Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Flipboard 2 Not to overstate the obvious, but let’s face it: Facebook has become a critical piece of any organization’s marketing mix. Still, too many businesses are overlooking some really good – and not to mention, FREE – tools that can help enhance their overall Facebook marketing strategy. Facebook apps (previously Facebook tabs) provide new and engaging ways to connect with your fans and promote your brand. What is a Facebook app? According to Facebook, Facebook apps “are designed to enhance your experience on Facebook with engaging games and useful features. You can use apps to listen to music with friends, share what you’re reading, play games and more.” What are the best Facebook apps for my business? There are a number of Facebook apps that businesses can use when looking to launch or improve their Facebook fan pages. With thousands of options to choose from, however, it can be quite overwhelming to know which apps are the must-haves. Here’s a few of my favorite free Facebook apps by type: Contact forms Similar to your website, it’s important to make it as easy as possible for fans to connect with you through your Facebook page. It’s called ‘social networking’ for reason, right? Contact Form Contact Tab Pagemodo Blogging / RSS Rather than setting up an automatic RSS feed to your Facebook page, try using one of these apps to provide a more engaging user interface for your content. Involver NetworkedBlogs RSS Graffiti Polls / Surveys Got questions? Well, Facebook’s got answers! Surveys are a great way to find out what your fans are really thinking. Polls don’t have to be business related – have fun and get creative! SurveyMonkey Poll Social Media Promotions It seems like everyone’s got something to promote these days. Facebook provide its own “Facebook Offers” functionality. From photo contests to sweepstakes, these apps take the cake for social media promotions. Woobox Offerpop EasyPromos Other Social Networks Keep your Facebook fans in-the-know about your business by incorporating other social networks into your fan page. These social networks made their own Facebook apps for sharing information across multiple channels. Pinterest Foursquare Twitter YouTube Yelp Video Marketing As any content marketer can attest, video marketing can easily be your most profitable source of advertising. From YouTube channels to video chats, these applications help to illustrate your brand. Involver Pagemodo Livestream Linqto E-Commerce What better way to monetize your social presence than by incorporating your online store right into your Facebook fan page? Ecwid provides a quick and easy way for customers to access their shopping carts. Ecwid Donations Facebook is a great place to reach out to friends and family. You can make collecting donations a less daunting task by using one of these Facebook apps. Causes.com FundRazr Facebook can be a great marketing tool and communications outlet, but there is only so much that you can do in brief status updates and plain-text fields. Put Facebook to work for your business by adding apps/tabs to your profile. Done creatively, apps encourage visitor engagement and showcase your content in a fun and visual way. Learn more about Facebook’s recent updates and how graph search will affect marketers in 2013. What are some of your favorite Facebook apps for your business? Twitter Tweet Facebook Share Email This article originally appeared on Digital Insights and has been republished with permission.Find out how to syndicate your content with B2C Author: Lauren Barraco Follow @lbarraco Currently the Digital Content Strategist for the San Francisco Chronicle and part-time Business Development & Marketing Consultant. I'm a social media addict, licensed private pilot, dedicated sports fan, and avid adventure seeker. Innovation and philanthropy is what moves me. … View full profile ›More by this author:Twitter 101: Vocabulary LessonTop 10 Free Social Media Monitoring ToolsTop 5 Free Image Editing Tools