Facebook keeps expanding the ways in which page admins can customize their business pages, but a lot of what you can do is limited by how much you understand about the developer side of Facebook. However, you don’t need to be a programmer to make a great looking custom tab if you use one of the free apps out there that can help you turn your creative ideas into actual pages for your Facebook presence. One of the most popular free apps is the iFrame App by Wildfire, and it really couldn’t be easier to use.
Installation is a breeze – just click the big “install this app” button on the main page and follow the authentication instructions. After the app is installed, there will be a screen on your page that talks you through the procedures to create custom content. You can either use an image that you created in another application (like Photoshop), or if you’re good with html, you can create a page that looks like a web page and paste the html into the provided text window. Wildfire takes care of the rest.
One of the best features of the Wildfire app is what is called the “fan gate.” Basically what this does is create a “front door” page where visitors see a greeting or introduction page, but in order to get to the rest of your page’s content, the visitor has to “Like” your page first. Wildfire allows you to create the separate content for fans and non-fans all on one page of the app, and it’s as simple as uploading the appropriate image or pasting in your html, whichever you prefer.
At the moment, the iFrame Wildfire app is free, but Wildfire has indicated that they may charge for it in the future. They have generously offered to let existing users continue using the app for free indefinitely, so if you’re looking for a good, free resource for Facebook customization, get Wildfire installed now before they start charging for it. It’s such a simple app to use, even those with little or no programming knowledge can make beautiful custom tabs, landing pages, and even special tabs like contests and surveys. Having a beautiful Facebook page can really help your conversion rates, so there’s no reason not to get started on this right away.
Peg McDermott
