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6 tips for creating effective custom Facebook tabs

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John HaydonCustom Facebook tabs are not about technology. (Note: We still call them tabs even though they’re now simply links in the left sidebar of your organization’s Facebook Page.) They’re not about having the ability to display content once a fan likes your Page. They’re not about widgets or animated mouse-over things, either.

If it doesn’t convert, it failed

The smart nonprofit marketer uses custom tabs to motivate action. Following are six tips to help you improve the effectiveness of your custom tabs:

  1. Each tab should have one goal – Do you want people to like the page? Or do you want to tell people about your latest news?
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  2. Each tab should have only one call to action – If you ask people to follow you on Twitter, like your Facebook Page, and join your email list, your results will be poor. Facebook users will take action on one item, if they take any action at all.
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  3. Keep the copy clear, short and concise – Take the copy you now have on your custom tab and cut it in half. The increase in conversions will be worth the painful editing.
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  4. Use a powerful image – An image that stirs an emotion will help motivate action.
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  5. Make buttons easy to see – Make sure the button is a contrasting color and is at least 110×80 so it can compete with the size of Facebook ads.
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  6. Create a unique landing page for Facebook – If your call to action sends Facebook users to your website, make sure they land on a page dedicated to receiving traffic from the Facebook tab. This way, you can easily measure the effectiveness of the tab.

John Haydon delivers social web strategy solutions for “the quick, the smart, and the slightly manic.” Curious? Then visit the John Haydon blog, follow him on Twitter or leave a comment.

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  1. Excellent write up John! I see custom Facebook tabs as a great way to first engage the viewers and then educate them. In no way should a Facebook tab be a mini website, but merely a tool to drive traffic to your main website where the real ‘meat’ is. Whether a non-profit or for profit company the goal is simple, to engage, educate, and then try to get some type of user action out of it (whether that be a sale, or donation of time/money).

    How do you create a custom Facebook tab? We if you happen to be a designer and a developer you’re set! For the rest of us there are a few tools that you can use. One that I’ve found help is High Impact Designer ( http://www.highimpactdesigner.com ) the only real reason I like this tool is because it is soo easy. They have 100s of templates so I don’t have to design a thing, and pretty much one click publishing to Facebook.

  2. Many businesses now rely on Facebook pages as a primary business channel.
    As a part-time freelance, I’ve had a countless number of fan page projects sent to me.
    I do not consider myself an amatuer in the realm of programming, but, still, I find these jobs a daunting task.
    At times, the unpredictability nature of the final output (when viewed on different browsers) haunts me in my sleep… ummm … ok, I admit… not as much as images of my ex, but still.
    It’s beyond one’s comprehension how many startup’s are looking to have their pages up everyday.
    I’ve seen apps that allow users to build pages by asking them to select page contents from a list of available few features, but that means you’re restrained to a limited number of options.
    I’m not even remotely close to being a world-renowned computer scientist, nor am I Richie Rich, but I still want to dedicate myself to doing something for others. And, that is The Rise of the Empire, oh… umm… I meant this site http://www.propplan.com/#!/propplan/home/Facebook…

    Now, you can stop worrying about the escrow amount or the total cost of your page. Propplan invites you to create page tabs for free.
    Design your page on Propplan and have it published as a tab on your fan page immediately.
    To maximize consumer engagement, all elements placed on your page can be assigned a redirect link and animation.
    Have fun!!!