Running a Facebook Fan Page? Inspiration Alert

CustomFacebookPage.com is a site dedicated to promoting the most inspirational and successful Facebook Fan Pages from some of the largest and most influential brands that reside on the site.

Facebook Fan Pages have become a key arm in many a social media strategy, with the ability to reach out and communicate to the consumers that are attached to your companies values, products and wider market. With Facebook doubling it’s active user base from 150 million in January 2009 to 300 million in September, it’s prominence within both advertising and social media campaigns is rising continually.

The site showcases the pages that have caught the eye of the public and are innovating the way we use Facebook’s community features, some of which I just couldn’t help but promote further…

The site organizes the pages into auto, 1m+ fans, consumer goods, media, non profit, retail and tech categories.  Here are some of my favorites:

Skittles

For Skittles to have over a million fans is a real achievement in my book, with a product that you wouldn’t normally associate to be attracting interest and interaction online.

With the ability to insert iFrames into into pages, it leaves a creative license with no limitations and the ‘Holla at the Rainbow’ viral from Skittles is a good example of this.

With 3,500,000 fans up to now, it’s done a fantastic job of retaining its users and undertaking an effective communication management campaign.  Just attracting users to the page is simply not worthwhile on it’s own, being able to open that channel of communication with it’s members on consistent basis is key.

Meet The Volkswagens

A personal favourite due to it’s excellent use  of a users profile information to identify the perfect VW for them.  According to VW, I’m ‘tech-savvy’ and the Passat and CC are the best fit car wise, not bad.

The page encourages users to share photos and videos of themselves with their pride and joys which is an effective method of increasing product exposure without forcing the issue.

With 2.5% of their 275,000 fans active on a monthly basis, which is a common trend across this medium, there’s plenty of room to develop their content to attract a increase in this area.

Gap

Gap have developed an astute shop window here for their brand and products within a social and ‘safe’ environment for it’s consumers.  Nothing is being pushed on fans, their able to view and explore the micro shop without the subconscious pressure that comes with a traditional e-commerce environment.

Design wise, very minimalist, simple and attractive which amplifies Gap’s branding and image.  Promoting their other social network channels such as YouTube and Twitter on a Facebook page is a great way of cross selling your online presence.

With 475,000 fans, it’s been well received and a great branding opportunity for Gap, who traditionally have loyal customers, to expand their products exposure in the same way VW have with theirs.

There are many more Fan pages on CustomFacebookPage.com, that I’m sure would catch your eyes for many different reasons depending on your personal and professional interests.  If you don’t see one on there that you think should be, there’s a handy suggestion facility that should help expose the best as well as improving the collection of showcases on their at current.

For anyone running or creating a Facebook Fan page for their brand, client or themselves, this is a fantastic site to gauge the possibilities the platform can provide and to be inspired with how your competitors or admired brands are using the service.