North Social has one of the savviest websites of all the do-it-yourself Facebook fan page creation services we reviewed. The company has a knack for branding its services. For example, it uses the same cool header format on the informative video tutorials that describe each of its Facebook templates that it calls apps.
North Social has designed its services around apps that perform various marketing functions for your cause or business that are innovative and have the potential to be very beneficial to your business. However, the service expects you to generate your own JPEG files using a graphics application such as Photoshop; it does not provide Facebook layouts with variable column widths and image placements.
Instead, North Social provides the truest WYSIWYG design interface of all the services we reviewed. In reviewing its Basic package, we found that its whole interface integrates right into your Facebook page using Facebook applications.
North Social requires the images you upload to be a certain size. For example, the image for the First Impression app must be 520 by 650 pixels. As a result, the images you upload must be custom fitted for uploading to your Facebook page using a graphics application. The service does let you add a hotspot, or hyperlink, to your image. However, it does not let you add Facebook comments to your tab or customize the names of your tabs.
NorthSocial's Basic package only lets you create one tab using its service. It also limited the number of fans on your page to 5,000. If you get more than that, you must upgrade to one of its more advanced packages.
North Social does not provide multilayer layout templates with variable column widths and image placements, as do some of the best services we reviewed, but it does offer a variety of templates for creating powerful apps on your Facebook page. Some of the apps include the ability to create reveal-page content, which lets you set up one set of content that is viewed by non-fans and another set that be viewed by those who hit the Like button at the top of your Facebook page. It provides apps that enable you to upload videos, photo collages, contact forms, maps and music. You can also stream an RSS feed from your blog or Twitter account. However, we will note that the service does not have the most apps of all the fan-page creation services we reviewed.
With North Social’s interface right in Facebook, uploading content is very easy. The hardest part of the process for us was developing that content beforehand. North Social provides brief tutorial videos with each of its apps that explain what the app does. Selecting an app to use on your Facebook page is as easy as pressing a button. Next, you simply upload your content, and you're done. Although you don't need any programming knowledge, you will need to know how to use at least basic tools in Photoshop or a graphics software application that will generate JPEG files.
North Social provides contact information on its website. When we contacted the company, a member of its customer service team responded within 24 hours. The website also provides answers to frequently asked questions, tutorials and a daily email feed with an article from its blog. In addition, the service provides a community forum for its users.
We like North Social for its creative marketing ideas that can help you enhance your Facebook fan page for your individual cause or small business. You need to know Photoshop or another graphics application to use this service, since it does not provide layout templates, but you will appreciate its user-friendly interface that integrates right into your Facebook page.
