Facebook to Discontinue Static FBML – Pages Will Run Via iFrames

A lot of changes have been taking place in the Facebook world between updated profiles, fan pages, and tweaks to their advertising platform. One of the more significant changes relates to a recent announcement by Facebook stating that starting March 11th Facebook Page developers will no longer be able to use Static FBML to code custom tabs. Instead, custom tabs will work off of iFrames.  At first when I found out about this I was very upset by the news. Static FBML provides a simple way for developers who know HTML / FBML (Facebook’s unique coding language) to code their very own Facebook tab.  In my opinion, it was one of the best applications ever developed on Facebook as you could essentially build out a well designed and comprehensive landing page directly on your Facebook Page. However, while there are still pros and cons, the death of Static FBML and the switch over to iFrames will end up being a positive overall. Before we weigh the pros and cons of the changes, below is a brief explanation of what will take place starting March 11th.

• Pages will no longer be able to access and create new Static FBML tabs on their fan page.
• The switch over to iFrames means that the fan page administrator will have to host their new custom tabs elsewhere (most likely on their own website) instead of Facebook.
• Pages that already have a Static FBML tab will not be effected by this change come March 11. While you will not be able to create a new Static FBML tab, if you already have an existing tab made via Static FBML it will not be effected.
• Even though current Static FBML tabs will not be effected, Facebook encourages developers to transfer their tabs over to the new iFrame format. Facebook will likely not remove Static FBML pages in the near future, but will likely make these pages obsolete down the road.
• Facebook is eliminating FBML, their custom coding.  A full list of these codes are outlined here: http://developers.facebook.com/docs/reference/fbml/

Now that an explanation of the changes have been provided, here is a breakdown of some of the pros and cons of the switch.

PROS

1. Ability to create more comprehensive / creative designs: Static FBML is a great tool, but it has its limitations (i.e. no Javascript). Think about how comprehensive you can make a Facebook page when you can integrate everything you designed from your website over to the tab. This will be HUGE for Facebook commerce since you can have a full shopping cart on your Facebook page (without the consumer ever leaving the site). Static FBML provided thousands of options when it came to designing tabs, but with iFrames the possibilities are pretty much endless.

2. Increased navigation / traffic: Not only can you create unique tabs via iFrames on Facebook, but you can potentially create an entire website all in one tab. Developers can design a multi-page website with various internal links and embed them all in one tab. Remember, with an iFrame it’s simply taking existing content and adding it to a new location (it just needs to be sized properly for Facebook).  See it for yourself by testing it out with your website (follow the instructions below):

• Go to http://facebook.com/developers and select “set up a new app”.
• Name the application and agree to the TOS
• Go to the Facebook Integration link (left navigation in the middle) and add the URL to your website into the Canvas URL section (under canvas)
• Go to Page Tabs, name your tab, select iFrames, and the URI that corresponds with your homepage (most pages have something like index.php or index.html)
• To see it in action, go to the application profile page (link on the right side) and select the “add to my page” link under the profile picture (which is likely a question mark).
• Select a fan page that you do not mind testing this out on and choose the “add to page” option.
• Go to your fan page, click on the application name on the left side of your page (with all your other tabs) and you’ll see your entire website located on one tab. Granted it will not be sized properly, but click on an internal link and it should load an additional page without leaving Facebook.

3.  Potentially Lesser Costs Involved: Developers might not have to rely so much on 3rd party applications to make  their fan pages more aesthetically pleasing (which can run in the thousands).

4. Increased Reliability: Static FBML didn’t have too many issues, but if the application wasn’t functioning properly your tab wouldn’t function properly either.  Additionally, you weren’t able to do anything about the issue until Static FBML resolved it. Now that the content placed on a fan page tab is hosted on a website that the developer manages, any issues can be dealt with immediately.

CONS

1. Hosting: The switch over to iFrames means that somebody else has to host the content which will likely be whomever owns the Facebook page.  One custom tab probably won’t take up too much bandwidth, but if you’re managing multiple pages and have only one website to host these pages you might run into a server issue.

2. More Time Consuming: With Static FBML, the process was simply adding a box to your page, design, and push live. With an iFrame, the process will now be create a new page on your website, design, create a new application, apply the proper settings to the application, add it to your fan page, and then push live.  Plus, when it comes to minor changes like revising text or centering an image, the process will a lot less painless with Static FBML.

3. No More FBML: I like FBML because it provides a simple way to add interactive features to tabs such as comments and share buttons. Discontinuing FBML could effect interactions and shares related to a fan page tab.
Whether you are for or against this change, we will undoubtedly witness some cool new Facebook tabs over the next few weeks. It will be interesting to see how businesses are utilizing these changes to their advantage.