Top Lawyer Coach, LLC

Boost Your Facebook Presence and Engage Your Fans with these Essential Applications

So you've set up a Facebook Fan page for your practice, now what?

Take a step back and really look at the page.

Does it engage your Facebook fans?

Does it really showcase your expertise?

If not, then your Facebook page needs some new features - pronto!

Since Facebook pages are modular, you have the ability to mix and match applications that work best for your brand.

And, the best part?

You don't need a lot of technical know-how to create a customized Fan page!

Here are four essential and easy-to-install Facebook apps to help you showcase your content and get more information to potential clients.

1. RSS feeds.

Chances are you're already producing great content for your firm's Website or blog. Why not feature that content on your Facebook Fan page?

Social RSS will help you get the job done.

You can configure the app to automatically pull in updates from any RSS or ATOM feed and display them as posts on your Fan Page, either on a dedicated tab, a wall tab (on the left side) or as part of your core news feed. It's a useful way to automate your content and eliminate the need to republish things manually to your Facebook Page.

WARNING: Fans on social networks are much more responsive to curated content. If your core clients are already subscribed to your blog and other social accounts, a double-dose of the same exact content may trigger some to hide your updates or "un-fan" you. Consider relegating your Social RSS feed to a tab if this is the case.

2. Get feedback with polls.

Social engagement doesn't get any simpler than with the Poll app.

A poll can be a casual way to get a read from your client fans about a new service, a new page design, or your practice in general.

There's no account to sign up for. Once you connect it to your Page, all the setup and data lives right in your settings panel.

In the poll settings, simply name your burning question, list your choices and select your publishing options.

Polls can be published to your Page wall/feed, live on a custom tab, or be popped into your left-hand navigation where visitors can click anytime they come to your Page. You can invite your client friends to take a poll, and they can easily share it out as they would any other post or app. Both you and your visitors can see the poll results without leaving Facebook.

3. YouTube for pages.

If you're dabbling in online video marketing, you'll want to check out the YouTube application.

To activate the app, you'll have to set up a free account at the developer website. Once it's connected to your Fan Page, simply input the YouTube channel you'd like to pull videos from (it could be your own, or anyone else's), pick a few more settings, and you're all set.

The app "features" your most recent upload or favorite, and displays thumbnails for previous videos on a simple, clean interface. The videos play directly on Facebook of course, so fans can watch without ever leaving your Fan Page. Just be sure to add the tab in the page's  "Application Settings."

4. Static FBML.

You'll need to know basic HTML to work with the the Static FBML app. But once it's up and running, the app can turn your Fan Page into a unique and interactive destination.

First, add the app to your Fan Page and make sure it's functioning as a "Box" rather than a "Tab." Add content to your box using standard HTML. Graphics cannot be uploaded to Facebook here, so you must reference them from a URL -- likely, one on your own hosted website or blog.

For a sidebar, think about adding some clean graphic buttons or icons that link out to other destinations your fans would be interested in, such as your company website, blog, or Twitter account. This sidebar will be visible no matter what Fan Page tab your visitors are on, so consider using graphic elements that coincide with your existing logo and color scheme.

Once your content is added and saved, it will appear as a box on the "Boxes" tab. Head over there to ensure that your HTML has rendered properly. If so, click the "Pencil" in the top-right corner of the box and select "Move To Wall Tab." This will display your content in the left-hand navigation of your page.

Your Facebook Fan page should not be stale.

Make a point to utilize these business applications for your Facebook page and watch your online brand soar!

Adapted from article 5 Essential Apps for Your Business's Facebook Fan Page by Matt Silverman.