Say No to FBML

I have been thinking long and hard about my disdain for FBML’s. I decided to organize my thoughts and share with you.

What is FBML?
Facebook Markup Language (FBML) enables business to create custom applications and pages for Facebook. In a sense, FBML allows developers to create a web page for their Facebook Fans.

There are many interesting things you can do with FBML pages, below are a few.

Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of creative things that can be accomplished with FBML pages, but my question is always: Why?

Too many marketers are still having trouble grasping Facebook and other social media outlets. Sure, they say they “get it”, but clearly they don’t.

The Easy Answer
FBML’s are often the answer from people who are missing the point of Facebook. They are trying to turn Facebook into their website, because it is something they are comfortable with.

As a new business comes on board with Facebook, they are often still confused on what to do with it. Why not convert back to something they are familiar with: a website? FBML’s allow for an easier transition for businesses. Customizing of Facebook also makes it easier to explain to the boss and the marketing department. It makes for an easier “sell” into social media.

Mind Shift
Visitors on Facebook have shifted their minds to something else, but yet many marketers are not shifting with them. The beauty of Facebook, and other social media sites, is the consistency. Visitors know what to expect, where to find items, and how to interact. They don’t expect, nor want, a web page.

Creating a FBML is a fall back plan. It’s basically saying, “Oh, I see we can make this like a website”. No, that’s not it. Your website is your website.

Just be Social
Facebook can be a very valuable tool, but let’s not make it any more difficult than it needs to be. Social media requires you to be social (I am not even a guru either). You can be social!

One of the biggest ingredients to creating a successful Facebook presence is just being there and being active. If you just “show-up” you are half way there. Showing up means interacting, posting and socializing. Are you showing up?

FBML’s will not excuse your lack of presence.