There are very few companies that have changed our daily life. And surely Facebook is one of them. It has turn into a universal social network, being used for both personal and business needs. For several individuals, companies and organizations, Facebook has become an integral part of their branding strategy and promotional campaigns. Like Google, Facebook is strong leader in global internet activity.Facebook provides many tools for maximizing the effect of your presence on the social network, most of all by means of business pages, also known as fan pages. Using a variety of applications and Facebook API tools, one can get creative not only with the page content, but with the design, as well.
Here, we’ll give you an idea of how to use Facebook for your business and personal promotional campaign. Below, you will find some best practices for custom Facebook fan page designs, with various styles to creating an attractive, descriptive and engaging Facebook business page. Also, we’ve compiled few tutorials and resources for Facebook fan page development that might help you get started with your own effective Facebook presence.
By the way, it’s been few months since Web Design Fact’s Facebook fan page launched (now with 590 fans).
Showcase of Well-Designed Facebook Fan Pages
Some industry giants demonstrate the best use of Facebook by far. Getting millions of fans may not seem like a big deal for Coca-Cola or Victoria’s Secret, but these companies managed to create fan pages that engage users on a much deeper level than by just asking them to click the “Like” button. An interesting trend seen across this category is of large companies taking Facebook to a new level, putting it at the center not only of their social media campaign, but of their entire online presence.
Starbucks
Red Bull
Skittles
Coca-Cola
Twilight Saga
Room 214
Porsche
Digital Turf
Revision Eyewear
Thurston & Betts PLLC
Daddy Design
1-800-Flowers
The Game – Team A
Oxelo
Teesey Tees
Threadless
Cranium
Mark Meyer Photography
Livescribe
Bodum USA
Soul City Church
Diesel
Lancome Germany
Eco-Artware.com
311
Rei
Desigual
Volkswagen
Living Proof
Inspired Magazine
Sony Ericsson
BlackBerry
Resources and Tutorials
Here is a list of websites and tutorials to help you understand the basics of developing and promoting your Facebook business page.
All Facebook
On the unofficial Facebook Blog, you will find news, articles, tips and stats related to the world’s fastest-growing social network. An extensive guide titled “How to Develop a Facebook Page That Attracts Millions of Fans” addresses its subject well.
How to Use Facebook for Business and Marketing
This guide takes a look at the potential of Facebook for business and reviews the various options business owners have in order to be effective with Facebook business marketing.
How to Create a Facebook FBML Template
Here is the tutorial that teaches you to create a Facebook fan page in Photoshop. It uses a page for a photographer as an example. This is the first in a series; the second lesson covers the coding part. The source files, including the code, are available for download.
Facebook Programming step-by-step tutorial
This tutorial series consists of 22 lessons and covers all aspects of Facebook programming, including application development, displaying fan-only content and creating an interface for a Facebook page.
Static FBML: Not Every Facebook Fan Page Needs an Application
In this tutorial the well-known blogger Alison Gianotto walks you through what a Static FBML is and why it’s sometimes quite enough to create an attractive and efficient Facebook fan page.
Extending Facebook Static FBML Tabs with Dynamic Content
Continuing from the previous guide, this tutorial explains how to add some spice to your Facebook fan page using the DynamicFBML function. You can build an image or video gallery or even a micro-site inside a Static FBML tab quite easily.
Taking Your Static FBML Microsite to the Next Level
Learn how to create sub-nav tab navigation within your Static FBML microsite using only DynamicFBML.
Creating a Custom Facebook Page
This useful guide gives you a head start on building your own fan page on Facebook. The tutorial includes such basics as Facebook page creation, restrictions on Facebook, creating tabs and displaying navigation and content elements using FBML and FBJS.
Google Analytics for Facebook Fan Pages
Here you will learn how to track your Facebook fan page using Google Analytics.
How To: Build a Facebook Landing Page for Your Business
This is Mashable’s brief guide on how to add and configure a Static FBML tab on your Facebook fan page.
Internet Explorer and Static FBML: Using External Style Sheets for CSS
This insightful article discusses aspects of applying CSS styles to your Static FBML application in Internet Explorer versions and other browsers.
8 Essential Apps for Your Brand’s Facebook Page
This article suggests a number of Facebook apps you could use to attract fans to your brand’s landing page and to make them return repeatedly.
Add a Custom Tab to Your Facebook Fan Page (Starter Template Included)
Like some of the aforementioned tutorials, this one teaches you how to embed a custom tab in your Facebook fan page.
How To Create the Perfect Facebook Fan Page
Some tips you can apply to your Facebook marketing strategy that will put your Facebook Page leaps and bounds ahead of the competition.
Adding iFrames to Your Facebook Applications: 2010
Recent modifications in Facebook’s API further restricted the use of iFrames is the topic of this tutorial.
Developing a Facebook Application for Absolute Beginners
Applications have proven to be an essential component of successful Facebook fan pages. They’re an effective tool for enhancing interactivity and engaging users. Fortunately, creating a Facebook application is not that difficult. Learn how to do it by reading this thorough tutorial by Emanuele Feronato.
Showcase
Not many galleries of Facebook pages exist yet. Still, the ones that do give us a pretty good idea of trends in this area.
Custom Facebook Page gallery
Custom Facebook Page is run by the social media marketing group North Social. The gallery contains over 60 Facebook page designs, sorted into several categories. The most recent showcase is dated December 2009.
Facebook Showcase
Facebook Showcase is the most frequently updated gallery of the ones covered here. A lot of inspirational Facebook page designs can be found here.
Facebook Platform Showcase
This showcase is slightly different. Here you can explore how companies around the world integrate Facebook on their websites.
Customize Your Facebook Fan Page: Tips, Tricks, Applications
A quick overview of basic tips and tricks for customizing and improving your Facebook fan page.
Facebook Fan Page Templates
Many freelance designers and design studios offer customization services for Facebook pages. Standalone fan page templates are less widespread, at least so far. To provide you with the best possible starter kit, we’ve collected Facebook business page themes that you can get either free or at a cost.
Free Templates
Free PSD Facebook Template
Free PSD: Facebook Fanpage Template
Absolutely Free Cool Facebook Template
Free FBML Template
Facebook Template Page