Hi,
I know this is a general question, but I am hoping you could offer advice. But a friend is a writer, a fan contacted her to make a facebook page for her. Initially, the he said the cost might be $100-$150. She received an invoice for $300. Do you think a nice facebook page with all the bells and whistles is worth that?
No, but then I would not pay someone a dollar to do it.
ok, but let’s say you are computer illiterate and had no choice?
This is just my opinion, who am I to say if it is worth $300, What’s the guy whos doing the job time worth?
It looks to be no harder than creating a profile page (which is not easy if you are concerned with privacy) but for $300 I would learn to do it myself. If I was really not interested in computers I would not attribute much importance to facebook or the internet and would not even want a page.
Its so smiple to make a FB fan page. Who ever charged them $300 is ripping with off. It only takes like 30 mins to set up a good fan page.
“ripping with off”
Even $100 is too much for a FB fan page.
Big rip off. If you can setup a profile on Facebook then you’ll have no trouble setting up a Fan page.
I have to agree. These days almost anyone can browse the internet (unless your friend is someone who is so illiterate they have never used a computer or the web before - which unless it’s using a typewriter it’s unlikely). On that note, Facebook is exceptionally simplistic to setup an use. Your friend (as a writer) would be better off learning to use a computer and / or buying a book like Internet for dummies for $20 and learning how to do it themselves rather than paying some rip-off merchant who will do the job in 10 minutes (which is about how long it takes) and bill you through the roof for it. There’s little to no excuse these days to be computer illiterate in the western world, especially if you are trying to make money through a global audience. Take the time to sort that issue out as soon as possible. 
I actually think that $300 is fine for a fan page - provided it is good quality.
I’ve been doing quite a lot of research into fan pages lately because we need to work on one for SP.
There are fan pages and there are fan pages… Something like this one took a bit of work.
Any monkey can make one, but you need someone that thinks creatively to make a really good one.
You guys have to remember that in this forum, most of us know what it takes to do this kind of job, which almost devalues it. Sometimes I feel almost guilty when I invoice people but then I remember that I am providing a service that is valuable. If someone isn’t prepared to learn how to do it themselves, then paying for it is the only option.
Yea but there’s fan sites (a proper fully fledged website) and a Facebook profile, let’s not fool ourselves into thinking that tweaking a very limited CMS with no installation required is a huge amount of work, especially when it’s just a social networking profile - not a multi layered design of complexity… granted it takes some rudimentary skills to design… but still $300, no way. You could get a decent website template for Wordpress with some decent trimmings to boot for that. 
I agree! That is too much. Try it yourself to see what’s involved.
I think a Facebook page can be something like a website for a tech-newbie, 300$ isn’t high price if you think in that way…
You can pay on way 300$ only for a logo 
I think the bottom line is actually if the designer said that the cost would be in the region of $100-$150 then that is all the client should pay unless of course the client requested a whole raft of necessary changes.
The other issue is of course whether it is worth it to have something like this done and that really all revolves round whether you have the capability and the requirement to have something like this done. If you can’t do it yourself and are desperate to have something like this then possibly if the designer involved was the only game in town who could do the job within a set time frame then who knows, $1,000 might be a fair rate? Its all down to supply and demand.
The above having been said though it does strike me as being a little over the top.
$300 for a Facebook fan page is really a big amount to offer. But if I am the writer, I would gladly accept the offer.
Yes… because a Facebook page is much more important to the quality of your brand than the logo which represents and will be remembered by your visitors from now until the end of time (to where your business ceases to trade)… oh wait, no it’s not! Paying a lot for a decent unique brand identity is MUCH more valuable than some generic Facebook profile who’s sole intent is to get people more interactive with your brand in an attempt to encourage them to buy more stuff.
The last time I checked this thread there were hardly any replies. I forgot about it, glad I checked back in. Sorry for all the typos up top! YIKES.
Anyway, after I thought about it, my thoughts were along the line of what you posted here. It is a very nice site, with lots and lots of pictures that had to be tagged, described and cropped, video uploaded etc…
The conclusion I came to: was that for the value her business(she-the writer) will get out of it, $300 is a small expense for business promotion.
Also, when I tried to explain to her how to do little things, she is not interested and has said “I just don’t want to do it.” Guess who’s been asked to make changes to it now?
Thanks for the discussion.
it depends if it’s a business page that he wants it might cost that much
If any FBML tabs or custom application created then yes it is worth much more than that. Custom pages have to be coded in FBML which is Facebooks version of XHTML The going rate to design and code a fan page is more like $1000. Want an example? Here is one I did for a client: Cornerstone Mortgage Fan Page
Facebook is set up so that even the most computer illiterate people can set up a profile page. If my mom can do it, certainly your friend can too. Paying any money is too much money. Uploading pictures, filling in information, etc. can all be done by the person. I would not spend a dime to have someone else create my Facebook fan page.