Showing posts with label HTML. Show all posts
Showing posts with label HTML. Show all posts

What Is FBML? By Andy Pitt

FBML is Facebook's mark-up language but these elements will take any HTML as well. So you have the ability to add newsletter sign-up forms, e-book downloads, and other HTML based elements. It is shown as easy to pick up. You certainly should be already familiar with HTML. It is a great solution for a complicated problem, and continues to be useful.
It is like HTML, but it lets you include social content inline in your markup. It is Facebook's version of HTML, the language that web pages are written in. For the most part, knowledge of HTML is all that is needed to utilize the functionality of the Static FBML application.
It is a modified version of HTML with some features discarded and other, Facebook-specific attributes added. Some CSS attributes are deleted for security reasons, and it has a set of unique tags you will be required to learn to create apps properly. It isn't a "proprietary language," it's a set of tags added to HTML that make it easier to write social apps. With it, I can show or hide elements of the page based on whether two users are friends - it's a simple tag that Facebook handles on their side. It is amazing; it's so great to be able to have YouTube videos on your Facebook page. I have been doing a lot of research recently.
It is an evolved subset of HTML with some elements removed, and others which have been added that are specific to Facebook. You set the FBML for a profile box by calling profile.setFBML through the API. It is a coding language that lets you custom builds these Facebook Platform apps. So if you know HTML, FBML is not too far off.
It is where the new version of the Facebook platform gets interesting and begins to separate itself from other simple widget platforms. It is great, and for some parts of your app you will want to use it, but the fact you can't debug it makes life extremely difficult. If you can get all your code working with iframes first, then it will be relatively easy to switch some bits to it when the time comes. It is a way for computer programmers to develop advanced pages and applications within a Fan Page. This is what you will be using to display you custom landing page.
It is not a completely new language. It allows the use of regular HTML tags making it extremely flexible for the programmer building the application or feature. It is a superset of HTML and ads on to HTML's features, basically letting you easily add Facebook specific details. The example application is immensely simple, but it gives you a quick look at it, giving you an idea of what it can do and how it does it. It is only used in profile boxes and Facebook-rendered canvas pages - developers can also use iframe canvas pages or non-Facebook sites/applications. Pretty much everything else client-side for a Facebook application is HTML, CSS, etc.
It is like HTML with certain restrictions and added features specific to Facebook. The theme is included with the module, but it has to be moved to a themes folder. It is called again through a canvas page. For a high-level technical specification for FBML, provisions have been given. It is another XML variant, a proprietary Facebook tag system to pass information from a database to the Facebook interface.
Andy Pitt
Visit my blog at http://www.andypitt.com
Andy Pitt - EzineArticles Expert Author

Social Networks: Facebook for Business

Social Networks: Facebook for Business

The world of real estate prospecting has morphed into Facebook friend requests, tweets, chirps and fan pages. Instead of asking for your phone number to talk about your services, clients might instead request you as a LinkedIn connection or message you on Facebook to get updates on a transaction. Facebook is one of the largest social networking sites out there - and real estate agents shouldn't ignore that fact. But you have to make your impact on social network meaningful and relevant to your target audience; you can't post a bunch of listings and expect business to rain down on you like manna from heaven. Here are some tips to stand apart from the crowd on Facebook:
After you sign up
* Target your audience (past/current clients, other agents, niche businesses) 
* Pay attention to what people are posting about 
* Attract friends, followers, connections and subscribers 
* Interact and engage with your friends and/or fans
Maximize your exposure
There are three types of accounts on Facebook: personal profiles, groups and business/fan pages. Also, you can place ads to targeted audiences in certain geographic areas for little cost.
Personal pages - Messages are limited to 20 recipients at a time with a personal page. There are strict rules about posting business information on a personal page.
Groups - Groups are set up for more personal interaction and are more directly connected to the people who administer them. Groups can be public or prviate.
Business/Fan pages - This is the ideal way to attract a public following. Here are some business page options:
Geographic area page.Create a page for your county or a specific neighborhood that is solely about that area and has no mention of your business. You'll get fans instantly and people won't feel pressured by seeing your business information on the page. Get people to interact on the page by holding photo contests, asking questions that elicit participation ("What's the best pizza place in town?" or "Where's the best hiking trail in our county?") and offering prizes, such as gift cards, dinner for two, etc. Get local businesses to participate; they'll be more than happy with the free exposure. To spread the word about your business, download a tab called FBML, which allows HTML on the page, such as a framed-in IDX search.
Agent referral page. Add items of value, network with other agents at events posted on Facebook and share referrals.
REO business page. Market your distressed property business and expertise to asset-management companies.
Office or team page. Promote your office or team members, services and more with this page.
Builder/condo page. Reach out to builders, condo associations and other groups who have a vested interest in these niches. Promote your expertise in condos, new construction and niche services.

Facebook Fan Page Templates Made Easy

Why Customize Your Facebook Fan Page?

It's no secret that there are millions of Facebook users all over the world. After all, it's the largest social media website on the globe, and people spend a lot of time surfing through it's pages and connecting with friends and business contacts.
In fact, there are so many fan pages (just called "pages" now) that it's impossible to stand out from the crowd unless you're willing to do a littlecustomization on your own personal or business Facebook fan page.
But that's where the real problem comes in for a lot of people.
They want to customize their Facebook fan page, but they don't have the skills to do it themselves and it can cost a small fortune to pay someone to do it for you.
That's why I absolutely LOVE the idea of Facebook fan page templates!

Facebook Fan Page Templates Make It Easy!

I have to tell you, from my own experience, that creating a Facebook fan page without any kind of template can be pretty confusing and difficult, especially if you don't understand the Facebook programming language (fbml).
But here are the basic steps, if you want to try it yourself:

Step 1: Create Your Fan Page

Login to your Facebook account and then go to:
Just follow the Facebook directions for setting up your page... they change often, so I'm not going to write them all in here. This is the easy part, but there are a few things you should keep in mind:
  • Choose your page name carefully because you can't ever change it.
  • Have some idea of what you want to accomplish with your page before you start. 
  • Think about using keywords in your page name to help with SEO.

Step 2: Write Up The Standard Info For Your Page

Choose a picture for your Facebook fan page, write your page info, etc. This is kind of the standard customizing that Facebook expects everyone to do to their page. There's really nothing particularly special about this part of the Facebook fan page, if you don't use some kind of template to juice it up.

Step 3: Add Static FBML App To Your Page

This is the Facebook App that you'll need to create a custom landing for your Facebook fan page. It will essentially set you up so that you can use the fbml language to create a custom looking landing tab for your page and the language is similar to html.
Once you add the FBML App to your page, then all you have to do is pop in yourFacebook fan page template, if you're using one, or create your own page with fbml, and you're all set.
If you're creating the code for the tab yourself, then you'll need to learn the fbml programming language.

Step 4: Make Your Custom Tab The Go-To Place

Once you've completed your coding for your custom tab or popped in yourFacebook fan page template, then you'll need to make that particular tab (usually named something like "Welcome") the page that non-fans land on when they come to your fan page.
Essentially, non-fans go to your Welcome Tab, where they are encouraged to "like" your page. If you've set it up properly as a business, then non-fans will receive some kind of offer to "like" your page, then they will be forwarded to your free gift when then click on the "like" button.
It's a great way to get more "likes" and build your fan base.

So here's a basic re-cap of what you'll need to do to customize your Facebook fan page and use a template or create your own:


Step 5: Begin Promoting

After you've completed your page, then it's time to start promoting your page. You'll want to invite all your friends and family to become your fan, post a "like" box to your fan page on your website or blog, announce it to your email list, etc. to get the word out.
If you're the moderator of a Facebook group, you can even email your group about your new Facebook fan page and your free offer to anyone who "likes" it.
I also suggest that you make it a habit to regularly post new updates to your page to keep people interested in it. You can do this manually if you want to, but there are also applications that will post snippets from your blog or profile onto your fan page.

Facebook Fan Page Templates - My Conclusions

Facebook is obviously here to stay, and the fan page is the most effective way to promote your business or product on Facebook. That's why so many big companies send customers to their fan pages, instead of their websites, in their television commercials.
Facebook fan pages are a hot trend in online marketing right now.
But you've got to be able to compete and make your fan page stand out from the crowd. And the best way to do that is to customize your page with a Facebook fan page template.


Budget SEO with Facebook

Facebook has been used by almost everyone. With the growing number of users (sometimes a user has more than 1 account), no doubt Facebook is one of the best ways to communicate with others, promote your products and services and express your feelings and thoughts. Small business owners, instead of creating a website with their own domains, make use of Facebook. Did you know that even your Facebook page needs to be optimized so that people will know your Facebook page exists? Here are the techniques on how to improve the SEO of your Facebook page.

Name

Don’t get wrong with your Facebook name. You don’t have to put all your keywords there just to make it more optimized. It will look spammy. Put your business name, that’s it.

URL

Lately, Facebook allows all the users to have their desired URLs for their Facebook pages for easier access and searches. Through this, people and even small business owners with more than 25 fans are able to change their URL which in return helps them when it comes to SEO stuffs.

Static FBML Application


A lot of people don’t know about the static FBML application wherein they can customize their Facebook profile to create a landing page. Append the Static FBML application to your page and then select the page you want to customize. After the installation process, you can edit the page with the use of basic HTML page.

About Box and Info Tab


The About Box which is located on the upper left side under the profile picture is handy to the search engines. You can write anything about you and your business with the essential keywords. This may not boost your site rankings but it helps in its own way.

The Info Tab is a good chance to insert your content rich in keywords. Remember to keep these portions complete so that Facebook will show your page for related searches.

Inbound Links


On Page and Off Page SEO are also applicable to Facebook. Off Page would be for the created backlinks going to your Facebook page and On Page for the number of your fans. Your Facebok page will increase its popularity when the number of your fans increases and the links created pointing to your page.

Undoubtedly, Facebook grows bigger and bigger especially in the world of small business owners. In order for your page to increase its rankings and traffic, make an account immediately and apply budget SEO. If you wish to be loved by your visitors and search engines, go consult an organic SEO company for guaranteed SEO service.

How to make a business page on facebook

Which Facebook Presence is Right for You?

Facebook offers many ways for you and your group to connect with others. Here's a current comparison of the different Page, Group and Cause options so you can choose the right Facebook presence.

Setting up the business page through Facebook

The first thing you need to do is setup the page on Facebook. After you setup your initial business page on Facebook you will be able to do a lot of things with it such as adding a branded badge and creating nice HTML style web page tabs. We will go into all of that but lets first start by setting up the initial page through Facebook.  After you are logged into your Facebook profile you can setup a business page through Facebook by navigating to http://www.facebook.com/pages/create.php. You will see a screen that looks similar to the screen shot here. Choose the "Official Page" option when creating a business page and choose the criteria that best fits your business.

Upload a Badge To Your Facebook Page

After you have setup the page on Facebook, the first thing you should do is upload a badge. The badge image will display in the left panel of your Facebook business page and is great for branding purposes.
You can get to the upload badge section by following these simple steps.
  1. Choose the "Account" option located at the top right of Facebook and choose "Manage Pages"
  2. Go to the page you setup and hover over the large question mark that is located in the left panel and click on the "Change Picture" option that shows.
  3. You can either upload a picture from your computer, choose one that is located in your Facebook album or you can use your webcam to take a picture.
Your one step further from having a snazzy, brandable Facebook page for your business.





Setup a Facebook Business Tab

You will want to decide how to present your Facebook page. Do you want the focus to be on your wall and wall posts? Would you like to create a tab with notes, video, events, links and focus your new visitors through one of those tabs? Or what many people do is setup a web page style tab with HTML and images and set their Facebook business page to default to that tab. You can use a Facebook business page application to create these web page style tabs or you can familiarize yourself with the Facebook FBML and create the FBML tab yourself.
If you would like to use FBML, you will need to search the Facebook application directory for the FBML application and install that on your page. Once that is installed you will be able to create FBML tabs on your Facebook page.
If you would simply like to add basic tabs such as events, videos and notes you can simply navigate to your Facebook page and click the plus sign to the right of the pre-set tabs.

Video Tutorial on how to create a Facebook business page





Create a Facebook Landing Page For Your Fan Page

Facebook Landing Pages Make an Impact

With so much bland blue and white covering the pages of Facebook, it should be a no-brainer to create a custom Facebook Landing Page to make your Fan Page or Business Page stand out. After adding the Static FBML application to your Page, you are only steps away from having an attractive, full-color, graphically appealing landing page of your own.
This all sounds easy, and it is, but if you aren't familiar with the behind-the-scenes workings of your Facebook Page or applications, it can be a little tricky. Follow the steps below to create a custom Facebook Landing Page of your own!

Don't Know How to Code Your Landing Page? No Problem!





Add Static FBML to Your Page

Login to your Facebook account and go to the Static FBML Page to add the application to your own Fan Page. Click the "Add to my page" link and select the Page you want to add it to.
Once added to your Facebook Page, this application acts as a blank slate where you add the design for your new Facebook Landing Page. You will be able to paste your HTML / FBML coded design right in.

Set Up Your Custom Landing Tab

Once you've added the application, go to your Facebook Page and click the "Edit page" link located right beneath your Page Photo. This will bring you to an area with all your Page settings and applications. Find the FBML application and click "application settings".
To use this application as a Landing Page, be sure to click "remove" next to the Box option and "add" next to the Tab option.

Add Your Facebook Landing Page Design

Next, head back to the settings area of your Page and find the FBML application again. This time, click the "edit" link. This will open a big blank box with space for you to write a heading and space for you to paste your landing page design into.
If you don't know how to design using HTML or FBML, a cost-effective solution is to use a service like FaceItPages, which allows you to create custom Facebook Landing Pages without any coding knowledge. You may also wish to hire a designer to create a custom landing page for you.

Final Tip: Set Your Default Landing Tab

Almost finished! At this point, your custom Facebook Landing Page is ready to go, but you need to set it as the default landing tab if you want your visitors to land here first. Back in your settings area, go to your Wall Settings and choose your new landing page for "Default Landing Tab for Everyone Else".
While people who already "like" your Facebook Page will always go to your Wall first, any new visitors will now be directed to your custom Facebook Landing Page!




Enjoy Your New Facebook Landing Page!

With your new Facebook Landing Page all set up, your Fan Page or Business Page will stand out in the sea of boring blue and white. Try adding several landing tabs with different messages to see which ones attract the most fans and convert the best!

Resource Links






Edit Facebook Fan Page


Learn how to customize your Facebook Fan page

Facebook is the most popular social networking site in the world, yes everybody know's it without any doubt. Facebook offers us to make "fan page"(for celebrity,local business , organization etc) by which we can give update to the people who are fan of your fan page. If you don't know how to create a Facebook fan page then at first you should learn it. Just open Facebook.com without getting login. At the first page, Look beneath sign upyou will see create fan page. You just click and follow the step to create your fan page.
Now the real part. The main purpose of this hub page is to give you the idea how to customize your fan page by putting new tab and customizing them according to your wish. As you can see in the above picture, in the fan page of Cricket Australia they have edited new tabs which includes fixture , players, welcome etc. If you also want to customize your fan page , then this is the best hub you are looking for.
Step 1: To customize your Facebook fan page at first you have to add static FBML to your fan page. Just click hereor type Static FBML in Facebook search bar. Then you will find the page of this application , look at the left side and click Add to my page. Then select the fan page you wished to add this application. (see at picture 2)


Step 2

When you have finished adding FBML to your page then go to your fan page and click Edit Page from the left side of your fan page bar. Now again look at the left side click Apps and then find out the FBML . Please follow the picture


Step 3

Now the most important part. Click Edit setting (from the FBML as i have marked in the picture) an then click add. You have just added a new tab in your fan page but it will appear as FBML and there will be nothing, it's because you haven't customized the new tab yet. Now click go to application (from FBML same as it is given in the picture) . When you will click go to application a new box will appear. Box Title & FBML: . Here in the Box Title you have to give the name of your Tab. For example i have a fan page of Bangladesh cricket team so i wanted to create a tab for showing the list of the players name , picture, details etc. SO at first i have given the Title as "Players". Mow in the FBML: you have to give the HTML code of the content you want to post. If you don't have any idea about HTML then please click here and learn some basic things about how to post a picture(by HTML code). To post a picture at first i have uploaded the picture to any random site for example (facebook, photo bucket etc) . Then copy the link for that picture. Below is a sample HTML code for a picture
<img src="http://www.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.jpg" width="225" height="151" alt="Milford Sound in New Zealand" />
Paste your picture code instead of that (http:://www.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.jpg) . Adjust the height and width of your picture according to your wish. 
Follow the picture below: 

Final Part:

Edit the Html code according to your wish and then click Save changes. Reach your fan page and the check the new tab whether everything is correct or not. If you don't feel it is good enough go to Edit page again and clickApps. Then in the same way edit the Html code. You can try different code to make your fan page one of the most attractive fan page . I hope i have helped you to understand the basic concept to Edit your Facebook fan page. Below i am posting the picture of  my fan page Tab after editing with FBML code. 

Thank you for reading

It's Midnight here and i am feeling very sleepy right now. Thank you all for reading my article and apology if i failed to make you understand . Please don't forget to rate it and post comments.