Lay My Hat Forum

Windy · Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 3192 Location: Windermere UK

I recently listened to a webinar run by TotsToTravel about social media. It was quite basic in parts but one suggestion did get my attention. They suggested creating a Facebook landing page with an encouragement to new visitors to click on the "like" button.

I looked at various ways of doing this and concluded first of all that life is too short to create your own Facebook app.

I did find a free ap that does the job though so i thought I'd share the process with anyone who is interested.

Here's what i ended up with

http://www.facebook.com/WindermereLodges

It uses the World of Social App

https://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=154272794636138

Once you have installed the app you edit the Welcome Page and then choose what you want people to see when they are Fans (have "Liked" your page) or non Fans.

I have them both the same just now.

The simplest thing is to load a picture, but you can use html too which is much more fexible

This is the code I cooked up for my page:

The bit in red is the link to the background image which you will need to edit

The bit in green is the text on the page - ditto

The bit in blue is the code required for the Facebook Like Button - ditto

<html>
<head>
<style type="text/css">
#header .middle {
float: left;
width: 520px;
height : 778px;

background-image:url(http://WEBSITE WHERE YOUR IMAGE IS/facebook.jpg);

text-align: center;
font: 150% Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
background-color: #006666;
color: #FFFFFF ;
margin-left: 11px;
margin-top: 10px;
padding-top: 0px;
}

p {padding-right: 30px;
padding-left: 30px;}

a:link {color: #FFFFFF; text-decoration: underline; }
a:active {color: #FFFFFF; text-decoration: underline; }
a:visited {color: #FFFFFF; text-decoration: underline; }
a:hover {color: #FFFFFF; text-decoration: none; }
</style>
</head>

<body>

<div id="fb-root"></div>
<script>(function(d, s, id) {
var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
if (d.getElementById(id)) {return;}
js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;
js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_GB/all.js#xfbml=1&appId=267822026602718";
fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script>

<div id="header">
<span class="middle">
<h1>Welcome to the Windermere Lodges Facebook Page</h1>
<p>Click on our "Like" button to make us really happy! If you already have then why not let your Facebook friends know about us using the "Send" button? </p>
<p>Come on, you know you want to... Smile

</p>
<div class="fb-like" data-href="http://www.facebook.com/WindermereLodges" data-send="true" data-width="450" data-show-faces="false" data-colorscheme="dark"></div>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<p> <font size="1"> Background image courtesy of <a href="http://www.stewartsmithphotography.co.uk/">Stewart Smith Photography</a> </font>
</span>
</div>
</body>
</html>

Once you have set it up (differently for fans and non-fans if you want) just copy it to the two html panes and save.

Now go into your Page settings and set Welcome as the default landing tab under Manage Permissions.

Bingo

I hope this is useful Smile

Nightowl · Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 6:26 pm Post subject:

I listened to that webinar too, it was pretty good but I now need to find the time to put some of it into action!

thanks for the facebook tip... when I have some energy I'll try it..
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paolo · Joined: 17 Jun 2004 Posts: 3712 Location: Provence, France

Thanks for sharing!
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Nemo · Joined: 14 Aug 2008 Posts: 3142 Location: Norfolk

I clicked on the link Windy and all was fine until I went to look at who had "liked the page". It then started flashing on and off and said Done with errors. I couldn't scroll down to look at the likes so I had to close that section.
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Windy · Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 3192 Location: Windermere UK

Hmm - Ive been messing with it this morning Nemo - when you say I went to look at who had "liked the page" what exactly did you do?

I've been writing a blog post about how to do this which probably explains it a bit better than my brief post above. You can find it at

http:// www . lakedistrictholidaylodges. co. uk/wp/2011/11/27/adding-a-landing-page-to-your-facebook-page/

la vache! · Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2011 12:25 pm Post subject:

Thanks for your post Windy - I know this is a stupid question, but what exactly is the purpose of a Facebook landing page?
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Windy · Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 3192 Location: Windermere UK

Bl***y h*ll LV. You know how to chop a man's legs from under him don't you Laughing

If you don't do / get Facebook then I guess the answer is that there isn't one. Wink

If you do then your aim is to get people involved with your page.

The first step in doing that is to get them to "Like" you so they see your updates on their timeline.

The landing page carries what web tech / marketing peeps call a "call to action". At least in theory that means more people WILL like your page so you will get better results from your Facebook efforts.

la vache! · Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2011 1:16 pm Post subject:

Sorry Windy, I didn't mean to detract from your idea! I see what it is now, but have never had one whenever I've 'liked' a FB page before so wasn't sure. Just had a look at some of the examples on this blog and am more familiar with the concept now
Wink

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My BrittanyCottages Facebook page

HelenB · Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2011 2:44 pm Post subject:

Thanks Windy! Yet more time to sit and waste this afternoon now Wink

. I've downloaded the app to the page, but appear to be having some difficulties with the backgroud image, it doesn't like my link.

Windy · Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 3192 Location: Windermere UK

If you pm me the code you are using I can try to help

HelenB · Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2011 3:11 pm Post subject:

Looks like something is happening when I paste the 'like' button code into the rest. I'll PM you if I don't get is sorted soon.

Nemo · Joined: 14 Aug 2008 Posts: 3142 Location: Norfolk

Sorry Windy, it was just me looking at your page rather than going further than that. I came to the page then went to "likes" (as in being nosey to see who else had liked your page) and clicked "see all". That's when it went haywire. However have gone to your page now, clicked "see all" and it was fine. Smile

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Windy · Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 3192 Location: Windermere UK

HelenB · Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 12:14 pm Post subject:

Windy, I got something similar, and have now deleted the app.

dmjarvis · Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 10:19 am Post subject: Facebook apps for custom pages

Spurred on by the original topic of this thread I tried to build a FB page using the app mentioned. I hit a few problems with it (including the ads at the foot of the page) and so looked around for an alternative.

I found this link to 10 apps that could do the job, and decided to try out #5 Static html, iframe tabs...

http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/top-10-facebook-apps-for-building-custom-pages-tabs/

Aside from the usual iframe issues that you will get from all of these solutions I think this works ok. At least this app allows you to switch off the scrollbars. Smile

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