Facebook's modifications to fan pages — most importantly the shift to Timeline — has reduced the use of specialized, third-party marketing apps. However, that does not mean these apps have gone away. Many offer promotional opportunities not found within Facebook's native platform.
In this article, I share 13 new apps from 7 different companies that are worth your attention.
1. Lujure
Lujure is one of the more popular Facebook Page marketing applications. However, the company recently made the most significant change in its history and transitioned from being solely a Facebook Page app provider to one that incorporates mobile apps and a website building tool. The company also changed its name from Lujure to Heyo.
Heyo Social
The fan page builder — now called Heyo Social — remains the heart of the new platform and provides the content for use in the mobile app and website.
Page owners can choose from template-driven or custom options. The company also offers over 30 widgets that can be incorporated into fan pages, including contests, buy buttons, and email opt-ins.
Heyo Mobile
Once a fan page is built, its content can be included in a mobile app with a single click. "Customers can call you through your phone widget, email you through your email widget, follow you through your twitter widget, or redeem a deal using your deal widget," states Heyo. Six mobile widgets are available in all.
Heyo Web
Lastly, Heyo offers a hosted, drag and drop website building platform. As with the mobile app, content that has already been created via Heyo Social can be used within the site.
Prices start at $3 per month and scale upward based on the number of fan pages, widgets, mobiles apps, and websites used.
2. North Social
Facebook Page app developer North Social offers a suite of more than 20 apps. Two of the newest include Holiday Advent Calendar and Trivia Contest.
This app allows merchants to set up a series of daily promotions that automatically run from midnight to midnight each day during Advent.
Types of promotions vary from deals, coupons, downloads, or sweepstakes. For example, the app enables page owners to run a week of deals, 12 days of coupons, and up to 24 days of holiday deals (in keeping with the Advent calendar).
The Trivia Contest app is designed to provide page owners with a way to engage their fan base and help spread the word about their brands. Three contest options are included: True/False, Multiple Choice, and Personality Quiz.
Sharing is built in so that, after users complete a trivia challenge, they will be shown their results and prompted to share the application by challenging their friends to beat their score.
North Social offers tiered pricing, which starts at $1.00 per day, and is based on the number of fans a page has. All apps are included in the price.
3. Tabsite
Facebook app provider Tabsite recently launched a series of "Engagement" apps. Three that I recommend are: Pin Deal, Share Deal, and Group Deal.
Pin Deal
This app integrates Pinterest into Facebook by giving page owners the ability to create a special offer or deal. However, to "unlock" the deal, fans must first pin it on Pinterest.
Share Deal
Similar to the Pin Deal app, to unlock a special deal on Facebook, the fan must first share it with others.
According to Tabsite, the Share Deal app is a "great tool for offering a special discount, an e-book download, savings code, or other promo that spreads because fans need to share the deal in order to get access themselves."
Group Deal
The Group Deal app picks up where Share Deal leaves off. In this case, just like using group deal sites such as Groupon and LivingSocial, fan page owners set how many times a deal must be shared in order for it to be unlocked.
Tabsite pricing starts at $15 per month for its most popular plan. A 14-day free trial is also offered. However, the apps listed above require the use of what Tabsite refers to as its Platinum plan, which costs $25 per month.
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