If you are looking to dress up your Facebook business (aka Fan)  page, a good way to do it is by adding a few links.  Links can be a collection of resource pages that add value to your business page. They can be links to your company’s website or perhaps a collection of links of sites you read and admire (think blogroll).

Facebook is not like websites where all you need to know is HTML code to create a link.  On Facebook you must add a FBML application in order to make the HTML code work.

It’s really not that hard, so don’t quit yet!  Follow these instructions:

1) On Business page click “EDIT PAGE” (located on left column just under photo/logo)

2) You need to Add the FBML Application to your page. To do so Type “FBML” in the “Search” box at page top.

From the pick list that pops up, choose “STATIC FBML” this will take you to the FBML Application page. (you have now LEFT your business page.)

3) Click on “ADD TO MY PAGE”

NOTE: If you have created more than one page you will need to “Highlight” the page where you want the FBML application to be installed.

ALSO: If you installed this application previously – there will be no choices for you to install.  The application will be found on the page – just go to the next step.

4) Use the Browsers “BACK” button to return to your page.  You should be on your page’s EDIT PAGE.  Scroll down looking for the FBML APP.

5) Click on “EDIT”

Add your descriptive title in the “BOX TITLE”

In the large empty portion of the box you will be adding HTML Code from the next step 6.

6) To create a link you need to have the complete URLS to the sites you wish to link too.

The best way to save multiple links is to;

a) Open “NOTEPAD” on your computer. Go to >START>NOTEPAD

c) Mac users – Open TextEdit

Working Tip: Why Notepad you ask?  Well it’s free and it exists on you computer.  Notepad is just a TEXT editor, it does not add extra formatting to your work like MS WORD does.  You can pop notepad up, place your text on it, hit save and not worry if you make a mistake and lose it like what might happen when you are working online on Facebook.

Saving your work to notepad (Mac = TextEdit) means it is easier to correct when you make a mistake right now or need to modify it later on.

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Collect the URLS you wish to link to.  Surf to the site, copy and paste the url directly to your open notepad.

It will look like this:

Next you will need to create the HTML code.

In NOTEPAD click down a few spaces to give yourself some room, then add the following code exactly as you see it.

Copy and Paste the line of code for every link you want to create.  3 links = 3 lines of code.

Like this:

You have just finished creating the code.  Now you will need to do a few more things.

• First copy one line of url and insert it between the “” in the code (parenthesis).  It will look like this:

• Next let’s clean up your code by deleting what’s in the red area.  Here’s an example:

• The last step to complete your code is to add the LINK TEXT.  Link text should describe what the url (website) is about.  It can be the name of the website or a description of what the site is about.  In the example we are using the link text for the 3 urls will be:
  • REBar Camp
  • Picnik – a free photo manipulation site
  • Flickr – share your photos and make friends too!
• Between the > <  Add your Link Text.  Mine will look like this:

7) OK now Cut & Paste this code from NOTEPAD (or TEXTEDIT) to the Large Empty box on the FBML EDIT page.

WORK TIP: At this point you may wish to SAVE the copy you completed on NOTEPAD.  I like saving work when there are extensive links involved.  If I make a mistake all I need to do is return to my NOTEPAD file and correct the mistake instead of creating the whole darn thing again!

Now that you have saved your FBML Edit, you need to return to your Business Page.  Look for the Tab called “Boxes”.

Click on Boxes, you can now view your links in this TAB!

At this point you can call it quits and leave your links under the TAB.  But if you are like me you would rather have your links more visible on the sidebar of your business page.  To move them, click on the tiny little pencil in the upper right corner.  You will see this:

9) In the drop down box click on the “MOVE TO WALL TAB”  your Links will leave your BOX TAB and now be found on the sidebar of your Business page!

Wow!  That wasn’t so hard now was it?

In summary,

You learned how to an a Facebook application.  In this case we added the FBML application, but you use the same routine pretty much for adding any application.

You learned how to use NOTEPAD or TEXTEDIT as a workspace when working with code.

You learned how to save the file in NOTEPAD or TEXTEDIT for future reference.

You learned HTML code for making a hot link!

You learned how to add HTML code to the FBML box to create links on a Facebook business page TAB or Sidebar.

If you like what you learned, please leave a comment!  Don’t forget to subscribe to this blog in your RSS Reader and become a FAN (Like me please) on Facebook.

Related Posts:

• Adding the FBML Application to your business page.
• Using a Rotating Photo Gallery on your Blog
• Let Google Voice Find You
• Facebook Shuts Down a Trademark Infringement Page
• Branding Yourself Without the Pain!

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