Custom Facebook Page: 3 Most Important Apps to Feature on Your Business Page

How have you been using your custom Facebook page for your business?

Is it helping your grow you business and make the connections you want to make? If not, it may be due to not taking advantage of Facebook custom apps. A tab on a Facebook page is now referred to an an app. With the move to the Timeline profile, you can showcase a total of 12 apps in your timeline, but only 4 of these apps will appear “above the fold,” or at the top of your timeline. One of these apps will always be Photos, which you can’t change. So, that leaves three for which you have some control.

There are tons of useful and free apps that you can add to your page to better connect with your fans. In order to pick the best apps to appear in the top three, you need to be clear on the function you page plays in your business. For example, if you host alot of in-person or virtual events, then an events app should be in your top four. Or, if you have a very active blog or Pinterest account, you can pull those posts into your Facebook page through an RSS app.

So, which three apps should you feature? I’m in favor of the apps that permit you to display custom content as well as those that encourage user engagement and/or calls to action.

These are my choices for the three most important apps to feature on your custom Facebook page:

1. Your ethical bribe: As an online business owner, your email list is your goldmine. You should always be seeking to add new prospects to your list. You can do this as an app on Facebook. If you’re using a custom Facebook page app service  that accepts HTML coding for an opt-in form from your email service provider, you’re good to go!

2. Portfolio/description of services: If you’re a web designer, a professional organizer, photographer, or any other service business in which someone might want to see samples your work, include an app that will let you link to the portfolio page on your web site. Or, in the case of one of my clients, a wedding florist, we linked to her portfolio on her CarbonMade.com portfolio site. Or, you can place testimonials here, if that’s more relevant for you.

3. Special offer or coupon: One way to keep fans coming back to your page is to make a new offer just for your fans every week. If you sell information products, you might offer a coupon code for a different product each week. If you sell services, you might bundle several services together in a special package at a special price that is available only to your Facebook fans.

And if you’re looking for ideas on the eight other custom apps to add to your page, here you go:

4. Hours and directions: If you operate from a brick-and-mortar location, give your fans information on your business hours and directions to your business.

5. Free stuff: If you offer regular training videos and audios to your target market, encourage your Facebook fans to “Watch it” and link to your latest training videos and audios.

6. Another social network or blog: If you’re really active on Pinterest or Twitter or Google Plus, for example, or even on your own blog, link to that site through an app.

7. Free consultation or free quote: If one of your client-getting methods is offering a free consultation to prospects or offering them a free quote, make it easy for them to schedule with you or get a quote by creating an app to let them easily do that.

8. Purchase of products and services: Make the process of buying from you painless. Link to your products or services directly through Facebook so that they don’t have to go and seek this out on your web site.

Whichever apps you choose to you (or whatever number you choose to use), make your custom apps count. You want your custom Facebook page to work for you 24/7, so invest a little time and energy in showcasing your best work and information to your target market!