.

This infographic created by JESS3, examines engagement statistics with the world’s most popular social network.

The average user has 229 friends, of which 22% are from high school, 12% are co-workers, 9% are from college and 3% they only met once. In 2008, the average user was 33. Two years later, the average user was 38, five years older.

Compared with other social networks, Facebook users are the most engaged. Fifty-two percent visit Facebook daily, beating out others for daily visitors, such as Twitter (36%), Myspace (7%) and LinkedIn (6%).

Take a look through the data and let us know how your daily Facebook use compares with the average user.

Who Is an Average Facebook User?
Aritcle by Zoe Fox

Google+ Launches Branded Pages

Google has finally unveiled brand pages for Google+, allowing businesses and brands to join Google’s social network.

“So far Google+ has focused on connecting people with other people,” Google SVP of Social Vic Gundotra said in a blog post. “But we want to make sure you can build relationships with all the things you care about—from local businesses to global brands—so today we’re rolling out Google+ Pages worldwide.”

The new Google+ brand pages look similar to Google+ Profiles, except for the little square icon that designates that it’s a Page rather than a Profile. Users can add brands such as Fox News, the Dallas Cowboys and Angry Birds to their circles, check out their information and browse their photos. When users add a brand to their circles, it increases that brand’s follower count.

Read more: Google+ Launches Branded Pages

Infographic: Generational Media Usage by Time of Day

A new study by Magid Generational Strategies breaks down who's using what media at what time of day. Check out the media usage by generation and day-part:


Created by: MBA Online

11 Freelancer and Virtual Assistant Outsourcing Sites

Ever since Tim Ferriss wrote The Four Hour Workweek, the small business owner market has been aware of outsourcing and its benefits. Find a virtual assistant or contractor of just about any flavor and your work life will be easier.

That’s the promise. The reality is a little different. Sometimes it takes a while to find the right person (as in regular employment), and it often takes more management than you expect, especially when the person is working from a remote location. However, I have used several of these services as a business owner and can attest to their value.

If you know you need help in marketing, in technology (think programming) or with administrative issues, but really don’t know how to get help, this review is for you. It is for small business owners that want to find contractors, not employees, who can work locally or remotely to get the job done.

For many jobs, you need a full-time employee, but for some projects and tasks you can get work done faster and more cost-effectively with an independent contractor. Each of these services offers a way to get a job done through a contract, and they often offer 1099 tax services, too. Unless otherwise noted, none of these sites charge a fee to list a job or project opportunity or to look for a freelancer.
Read More By TJ McCue : 11 Freelancer and Virtual Assistant Outsourcing Sites

17 Things Marketers Should Delete From Their Facebook Strategy NOW

Now with over 750 million members, there's no doubt that Facebook should be a part of your business' social media marketing strategy. At this point, it's almost insane to think that your own prospects and customers aren't on Facebook, which is why many businesses are realizing they need to create an engaging and valuable Facebook presence for their fans that also serves as a viable channel for generating traffic and leads for their business.

But for every business that understands it needs a Facebook strategy, there are just as many businesses that are executing their strategy incorrectly. To make sure you're not falling into bad Facebook marketing practices, below is our definitive list of things businesses should delete from their Facebook strategy...immediately.

What to Axe From Your Facebook Marketing Strategy: 17 Things Marketers Should Delete From Their Facebook Strategy NOW

Posted by Pamela Vaughan

Fri, Aug 26, 2011 @ 10:59 AM

Managing an Online Reputation

Your customers are talking about you — and the whole world is listening.Local review sites are reshaping the world of small business by becoming the new Yellow Pages, one-stop platforms where customers can find a business — and also see independent critiques of its performance.
How do you manage your reputation when everybody is a critic?

For some business owners, this is a terrifying prospect that seems more like mob rule than the wisdom of crowds. Negative reviews can hang an albatross around your neck if they appear prominently in search results. Happily, there is a big upside: referrals from happy clients are traditionally the best source of new business — and online forums are powerful word-of-mouth. The review process has been democratized.

But managing your online reputation requires a whole new skill set, including monitoring the online conversation and engaging with customers and the tech-savvy to promote yourself in the best channels. These skills are becoming essential for mainstream businesses. According to a survey by the Opinion Research Corporation, 84 percent of Americans say online reviews influence their purchasing decisions.

Read more By KERMIT PATTISON, New York Times

Quick Tips:

• Set up automatic alerts to notify you when your business is mentioned in a review or blog.
• Local search sites are the new Yellow Pages -- make sure your business is listed. The more complete your listing, the more likely you are to get good search results.
• Respond to reviews to show readers that you are listening and that you care about customer service.
• Online reviews are a gold mine of business intelligence. Analyze metrics to get a better sense of your customer demographics.
• Don’t write false reviews to puff your business or trash a competitor. You can severely damage your reputation...and look really silly.

Suggested Reading:

• Tips from Yelp on responding to positive or negative reviews.
• A guide to Web tools to track your online reputation.