How To Create An Incentive For Visitors To Fan Your Facebook Page (Day 17)

Update: On March 18th of 2011, Facebook phased out the use of Static FBML. Only Pages with existing instances of Static FBML are able to follow the steps in this post. Please read this post about iFrames.

—————–

This is day 17 of the 31 Day Challenge To Optimize Your Blog With Social Media. Yesterday we spoke about getting more visitors to your blog with your Facebook Page. If you remembered, I promised that I’d show you how to create an incentive for visitors who fan your Facebook Page.

_______________

This tactic works similarly to offering a free download to email subscribers. The only difference is that you’re collecting fans instead of emails in exchange for “fan-only” content.

Content is king

Before we get to the technique though, think about the last time you entered your email in exchange for a free download.

If you’re like me, the value of the download was much larger than the “expense” of joining another mailing list. The same thing works with Facebook. In other words, the technique I’m about to show you only works if you’re offering real value in exchange for a new fan.

First, here’s how the end result will function. On my Facebook Page (which I just launched two days ago) I have a tab called “Free Social Media Video Tutorials For Fans”. This tab has hidden content not seen by “non-fans”.

But once the visitor becomes a fan, this tab will display the hidden content.

The FBML “hidden content trick” revealed

Using the Static FBML application, simply add the following tags around the content you want hidden to non-fans.

If you don’t want to miss out on the 31 Day Challenge To Optimize Your Blog With Social Media, please sign up here.

Rehydrate your inbox here. Send hate mail here.

Read more articles about Facebook

http://FundraisingCoach.com marcapitman

John, this is brilliant! Thanks for sharing it. Can't wait to use it on my site!!

http://www.johnhaydon.com John Haydon

Thanks, Marc! I know a bunch of Facebook hacks, but this is one of the most useful ones.

frankdickinson

A hack you're not – but brilliant – yes.

Thanks!

http://www.johnhaydon.com John Haydon

Thanks, Frank!

Lucas2

Great idea John! I recently began trying to use FBML and, once I figure it out, this would be a great addition.
http://www.smallbiztwit.info StevenMoore

Great tip thanks so much I am having a Fan page being built for my new company and this will work great- now I need to figure the value that I can build into an e-book on Green Cleaning- this will be the tough part. Thanks for the great hack. Awesome this will get shared for sure.
bencurnett

Thanks for sharing this, John. Very useful. Bookmarking and RTing now…

http://www.johnhaydon.com John Haydon

Thanks Ben!

Pingback: How to turn Facebook visitors into fans | Socialbrite
http://www.kimwoodbridge.com Kim Woodbridge

Wonderful! Thank you – this is going to be incredibly useful.
Pingback: One Trick For Building a Fan Base on Your Facebook Business Page | Small Business & Home Office News/Resources - Bizjama
hairpulling

Thanks! But do you know how to leave a message for the non fans that the fans dont have to see so if you are a fan you see the page display and you dont have to see the message to join and become fan if you arent one.
Pingback: Search Engine Marketing News - January 25, 2010
Pingback: How to Build Facebooks Fans | Internet Marketing Blog
http://african-poetry.blogspot.com/ Mark L Lilleleht

John, an excellent post and a fantastic idea. Before putting it to use for work I've decided to give it a spin with my hobby. Just posted the “fan-only” content and code. Will make the announcement this evening, and then see what happens.

For anyone who's curious, do a FB search for “african poetry review” and you too can get access to EXCLUSIVE content offered by some of our poet supporters!!

(I know, the pitch is a bit rough — but hell, this is fun!!)
http://reazulk.wordpress.com/ Rubel

That's really a great post and helped me a lot.

Rubel
Rumana

It's a very helpful post, but can you tell me how below section(which is for non user) can restricted for fan users?

Thanks
Rumana

http://www.johnhaydon.com John Haydon

I don't think I understand your question.

Rumana

Actually I want to hide 'content which is written for nonfan user' when a user become fan. At this momnet when a user is a fan he can view also the content which is for nonfan user.

Hope now its clear for you.

Thanks

http://www.johnhaydon.com John Haydon

Facebook doesn't allow that…

mk24fan

JCrew is showing an image to remind people to become a fan but whenyou become a fan that image goes away. Any idea how they are doing that?
http://www.johnhaydon.com John Haydon

Yes – they are using FBML tags to not display content to fans. There is an
FBML wiki on Facebook, if you want more info.
Ameinon

i cant find this info to be honest.Any ideas?
http://johnhaydon.com John Haydon

FBML is dead effective 3/11.
http://www.facebook.com/davannis Ed Johnson

This may be a new feature (I just started learning about FBML today), but this works:
====================
Just Testing! – Everyone sees this content.

<fb:visible-to-connection>
Only fans will see this content.

<fb:else>
Non-fans will see this content, but fans will not.

</fb:else>
</fb:visible-to-connection>
====================

Rumana

I have one question, Can we make fan page as default tab for fan and non fan both? I tried and modify wall settings and make fan page as a defalut tab but it works only for non fan user. When fan user try to view the page then wal tab loads by default, I want to stop it. But don't know how? Will you please help me.

Thanks
Rumana

http://www.johnhaydon.com John Haydon

Set the Wall s the default fr everyone else.

Pingback: How to Provide “Fans Only” Content and Deals on your Facebook Page | JeremyAWilliams.com
mikeda

Excellent, just what I was looking for! Do you by chance know how to hide another portion until someone invites all their friends using the javascript code?

So: 1) Become Fan, 2) Invite Friends, 3) See Content

Thanks,

Mike

http://www.johnhaydon.com John Haydon

There's no way to determine which fan invited new fans.

http://twitter.com/AhmedMadhoun Ahmed E. El Madhoun

So what do you think about this page.. it doesn't show you the content until u do the following:
1) Become Fan, 2) Invite Friends, 3) See Content

Here's a link to this page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/RED-FERRARI-SMASH…
http://www.johnhaydon.com John Haydon

Looks fine to me! What has been the result?
http://twitter.com/AhmedMadhoun Ahmed E. El Madhoun

You said that there's no way to determine which fan invited new fans, but for the page I gave the link, it asks you to become a fan, then when you are done, he asked you to copy and paste a code into the address bar and press Enter. Once you're done, it will automatically invite all your friends. After that, a third different page will show up which contains the page real content.

So, the page doesn't show the real content until:
1) Become Fan, 2) Invite all Friends by pasting a code into the address bar, 3) See Content.

Is there a way to do it?

Here's again the link for the page which I'm talking about:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/RED-FERRARI-SMASH…

Thanks
http://www.johnhaydon.com John Haydon

I'm not sure I like “Error Loading Page”
http://www.facebookanswers.co.uk Puzbie

That would be against the Facebook TOS, which expressly forbids that kind of thing.
http://johnhaydon.com John Haydon

Can you point me to specifically where? What item in the TOS?

http://www.narekgabrielyan.com/ Narek Gabrielyan

MAN!!! This is awesome! Thanks for sharing John!!!

http://www.johnhaydon.com John Haydon

You're welcome, Narek!

espey

This is a great article. Can you show the entire code as I was able to make the content viable if a person becomes a fan but now it shows the before and after content?
Pingback: The Ultimate Entrepreneur & Small Business Toolbox | Sean M Everett
http://www.channelshack.com/ Free Movies

Great work mate, thanks a bunch!
Pingback: Steal This Idea: The Oxfam Curiosity Shop « Cherita Smith | Social Media + Social Change.
Pingback: Give Your Facebook Fans Something Special | The Tourism Tech Corner
http://iphoneawareness.com/firmware/ Iphone firmware

Thanks for the post! really helped me alot
Pingback: [Facebook] Application Script - Cheating Network
http://www.thelocalfisherman.com Fishing Reports

its really helping, thanks

Dennis
thelocalfisherman.com

http://www.johnhaydon.com John Haydon

Awesome!

Karma

I have a page setup using the is visible and else tags above. So if not a fan, a graphic appears, once become a fan, graphic replaced by form. Issue is that since the form is within the is visible tags, fans always see this form. Is there a way to replace form once the submit button is selected? I have tried the onclick command with no success. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

http://www.johnhaydon.com John Haydon

I would create another Static FBML tab that the user is redirected to once
to form is submitted.

eclipsefullmovie

Damn! I was looking for that code everywhere… the post needs a little updating since facebook pages changed a bit but most of the code still works.

http://www.johnhaydon.com John Haydon

How would the code need to be updated?

http://twitter.com/AnnaLaBella Anette Soyer

Just what I was looking for. With the limitations to promotions on facebook this is the most valueable way to make people like your page… Thank you so much for sharing this!
Marcelle

It doesn't work? What am I doing wrong? I posted all other information between the code but it still shows up. It's a .jpg

http://www.johnhaydon.com John Haydon

A URL would be helpful…

http://www.johnhaydon.com John Haydon

A URL would be helpful…
http://www.joshcearbaugh.com Josh Cearbaugh

You've got some great content John. Thanks for being consistently good at what you do.

http://johnhaydon.com John Haydon

Josh – Thank you! I do my best to learn from others, stay connected to my readers, and respond with what I think might be useful.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_CWTBGY7OMIJVTFHJJBYHOV2R7A Habin fischer

Incredibly brilliant! You are an ACE my man.
http://remarketingexchange.blogspot.com Paul Donoghue

John,

…. Timeless advice. Thanks for sharing.
http://tvpapa.com Watch Movies Online

Was looking for something like this .Thank
http://findmeasolicitor.com Find Me A Solicitor

Love it (not tried it yet though)! thank you!
Shamis

Hey John,
Could you kindly respond an update to the code? As it is on your current page. I want to have an image similar to yours that states “click like for a special offer” and when they click on it, it displays another image that offers the special offer.

I have installed the code however both images continously show on that tab once my fans are connected instead of the “click like” image disappearing. Also, how do I make it a landing page for non fans and a different landing page for fans.

Basically could you explain or show the code for your update facebook page “like offer”? That is the same concept I am going for. Thanks a ton!
Sandra

Hi John,

If I am reading the comments correctly, the code you provided is for a designated tab such as your welcome PAGE which you created. I can see the use of setting a different welcome page for non-fans and fans.

Now, how do you hide EVENTS, WALL, NOTES, and INFO tab for non-fans on your fan page – I am not talking about your profile? Did I miss this in the conversation? Please point me in the right direction.

Thanks.

-Sandra

http://johnhaydon.com John Haydon

I don’t believe there’s a way to do that, but you might want to check out the dev forum. I would never hide the wall though.

http://twitter.com/JD_Shep JD Shep

Please excuse my ignorance. I started a blog a couple of months ago, and just recently created a Facebook Fan Page. What am I looking to do is hide the Wall until you “like” the page. Is this possible?

If this requires utilizing FBML, I am afraid I would need some assistance in that.

Your blog entries are exactly what I need. I will start over from the beginning. Thank you in advance for your assistance.

JD_Shep

http://johnhaydon.com John Haydon

Why would you want to hide the wall?

Sawke ZoltanBlade

Hey… I have used this.. and it’s great !!!
But.. Now I want to add time before the text with link show up… is there any code for that?

http://johnhaydon.com John Haydon

Time? I don’t think so…

http://twitter.com/tiinanis Tiina Niskanen

I’d imagine, that forcing visitors to become fans before showing content must irritate some users?
Zonicro

Hello,

do you know how to make this:
1)link button- content is visible after click like button (i know how to do that)
2)share button – you have to click share and then you get link (how to do this????? So when you click like button you get share button and than when you share button, you get link) HOW TO DO THAT???
Ameinon

how can i link the .jpg to a website?

thanks in advance