I have read up on the differences from 'setting' up the Canvas Page vs the Page Tab. I also see the Canvas page allows for interaction with notifications, bookmarks, newsfeed, timeline etc. However, doesn't a Page Tab also allow that?
I am trying to figure out in what instances would you use a Canvas over a Page Tab.
Thanks.
The main difference between apps embedded into pages and canvas apps that is the canvas apps have their own, unique URL under the https://apps.facebook.com/... domain.
The fact your app is embedded on a page or not is not necessarily in your hand because the app creator and page admins could be different people. The added integration points facebook gives you all tied to this URL. (I guess they could use your backend url directly but they wont be able to show ads there.)
You might want to choose canvas app if you need one or more of these features:
You want to use facebook platform features tied to canvas.
requests
bookmarks
apps / games dashboard
show up in search results
Want to support wide screens
Canvas pages can be configured to expand "wall-to-wall" and take advantage of users with big screens.
Want to use deep links (easily) into your app.
Deep links can be implemented on page tabs with the data GET parameter (coming down into your app via signed_request on tabs), but canvas pages get this for "free".
There's a best practice guide in docs on how to create good canvas apps.
Related
I am trying to create a system which allows customers to add a Facebook page as an add-on to what our business offers. Ideally I want users to click a button from our site which creates a page for them on Facebook which contains an iFrame in which content is served by us from our site.
I've never done any work with Facebook before, I don't really understand how the whole app thing works (I don't really use it personally as well) and I'm not sure what the best way to achieve what we seek. I have read a few tutorials on the fb developer site, which were all completely out of date, but I created an app of type 'App on Facebook' that displays a canvas url with an iframe which displays some content.
However, what I really want is to do one of the following:
1) Create an app that can be added to someone's page, which takes a custom url and displays this url in the iframe on the canvas page.
For example, a user called bob initialises the facebook integration from our site, we automatically create a page for them, add the app we have created, and provide a url like http://ourcustomurl.com/bob which is a link to some content from our site which is then displayed in the iframe.
2) Another option I thought would be possible would be creating a new app for every user who enables the facebook integration from our site, and just setting the canvas url on creation. But this option doesn't sit well with me, we don't really want to create an app for people, but a page.
You can't create a Facebook Page or an App via the API
If i understand correctly you want page admins to install your app into a tab on their page, and have different content displayed on that page tab depending on which page it is.
Check this document: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/appsonfacebook/pagetabs/
The main takeaway you should have is that you can use the signed_request which is sent to your app to determine which Facebook Page the App is being loaded from and decide on your side which content to display based on that
I need to create a simple tab page with custom content inside. How on earth I can get there the shortest and easiest way? Maybe I want to track the users who liked the page, but that's not compulsory. I just want to create a tab-page, which can integrate into a page and shows some custom content.
I have created an application at Facebook, the thing is, I don't know where to head from here, to include some content in the innards of that page...
I guess you want a static FBML tab. It is hard to find on Facebook, however it is possible to find a link like this. If you are logged in to Facebook then it should take you to a page where you can add a static FBML tab to one of the pages you administer. After that you can customize the tab content from page settings.
A page tab or any application on facebook can be and usualy is considered a normal website. You'll need the same things that you would if you wanted to create a website. You'll need a server, some storage space, possible a database (if you want to store date about/for your users).
There are ways to get started for free - lots of free hosting companies out there. You can start your search here
Facebook also has links to [develop applications in a cloud system].
There are different types of facebook apps, but one of them is just a canevas app.
So you ca include an external web page in a facebook page. It's pretty similar to a frame i think.
You can find inforations here: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/guides/canvas/#canvas
I have created a Facebook page for our business, and I created a Facebook App to get a AppID in order to use it in the Facebook plugins.
I've noticed that a Facebook App has a page which looks the same as a Facebook Page.
Which one should I use for promoting to the public? The App Page or normal Page?
You should be promoting your business page. That's what people will be searching for.
Essentially, all objects within the Facebook sphere are represented by a Page. Your app gets one of it's own which, if you were so inclined, would mean you could use it to promote your application. I would also recommend locking down your application's Page so the wall doesn't get filled with spam and other dubious and possibly malicious links. You can do this in the Page settings.
Promote the normal page(www.facebook.com/pages/yourpagename). The application page is where you would promote the application you built but it sounds like you just need a appid.
A significant difference between an app page vs a normal page: the app page does not show the number of people who 'like' it. It shows the number of MAU instead.
You have to promote the normal Page. In the normal page you can add a tab that link your application.
One other bit of information: If you create an ad in facebook which links to your page then it will have a like button and will show the current number of people which like your page when it is served to people.
If you have an app then it will not have the like button, but if people use your app then when an ad is served to someone that has a friend that used the app they will see a social context in the ad 'jonny B used(or played if a game) your [app/game name]' at the bottom of the ad.
When to use which? They look the same when I click on either from their directory other than being named differently.
Applications have pages to describe them, make fans (the act of liking the application) these pages are just profiles to the application.
Applications also can have canvas pages, these aren't actually facebook pages...these are the landing pages for your application hosted on your server. Mainly you'll be asked to install the application (game) before accessing it.
Applications can be added to pages and users.
A page is a simple thing that displays information about something.
An app is something that can be installed and is more complicated and can run code as per the Facebook API.
Applications are things like games and quizzes.
Pages are for the "fans" of businesses, musicians, actors, etc.
All the information about apps: http://developers.facebook.com/docs/guides/canvas/
Facebook Page is a like an open group. It can to used to form a group for public figure or to form some open group like "StackOverflow lovers" etc, where you a creator acts as a admin, and there are discussion boards(to discuss an issue), events(to organize an event), notes(to create some document for page), photos (to create album).
And regarding Facebook App have two things Profile page and Application page, it is a Profile page of the Facebook App which looks similar to Facebook page which gives you information about the App. Well, if you want to go to Application page Click on "Go to App".
I want to give ability to users to add the application in their fan pages directly from the canvas application.
Earlier there was a method (fb:add-to-profile) for adding application in user's profile tab, but now its no longer supported by facebook.
So, I am looking for similar kind of things for fan pages, either by using FBML or programmatically.
There are new Graph API methods that let you programatically add tabs to pages.
See the 'tabs' connections here:
http://developers.facebook.com/docs/reference/api/page/