Add brand impact with a custom Facebook tab

Creating a custom tab for your Facebook fan page has many benefits. Unlike a personal page, a Facebook business page allows you to measure the number of visitors to your site, as well as see the age, location, and activity of people in your community. When someone is not yet a subscriber to your page, you can have them first “introduce” themselves to your page with a custom tab.

The first benefit is that the custom tab welcomes visitors to your page and invites them to join the community. Facebook is always making changes and it’s important to be active to really reap the benefits of Facebook marketing. Business Pages used to have “Fans” and now they have “Likes” or people who like them. It’s a strange translation, but essentially the same thing, as long as someone agrees to become part of the community, it doesn’t much matter how they define it.

The second benefit of a custom tab is that it adds personality to the page. Facebook really has its brand right. They chose a name that tells you exactly what it is, their colors wisely, they made the logo simple and visible. Every time you visit someone’s page, you’ll see the same thing, so it’s important to inject a bit of personality into it. The only way to do this is through the profile picture and the custom tab. Use it to show your visitors your true colors.

The third benefit is the ability to embed forms, photos, and videos. This is perhaps one of the most important features of the custom tab. There are online services that will do this for you and charge you a monthly fee for the life of that tab, which can get very expensive (such as Splashtabs), as well as services that let you create a page for free, but offer templates that are very expensive. limited (which defeats the purpose of the brand), so my recommendation is to have your web designer or brand manager take care of this for you.

The fourth benefit is that you can update your tab to reflect growing trends, make special announcements, and promote events. Another great use of the custom tab is that it doesn’t have to be static. You can use your tab to provide time-sensitive information and updates. You can even create multiple custom tabs and allow new users to access the one of your choice.

Here’s a worthwhile task:

1) Install the FBML app on your Facebook page

2) Create a custom graphic that says “I like this page”

3) Introduce yourself and let people know who you are and how you serve them

4) Offer them something special for exchanging their time with you

5) Encourage them to participate in the conversation by posting questions and discussions.

6) Acknowledge them daily

Your Facebook tab is a solid way to complement your business efforts. Millions of users trust Facebook for its credibility and community. Be sure to take advantage of this free service and maximize your investment of time. Not only does it add excitement to the brand, but it keeps your users updated and engaged.