8 Powerful Ways to Use Facebook Landing Tabs
Are you looking to turn more Facebook lurkers into fans of your page? There’s no better way to do this than with a custom Facebook landing tab.
As interest in Facebook marketing increases, marketers are looking for new ways to improve their technique.
If you’re a regular reader of Social Media Examiner and also visit our Facebook Page then you’ve already heard about creating custom tabs using Facebook’s Static FBML for engaging first-time Facebook visitors.
Here are eight different ways businesses are using landing tabs on Facebook.
#1: Ask Your Visitors to Like Your Page
Your landing tab is a great place to ask first-time visitors to “Like” your page and grow your Facebook community, just as Apryl Parcher does here.
Notice how Apryl Parcher asks new visitors to like her business page to grow her Facebook community.
#2: Give Multiple Invitations for Engagement
Have a look at all of the different ways Starwood Preferred Guest incites visitors to interact with them on their Facebook page. This is an example of some great landing page marketing techniques. Three things stand out:
- Long tab. A long tab where new visitors have to scroll down several screens to see everything is not always a good choice, but it can work for some businesses.
- Multiple opportunities to engage visitors. There’s a poll, a game, an invitation to share photos and three other ways to engage with Starwood.
- Geo-targeting. It’s interesting to note that Starwood Preferred Guest uses Buddy Media’s new Platform +GLOBAL application where visitors “are served a customized page based on the language and country settings within their Facebook profile.” The customization obviously also uses the IP address, because I’m based in France and as you can see below, the “Like” button is in French even though my Facebook preferences specify English.
Starwood Preferred Guest's Explore SPG tab gives many options for visitors to interact with them. CLICK IMAGE TO SEE IN FULL.
#3: Provide Multiple Doors to Begin Interaction
Here’s another interesting way to maximize your landing tab. The Facebook application TabSite allows you to make a separate navigation bar within a Facebook tab you create using Static FBML.
TabSite offers a solution for business pages that need extra tabs.
See below how Digital Hill Multimedia uses their new tab setting.
It’s interesting to note the choices Digital Hill Multimedia made when selecting what to put on their main Facebook navigation bar compared to what’s in this secondary navigation bar created with TabSite.
See the eight tabs below the main landing tab in the main navigation bar.
#4: Use Current Events
The Volkswagen Facebook page used promotional videos related to the recent World Cup. Combining promotional materials with current events is a marketing tactic that can work well on your landing tab too.
Volkswagen uses slide navigation with a selection of promotional videos.
#5: Link to Custom Applications
Starbucks has a link on their landing tab that launches an application to manage your Starbucks account.
Starbucks uses their landing tab to link to their custom application.
#6: Get Straight to the Point
Best Buy sends new visitors to a “Shop & Share” tab where they make it easy to access different categories of their shopping application.
Best Buy asks new visitors to become a fan, incites engagement and provides an easy access to get straight to their shopping application.
#7: Make Interaction Easy and Fun
Cintas Corporation invites all new visitors to tell them about their tough job and send in photos to win prizes.
Cintas Corporation does a good job at inciting interaction and building community.
#8: Use the “Boxes” Tab
UPDATE SINCE PUBLICATION: Facebook is likely to phase out the boxes tab down the road, so we advise you transition over to creating a custom tab using Static FBML.
Prior to creating their landing tab above, Cintas Corporation directed all of their new visitors to their “Boxes” tab. If you find it challenging to set up a specific Facebook tab using the Static FBML application, this may be the solution for you. Facebook pages come with a “Boxes” tab and they are easy to use.
It’s interesting to compare this long Cintas Corporation tab created in a “Boxes” tab with the long Starwood Preferred Guest “Explore SPG” tab created in FBML above.
Cintas Corporation created a very long landing page by simply using the "Boxes" tab. CLICK IMAGE TO SEE IN FULL.
Want To See More?
Here are a few more Facebook pages with interesting landing tabs.
- Threadless is a great example of how to use the “Like” button on a tab.
- Revision Eyewear has a presentation of their products made in Flash.
- Harley Davidson has a variety of links on their landing tab pointing back to their own website.
- Social Media Examiner uses a “landing” video.
- 1-800-Flowers has a clear call to action.
What do you think about custom landing tabs? Please share the links above and tell us what you like most about them. Leave your comments in the box below.
Cindy King, Managing Editor of Social Media Examiner, is a cross-cultural marketer helping businesses develop globally with international social media. Follow Cindy on Twitter @CindyKing Other posts by Cindy King »
52 Comments
Thanks for the insights, Cindy! I've got one question – can I add several FBML pages to my facebook page (not profile but page for business)?
REALTOR.com has a very cool Facebook Tabsite at http://budurl.com/RDCfb It serves several of the purposes listed in this article, including linking to a custom application and to several areas of their website.
I think a welcome page is a must for a business page. It creates a way to show the brand essence within the neutral Facebook environment.
You will probably want to check the facebook changes that are upcoming and revise your article, as facebook has eliminated profile and page boxes for new tabs and is phasing out and deleting boxes that are already in use – other than the boxes suggestion, great article, thanks for posting it.
Hey Steve, Thanks for this. We have a pretty long editorial cycle… I have put an update under #8.
Great listing but most seem a little daunting to the average small business guy. How much technical expertise do you need?
Keep in mind….
Facebook is getting rid of the boxes tab.
The maximum width of a page can only be 520px. Facebook will be implementing this very soon.
Great suggestions, thank you!
Some great ideas as usual. We have incorporated some video into our landing tab. Check it out at http://www.facebook.com/BerryNetwork
There are so many creative ways that a business can use Tabs, FBML, and applications. I imagine we are only starting to see the creativity emerge. Seems to me – eventually – a business would only need a Facebook Page to promote itself…with all the options available to use (e-commerce, video, forms, live streaming etc…).
Hi Anna, Yes you can use the FBML application more than once on your Facebook page. I believe it's limited to 5 times, but you'd need to check that.
And it's not really obvious to find how to add the others. But once you've created your first one, go as if you are going to edit it and then look very carefully. You'll find a button to add a new one.
Yes Anna, your business page can have as many custom FBML tabs as you want – though Facebook restricts how many tabs show up at the top of your page at one time, which is why a few of those welcome page examples in the article have created their own secondary row of “tabs” within their custom FMBL. These FMBL widgets can also show up as boxes on the left side of your wall tab if you want.
Wow, that is a good example! There's a lot going on there.
The thing I'd want to test is whether a simple page with less calls to action would work better or not. This type of page may not be best for everyone.
can i get a link to this info? thanks!
where are the orphaned boxes going to end up?
Anna:
With http://tabsite.com you can create as many tabs as you want under the main tab. TabSite's flexibility is impressive. You can create a blog, Twitter and YouTube page with it too. If you wish to explore tabsite and need assistance feel free to contact me via Twitter @CPollittIU.
Good Luck!
Chad
I couldn't agree more! Here's a very cool TabSite: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/Exploremedi…
It's one of my favorites! It's flash based. . .
Being a novice myself, I feel very intimidated by this as well, but noticed the link in the introductory section, “creating custom tabs using Facebook's Static FBML,” which seems to be more basic. You might check this out to get started.
Nice list of Facebook pages. My name is Esteban and I'm the Social Media Manager for Samsung USA. Would love to hear your thoughts about what we've done with our various tabs. http://www.facebook.com/samsungusa
Steve, thank you for bringing that up! Yes, today an FBML landing tab makes better sense. And I have to admit, I wonder what our options are going to be this time next year. It's interesting to see the how others used the box tabs because, who knows, we may have something else to use in the future.
Where did you get this information? Does it say when?
Thanks!
Hi Cynthia, great post on creative ways to use your fan page. great examples and ideas. Thank you!
Awesome post, thanks a lot Cindy! I've been creating FBML landing pages for various nonprofits (e.g. http://www.facebook.com/icrcfans) whom particularly ask for pages in crisis (like Haiti). If they can come up with an appealing and engaging page with a clear call to action (e.g. “donate to our relief operation in Haiti”) it is really efficient. Cheers /Isaac
Very insightful! I will be applying a lot of your recommendations to my facebook pages. Thanks.
Hi Esteban, I really liked the colors on your welcome page. Is it working for you?
But when I went to the wall I found the photo there dull in comparison. You could probably add something nice at the bottom of your logo, your image there can be longer than what you're using.
Isaac, I love it! You've done some great work there. Thanks for sharing!
Chad, Thanks for sharing. This is a good example of a Tabsite.
[...] tools in the additional ways he suggests. I also pointed out the few tips in a new article on Facebook landing tabs that supplement the information and ideas Astrid has shared in past [...]
It has been working great. We've grown to nearly 60K fans in 6 months and our engagement levels continue to increase.
We've played with the logo several times, with different lengths. We might spice it up a bit because I definitely don't want people to see it as dull. It does include our logo and that's the most important thing :)
Great post. Having a landing page on Facebook for a business or non-profit works if it has a clear call to action or some great interactive twist. Great job Cindy.
The first tip is okay, but I personally find any fan page that requires me to like a page before I can gain access to what I was seeking for very annoying. I need to know if what I'm liking is worth liking in the first place; my endorsement is not that easy to obtain.
Hi Alvin – I understand your comments on this one but the power is in your hands. It's a powerful message if you say that you like something but, after you go and have a look at it, you change your mind. Withdrawing your like sends a message through that it wasn't so good after all. .
Great info here Cindy.
You guys are just piling up very useful Facebook info these days. WTG!!
This is the kind of info that really help your community that follow SocialMediaExaminer on a regular basis.
Have you guys thought about offer some of these very useful info in PDF? Well, I will bookmark and tweet the article.
Cheers.. Are
I agree with Are_Morch – PDF's would be awesome! It would help those that are still a bit analog in this digital word…in implementing….
Nice examples and tips for Facebook landing pages- I'm going to start doing some design upgrades.
Does anyone know anyone in Australia or where one can outsource getting Facebook Tabs done for you. I am way too busy to learn and do this but have plenty of business for people that do… any thoughts, suggestions and info greatly appreciated… Love your work SSE by the way…
That kind of thing plays havoc with the unsubscribe Insights stats though. Not great for those who have to submit reports to upper management.
Depending on what you need, I'd be happy to look into it for you. I ended up teaching myself how to set everything up (wasn't too bad because I've handcoded HTML for the past 10 years) to create an FB page for the company I work for. I'd do it extremely cheaply. If you're interested, send me a message on Twitter @blossomnu.
I looked into things like Involver, but for custom stuff you can be looking at as much as $2500 a month, which seems insane for what's basically a bit of branding and hosting. If you only need a couple of tabs, then the free version of Involver might be what you need.
FaceitPages at http://www.faceitpages.com also allows you to create some pretty nice Facebook landing pages.
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This posting inspired me to draft a facebook fan page for the company I work for. These are all great tips – thank you for posting :)
[...] over Facebook, why not engage with this little babies and set up at Facebook and luckily to have Cindy King to guide us on HOW TO do that! Like it? Give me yourself a favour, SHARE this to your friends! [...]
I have figured it out! Awesome, thanks!
Hi Lachie
I have a team of people doing Facebook pages for clients and just recently have started working with firms as their outsourced provider of pages and social media management. Feel free to drop me an email at dougmcisaac@gmail.com and I can provide samples and pricing for you.
Doug McIsaac
Thanks for posting- I think this aspect of Facebook pages are deeply underestimated.
[...] Here are the already mentioned tips and some additional thoughts for using your Facebook landing page to the fullest. To read the entire article, click here. [...]
wow these are cool, I never new you could add so many different things to your fan page to totally make it rock. Thanks for sharing these insights!
cheers
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[...] 8 Powerful Ways to Use Facebook Landing Tabs | Social Media Examiner [...]
[...] recently came across an interesting post that outlines how using custom tabs can turn casual visitors to your Facebook page into active [...]
I love the landing video, how do I do that?
Hi, great info. I have created my customer Facebook Tabs now but was wondering if there is a code I can use to add a comments box beneath the image?