How to Create a Portfolio Website Inside Facebook With Iwipa

 

Iwipa is a Facebook app that can be used to create a full artist website inside of Facebook, including photos, text, Paypal Buy Now buttons, image slideshows, ecommerce stores, gallery of artworks, and thousands of added widgets.

Iwipa Facebook websites support html, static fbml, iframes, javascript, css, flash, and more.

 

 

 

I created my own Iwipa site today, though it still needs a lot of work. But, I will go back soon and explore more of what Iwipa has to offer myself and my Facebook fans.

There are a lot of steps to creating a good Iwipa website gallery connected to a Facebook page. Please follow along step by step as I explain how to setup an Iwipa FB Site.

 

How to Build a Facebook Website with Iwipa – Static Fbml, iFrame, Html, etc.

 

1. Go to Iwipa
   
   
2. Click the BIG blue button, Click to install for free
   
   
   
3. Choose the page to add the Iwipa Website, as shown above, then click “Add Iwipa website: HTML + iframe + FBML”
   
   
   
4. If the new tab does not appear at the top, find it by clicking the little down arrow as displayed in the image.
   
   
   
   
   
5. How to switch positions with Facebook page Timeline tabs.
   
   Swap positions with other Facebook tabs by clicking the pencil icon. Hover cursor over the top-right corner of a tab for it to appear.
   
   Click any tab under Swap position with to instantly switch with that one. Photos show in the first position by default, so this one cannot be swapped.
   
   Display the best 3 which page viewers will automatically see.
   
   
   
   
6. Change the Facebook fanpage Iwipa icon and text
   
   Create an icon that is 110px width by 75px height or find a free one online. Search for free web icons or public domain icon sets, or simply shrink one of your paintings into a tiny icon, which is what I will do.
   
   Try to pick an image that is attractive, grabs attention, and looks great in a small format. Shrink the artwork image to the above dimensions using a photo editor such as Photoshop, then save it on your desktop.
   
   
   In the Admin panel of your Facebook page, go to Manage – Edit Page.
   
   Select Apps on the right menu, and find the Iwipa icon.
   
   Choose Edit Settings and alongside Custom Tab Settings, click Change, and find the new Iwipa gallery website icon previously created, and upload it.
   
   Next, create a Custom tab name. Write something simple that represents your artist website on Facebook. 
   
   My icon and custom tab name for my Facebook art portfolio is displayed to the right.
   
   
   
   
7. Click your new portfolio icon, and then Welcome! Click here to activate your page … then Allow permissions on the next page.
   
   
8. Choose the Edit your page icon in the top-right corner.
   
   The page editor appears. To begin editing and adding things to your site, click the edit button to the right of the Welcome to our page banner.
   
   
   
   
9. Iwipa website editor
   
   There are quite a few options here. If you already have an art portfolio designed at another website, the html may be transferred by clicking the Source icon, then copying the code. This is the fastest method to create your online gallery on Facebook.
   
   Templates
   The third icon from the left includes 3 preset templates. Choose one of them to have an easy way of creating an artist website on Facebook.
   
   Other options here include adding flash, images, links, lists, text fields, block quotes, tables, and more. The Iwipa website editor includes plenty of options for creating the art website of your dreams directly inside of Facebook.
   
   
10. Iwipa Slideshow
    
    To include an Iwipa Slideshow of artworks, first select the wrench icon (Manage your page) icon at the top. Pick Tabs and Layout from the available choices.
    
    Choose Slideshow and drag to position it in the bottom box.
    
    
    
    Then, click Edit your page at the top. At the top of the sample slideshow, hit Settings. Follow the instructions to include image urls’s, links when clicked, and captions. All slideshow artworks should be the same height.
    
    Iwipa includes a handy image uploader. To upload your 10 artworks, simply click Browse, and choose the images to add. Then go back, and select Browse alongside each image box.  Include links and captions as well.

 

Here is my Iwipa page, which still needs a lot of work: Graham Matthews Art

Take a look at this one, by Newfoundland Art Junction, which is a much better example (without ads).

It is easy to see the potential here. The customizations in Iwipa for Facebook pages are what impresses me the most. With various themes to choose from, image file storage, additions of widgets such as Youtube videos and Paypal, this can be a very powerful site creation tool for artists.

I know the ads are annoying, but for such a great tool to exist they have to have a way of making money. The ads can be removed for just 9.95 a month, including a few useful added features.

Hopefully I have made everything very straight forward. If you need any help creating your own Iwipa website, please leave a comment!