Design and branding tips to help grow your business.

Posts Tagged ‘Internet marketing’

Creating a custom landing page for Facebook

Monday, March 8th, 2010

So you’ve just created a Facebook fan page for your business, brand, or idea. (You haven’t? Check out our article on creating a Facebook fan page.) Are you looking to take your page to the next level? Try creating a custom landing page next.

A Facebook custom landing page is a built-in first impression of sorts, and the kind of thing that takes your social media marketing to the next level. It will act as the first page that non-fans will land on, rather than initially seeing your Facebook wall. You don’t have to be a web genius to create a landing page, as Facebook has already created an application to do the dirty work for you! Just follow these steps:

Step One: Add the Application

  1. Log into your Facebook account.
  2. Click on the Applications link. (This will be on the bottom left of your browser, or in the left-hand margin on the new Facebook layout.)
  3. Click on Browse More Applications. (On the new Facebook layout, skip to the next step.)
  4. Type “FBML” into the search box and click on the result, Static FBML. (FBML stands for “Facebook Markup Language.”)
  5. Click Add to My Page

Step Two: Create the Landing Page

  • Go back to your fan page and click Edit Page (under the user pic).
  • Scroll to the FBML application and click Edit.
  • Customize the FBML tab. This is where you can create the magic. Type in your page title and HTML codes for whatever you wish. Here are some ideas:
  • Ensure this application will be added to your fan page’s tabs by going back to the “edit applications” screen and changing the status of FBML from “Available” to “Added.”

    • Step Three: Make the Landing Page the Default for Non-Fans

  • Click on the Wall tab and click Settings.
  • In the drop-down menu for “Default Landing Tab for Everyone Else,” select the tab you just created.
  • Check the functionality of the landing page by logging out of Facebook and then entering the URL for your fan page. You should arrive at the landing page you just made.

    • With just a little bit of time and know-how, you can have a great welcome page for new fans that will showcase what your business is all about.

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    Posted in Branding Tips, Internet Marketing, Marketing Tips, Social Media for Marketing, Web Marketing | 1 Comment »

    Avoid Client Problems with a Design Questionnaire

    Friday, March 5th, 2010

    When a web developer and client meet for the first time, it’s not uncommon for one question to be front and center: How much is this going to cost me? It’s not surprising, given these tough economic times and ever-dwindling budgets — we’re seeing it a lot here in Houston. Still, the relationship between any web designer and or social media marketing consultant and client must be a close one. They must share the same vision, and the consultant must act as another arm of the business, another player in the client’s goals. So how can an Internet marketing consultant move past a fixation on cost and get to the heart of the matter?

    Martha Retallick at Freelance Switch provided a great tool that she frequently implements into her initial client meetings: a web design client questionnaire. Retallick has a list of about 25 thought-provoking questions that drill down to the desired aesthetic and purpose for the website.

    Here are a handful that go beyond, “Tell me about your business,” and help define realistic boundaries and expectations of a project.

    • How can your particular work background help prospects, compared to others in your industry? What’s special about your work experience?
    • Please describe your potential customers. Pay special attention to their income, interests, gender, age, even type of computer they use, e.g., old with dialup account or newer with broadband. If your website is a business-to-business site, what sort of companies are you hoping to attract?
    • What staff will be involved? What are their roles? Is there a webmaster on your staff?
    • Please list the names of five other sites that you like. Why are they attractive to you?
    • How much time will you be able to spend online, responding to inquiries that come in via your website? Once a day? Several hours a day?
    • If you were using a search engine, what words or phrases would you use to find your site? Which of these words or phrases is most important? Second? Third?

    These questions do a great job of highlighting issues like brand benefits, target demographics, internal communication, and the client’s web savvy.

    In the time I’ve worked as a web designer in Houston, I’ve found a system like this to be a great way to find out client expectations and requirements. It has really helped me on numerous occasions.

    One thing I didn’t see on this list that I think would be helpful to ask: What would you deem a “success” in terms of offline results? This moves the client’s focus off of hits/average monthly visitors to give the developer an idea of their true business goals. What other questions should a web developer bring to the table before starting a project?

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    Posted in Branding, Branding Tips, Graphic Design, Internet Marketing, Marketing, Marketing Tips, Social Media for Marketing, Web Marketing, Website Designer | No Comments »

    So You Want to Make a Facebook Fan Page. . .

    Monday, March 1st, 2010

    In today’s social media landscape, Facebook goes beyond reconnecting individuals — it can act as a great promotional tool for any brand. Creating a Facebook fan page for your business is truly one of the easiest ways to establish a social media marketing presence. And best yet? It’s absolutely free.

    Here’s a quick how-to guide:

    Step 1: Create Your Page

    1. Log into Facebook. Scroll to the bottom of the homepage and click on the small link labeled Advertising on the right-hand side.
    2. In the left-hand margin, click Pages, and then Create Page.
    3. Choose the most relevant category for your business and type in your desired page name.
    4. Confirm you have authority to create the fan page, then click Create Page. This will take you to the next phase, which will give you options to edit individual sections of your Facebook page.

    Now that your fan page has been created, the next step is to develop its design to maximize its appeal to potential fans. The more information you add, the better — not only for your users, but for your Google search results, because Facebook fan pages are searchable through Google.

    Step 2: Design Your Page

    1. Hover over the user picture and click Change Picture to upload your logo or any other image that best represents your brand. Does this image also look good as a thumbnail? Keep this in mind, as your main mode of contact with fans will be through their newsfeeds.
    2. Under the user picture, click Edit Page. Here, you can change any settings for user restrictions, wall posts, and mobile options.
    3. From here on out, update your fan page like you would any Facebook profile. Add information about your business by clicking on the Info tab, including website, company overview, mission, and products. Share photos that best show what your brand is all about.
    4. Make your fan page more dynamic by adding applications. Click on the “+” plus sign tab to add discussions, links, events, notes, videos — all viable options to reach out to your fans and encourage them to interact.
    5. Remember to click the Publish Your Page link, which will officially take your page “live.”

    While your Facebook fan page takes mere minutes to establish, it won’t work for you, unless you work for it. It is not enough to simply create a page — you must maintain it. Take the time to update and promote your page, as well as engage with users, and you will begin to see why many businesses turn to Facebook as part of their online marketing efforts.

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    Posted in Internet Marketing, Marketing Tips, Social Media for Marketing, Social Networking | 1 Comment »