Update: August 10, 2010:
Facebook is previewing the reduced-width application tab changes. See our blog post on the 520px application tab width reductions and the implications.
Update: May 27, 2010:
A "Facebook spokesman" told Inside Facebook that the changes to application tab widths “will likely happen in late July, but we’ll give Page administrators at least two weeks notice before making this change regardless of when it happens."
Um, okay. Let's see what happens....
Pre-May 27, 2010
This morning I read a very interesting post by Michael Lazerow of BuddyMedia.com about Facebook's upcoming changes to Fan Pages.
There are a number of changes that will affect marketers who've been working Facebook, but for me, as a Web designer, the one that caused the most pain was Facebook's intention of reducing the width of application pages from 760 pixels to 520 pixels.
The first thing I did was look for another authoritative source of this and, unfortunately, I found it on Facebook's Developer site where, in stark red type, they state: "Important: In late 2009/early 2010, application tabs will be 520 pixels wide. For more information, please read the Developer Roadmap." On the Developer Roadmap:
Application Tabs will be the only way to integrate applications into profiles and Pages. Application tabs will shrink from 760 pixels wide (today) to 520* pixels wide to accommodate a slightly revised design. Boxes, info sections, and the Boxes tab will be removed in the near future.
Now that's a BIG difference and all the brands/businesses who've labored over creating custom pages using apps like Static FBML are going to have to rethink those pages, now that they have 240 fewer pixels to work with. Here's what the maximum width will look like (example from a recent page we created, anticipating the reduction):
So I and a whole lot of Web designers have their work cut out for them, so to speak.
Of course, the question is, What happens to that 240 pixels of new real estate Facebook has available to use for itself? Is this a "land grab" by Facebook?
Other resources:
Michael Lazerow's Blog Post on MediaPost
InsideFacebook.com (Justin Smith)
Static FBML Code Templates for Sale!
#1 by m a r c o - February 6th, 2010 at 07:26
This is definitely not good news for us designers who have already done work for ourselves and clients using the FBML application on facebook... 240 pixels is not a little tweak. It calls for a redesign... Backgrounds need to change, images and text re-shuffled... Then again, those clients would have to hire us back to edit those pages... mmmm...
#2 by John - April 16th, 2010 at 05:26
Do we know if this has been implemented yet?
#3 by timware - April 16th, 2010 at 06:21
Not yet. You'll know it when you see it.
#4 by John - April 16th, 2010 at 05:29
Also, is it just the tabs at the top that are restricted to 520px or will it be the content divs as well??!!!
#5 by timware - April 16th, 2010 at 06:22
It'll be the width of the Static FBML content.
#6 by Brandon Faulkner - May 12th, 2010 at 06:39
Has there been any indication given as to how these pages will degrade if/once they reduce the width of these pages?
Side-scrolling is obviously not preferable, but it would be better than the whole layout breaking.
#7 by timware - May 13th, 2010 at 06:48
Not that I'm aware of, Brandon. We've got, I guess, till the end of the month before it's officially no longer "early 2010" (when Facebook said they'd be reducing the width). June would be mid-2010
I find Facebook to be completely oblivious to the concerns of developers as regards their API. The support is random, at best.
#8 by Jennifer - May 12th, 2010 at 18:01
Do you know if the Static FBML will still be available as a box, moved-to-wall item and not just a tab? How will we be able to post links and graphics on a business page's wall?
#9 by timware - May 13th, 2010 at 07:19
Facebook intends to completely eliminate the boxes tab and the ability to add the boxes to the left column of your wall. To post links and graphics, I suggest adding the Static FBML app. And you'll find plenty of Static FBML tutorials right here!
#10 by Tina - May 27th, 2010 at 06:27
I have noticed some changes today. Pictures on my fbml tabs have changed and became smaller.
So, that happened?
#11 by Trevor Green - July 14th, 2010 at 21:54
It's their site, it is their platform, but it is everyone else's dev dollars. And everyone else's information. If they do make this change I hope there is a class action lawsuit on behalf of the people that are losing real estate on designs that they developed.
Once you reach a certain level of ubiquitousness you can expect that the interests of the millions of people that are your customers and users, their interests trump yours. That is the danger of using a service like this in its infancy. There is not a large body of law that governs it so they will continue to push until they have taken everything they possibly can in exchange for what will be considered minor social features in the future.
For me this feels like breaking an unspoken agreement. It would similar to getting free hosting for a website in exchange for a banner ad, and then one day having them come along and double the size of the banner and munge up your content.
Unfortunately the logical solution, a mass migration away from a company that pulls this kind of stunt. We will likely just adapt because they have us by the balls.
Of course, maybe they just said they were going to do it to see if people went along with it. They will likely wait until a large enough percentage have converted before they ever pull a stunt like this.
Or not do it at all.
#12 by Tzvook - July 31st, 2010 at 10:18
This is the kind of things that will Drop me out of facebook.
Who will pay for the work for the width adoption... my customers will be very angry !!!!
#13 by timware - July 31st, 2010 at 14:51
Yeah, I feel your pain. Facebook announced this width reduction last Fall and we've been developing Static FBML tabs at 520 pixels ever since to avoid the problem you're upset about. It may be easier for you to make all your application tabs canvas apps than to redesign all the pages, as canvas apps can remain at 760 pixels.