Real Estate Technology - Facebook Fan Page Series - Creating Your Facebook Fan Page - Creating a Custom Facebook Fan Page Tab

In this series on How to Set Up a Facebook Fan Page for Real Estate Associations, Brokerages and Agents, we will discuss the basics on how to set up a Facebook Fan Page.  Here are the topics in this series:

• How to Set-Up a Basic Facebook Page
  
• How to Create Customized Tabs for Facebook Fan Page
  
• HTML/FBML Code, Cheap Tricks and Short Cuts, and Other Design Ideas
• Strategies for Using Facebook Fan Page to Market and Sell Real Estate

In today's installment, we discuss how to create customized tabs.  As discussed in the prior post, Facebook Fan Pages have six tabs with two tabs universally dedicated on every Facebook Fan Page - Wall Tab and Info Tab.

Step 1 - Install Static FBML Application.  Go to Wall Tab.  On left side, click on "Edit Page".  The bottom section is labeled as More Applications.  Click on "Browse More".  On Applications Page, enter "FBML" or "Static FBML" into search box.  The search results should include an application called "Static FBML".  Click on "Static FBML".  On the Static FBML under the Application icon, click on "Add to My Page".  There will then be a pop up showing your Facebook Fan Pages.  Click on the Fan Page upon which you want to install the custom tab.

 

Step 2 - Create Custom Tab.  Go to Wall Tab and click on "Edit Page."  Go the FBML Application.  Click on "Application Settings".  Click on "Tab Available Add."

 

Step 3 - Create the Page Content for the Tab.  Now, click on "Edit".  There will be an elongated rectangular box.  In the first section, enter the name of the custom tab in the "Box Title" section as you want it to appear on the Facebook Fan Page Tab Bar.  In the second section, cut and paste the HTML/FBML code into the box entitled "FBML".

Step 4 - Creating HTML/FBML Code.  There are three divergent methods on how to create the Page Content for the custom Facebook Fan Page Tab.  Here are some of the methods:

• HTML Code:  If you are an experienced programmer, you simply write the HTML code necessary to create the page content.  For this method, you want to employ a professional such as Mike Mueller on Activerain.  Here is a link to his website describing his custom Facebook Fan Page Business Services.
  

 

• HTML Editor:  Use an HTML editor to create the intended design and look and then click on the source code to obtain the HTML code.  NVU is a free and easy to use HTML editor and can be downloaded for free.  Or, if you blog on ActiveRain, use their WYSIWYG editor, save as draft, and then open again click on HTML.  To join ActiveRain under a free membership, click on New Member.  Cut and paste the code into the Static FBNL box.

NVU Editor

• Design on Screen

• Click on Source at the bottom of the design screen to obtain HTML code.

• Cut and paste HTML code.

ActiveRain Blog

• Design on screen using WYSIWYG editor. 
  

• Save as draft.

• Click on edit to open blog post.  Click on HTML to switch from WYSIWYG editor to HTML editor.  Cut and past HTML code.

 

• Image Only HTML:  Create your intended content using any program such as Microsoft Publisher.  Use a screen image capture service like the free Snagit Editor to capture the image and then save the image as a .jpg file.  Upload the jpg file into a free photo hosting service like Photobucket.  Edit the photo to create an image a maximum of 760 pixels wide.  Cut and paste the HTML code from the photo hosting service into the Static FBML box.

• Create item.  Use screen capture like Snagit to capture the image.  Save as a .jpg.

• Upload .jpg file to Photobucket.  Cut and paste HTML code for image.

To see a recent Facebook Fan Page set up for the Metropolitan St. Louis Chapter of the Women's Counsel of Realtors using all of the methods described above, click on:  WCR-St. Louis Fan Page.  It is still a work in process but you will get some ideas.

In the next post, we will discuss how to create more specialized boxes and tabs using simple HTML code.

For more information on how to create your customized Fan Page, contact Ryan Shaughnessy at PREA Signature Realty at 314-971-4381.  Or, visit www.PREASignatureRealty.com and click on the "Technology Toolbox."

 

 

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PREA SIGNATURE REALTY

PREA Signature Realty is a full service brokerage located at 1709 Park Avenue in the Lafayette Square neighborhood of the City of St. Louis.  PREA Signature proudly serves the following city neighborhoods:  Lafayette Square, Soulard, Benton Park, Benton Park West, Downtown Loft District, Forest Park Southwest, Central West End, Tower Grove East, Tower Grove South, Compton Heights, Shaw, The Hill, Dogtown, Carondelet, Holly Hills, St. Louis Hills, Dutchtown, and the Other Historic Neighborhoods of the City of Saint Louis, Missouri. 

The opinions expressed herein represent the opinions of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of PREA Signature Realty.  All photos and written content were produced by PREA Signature Realty.  All Rights Reserved - PREA Signature Realty (2009).  This content may not be reproduced or reprinted, except for Active Rain re-blogging, without express written permission of PREA Signature Realty.

For more information, visit our website at www.PREASignatureRealty.com or contact Ryan Shaughnessy at 314-971-4381 or send an email to Ryan@PREASignatureRealty.com.