Facebook, like its cousin Twitter, has become a hip place for “locals” to congregate to talk about everything from recent purchases, likes/dislikes to their most recent run-in with a customer service representative.
If you’ve started using Facebook to promote your brand, consider the following two tools Facebook’s developers have been working on for its Fan Page users:
Turning Your E-Commerce Site Visitors into Fans with the Fan Box
Facebook developers recently launched Fan Box, a “Facebook Connect-enabled social widget” that Fan Page owners can add to their e-commerce sites to allow users view the accompanying Facebook Page stream.
Using the the Fan Box, sites can bring content from their Facebook Page into their website and help convert website visitors into Facebook fans. Visitors see the most recent posts from the Fan Page, see a list of other fans (including their friends), and become a fan without leaving your site.
Using only four lines of JavaScript, the Fan Box can be set up and integrated into your site in a few minutes. The code is available from your Page (click Add Fan Box to your site underneath your Page’s profile picture.) Each Fan Box includes the Become a Fan button. Your Fan Box is customizable and can be integrated with your site’s design. The box takes a minimum of 200px width and 64px height for the button, and 554px height with all features included.
Facebook Fan Page users can now you can turn Fan Pages into a live-feed widget to add to your site
According to Facebook Developers, the Facebook Live Stream Box is a feature that “any website owner or developer can use to enable Facebook users to connect, share, and post updates in real-time as they witness an event online.”
Facebook adds, “You can run the Live Stream Box next to…any other experience where many people are visiting a website at the same time.”
What does this mean for E-Commerce Retailers?
- Consider using it to announce, advertise and countdown a blow out sale on your site
- Encourage fans to post testimonials about your products or services
- Use a stream as a live customer service portal
To read about the Live Stream Box, visit Facebook’s Developers Live Stream page