Facebook Fanpages Fanning Out

Posted by Dexter Fulton on February 17, 2011 in Social Media with 2 Comments

Are Facebook Fanpages Fanning Out?

As of late, the Facebook gossip has really accelerated, and rumor has it, Facebook will be closing their doors after March; and everyone will be herded like sheep to the next “Big Thing”. Well… here’s the thing with rumors, they’re made up of a little truth and a bunch of lies.

Facebook is shutting down the old fanpage layout and making the switch to iframes, which should make things more robust. However, the recent change to Fanpages has the sweet smell of money brewing once more.

This is a email I received a few days ago:

After March 11th ALL FBML TABS will be staying put. Facebook WILL NOT take them away. I have confirmed this with my Facebook Ad Rep. But, all new pages will have to create the iframe tab. [Training for iframes coming soon!]

The message seems pretty harmless at a glance, and for marketers and business owners with the FBML tab in tack… Hooray!

However, for the folks building fanpages for business owners who mainly outsource the work, you may want to rethink your pricing depending of the complexity of setting-up iframes, and the cost of training your employee. Even if you intend to learn all about iframes, you may have to cough-up a few bucks or manufacture some extra time to learn the ins and outs.

And not having a Facebook Fanpage isn’t an option.

Nowadays, it seems as though everyone, including the grands, have a Facebook profile, and if you’re in the Internet Marketing community (bless your heart), not having a fan-page or business-page seems to be down right uncivilized.

Facebook Fanpages: The Facebook Gold-Rush

You see… the second half of 2010 should be deemed the Facebook Gold-Rush, because plenty of money was made in the online marketing niche — like always — selling the customization of Facebook Fanpages, and the “Rise ‘n Fall of Google” with Facebook advertising.

Marketers flocked to Facebook like ticks on a hound, only to find themselves jumping the same hurdles that appear in other marketing venues. Someone should have told them the money was being made selling picks and shovels, and in due time, those overpriced courses would appear on sites like Youtube and Viddler.

Mark Zuckerberg even created his on fancy name for HTML (hyper text mark-up language) and called it FBML. This took all the honest marketers for a wild ride, and proved to be an added bonus for the people selling snake oil. In my opinion, this was just another sneaky way for throwing average marketers off the scent of money.

You may be thinking this is Baloney, and the information sold was much needed. Which is true, I agree 100% that people should pay for knowledge, but to what degree. Social media isn’t rocket science. Social media means to be social; the real magic resides in being active in your community. This should not cost a fortune, if anything at all. If you think I’m pulling your leg, then ask your teenager who has thousands of friends.

So — not to get things twisted — the awesomeness of social media lies with the fact you can interact with friends, build relationships, and grow your network without depleting your ad budget.

Are there cost associated with the Fanpages? Yes…

You may need someone to build you a dynamic Fanpage, if you’re not familiar with html and iframes; or you may need someone to manage your account, if time is of the essence. Whatever area requires additional help get it, but remember the true power of Facebook resides in your involvement with your audience. If you are unable to interact on a consistent basis, then you may need to hire a social media manager. But, you don’t need an overpriced course that educates you on being social.

If you need a good game plan, but are unsure how this social media thing works, feel free to set-up a consultation.