Facebook has made some pretty big changes in the last year, more specifically this last quarter of the year. Some of these changes have had its fair share of critics, but in the end the changes have taken place and they are going to continue making more in the near future as the online numbers continue to swell in all demographic markets.

With its popularity continuing to rise, the social network has become more then even its own creators expected, and is interestingly becoming a hub for discussion, business, commerce, announcements, and more. I've always personally thought of it as a central market for all people the world over, a common crossroads where we can share information, business deals, discounts/specials, event dates, and more. Facebook makes this even easier with the integration of Facebook Apps. Online communities are showing no signs of stopping and from a business perspective, if done right, and targeted to the right market, can reach unparalleled success.

Most recently Facebook has made an announcement that starting in 2010, Facebook Pages are going to undergo a transformation that is going to change how pages can be used. Basically, to encourage more interaction and less sporadic postings and interactions, Facebook is dropping the "Boxes" tab which acted as a catch all for some. The "Boxes" tab was a good way to create a pseudo-website without having to actively engage, but rather focus on simply displaying information. Facebook is encouraging the online community to use the Static FBML boxes instead, which require users to hand code in Facebook Markup Language (FBML) in order to get items to display. Think HTML, but for Facebook.

Brands big and small alike are scrambling to make adjustments to their pages prior to the beginning of the new year. Transferring everything to a Static FBML box is not something that just anyone can do, if they have no prior experience in hand coding in a computer language. Will this effect the smaller businesses out there who don't have IT people on hand to help? Almost for sure, but there are always options.

Gray Web Technology + Design is spearheading the changes by working with our clients and surrounding community to help make the transition easier and more functional for the client. Rather then wake up only to have all your information gone, it's more beneficial to prepare for the changeover effectively. If you're looking for that assistance, let GWT assist you with the issue, we've been helping build brands for almost 20 years.

Photo Credit libraryman