Everything You Wanted to Know About Facebook Custom Tabs - #SamosaChats

What are custom tabs?

https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/fit-in/580x348/filters:format(webp)/"https://www.socialsamosa.com/2012/07/twitter-chat-how-to-use-facebook-custom-tabs/" target="_blank">Facebook Custom Tabs  allow users to embed an external web page in their Facebook page. Your “index” or “canvas” page is actually hosted on a non-Facebook server, like your website or third party application like Tabsite or Buddymedia.

A Facebook tab allows you to create customized pages for users. It allows you to greet the new users with a welcome message or introduce them to your brand. With the help of Facebook custom tab you give the new fans to click on the https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/fit-in/580x348/filters:format(webp)/"https://www.socialsamosa.com/2012/09/do-you-like-this/" target="_blank">‘LIKE’ button. Your branded message, app, videos, images or any other branded media is the first thing a user will see, when s/he lands on your facebook page.

Note: Landing Tab only works when you run https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/fit-in/580x348/filters:format(webp)/"https://www.socialsamosa.com/2012/08/the-power-of-facebook-ads/" target="_blank">Facebook ads.

Hasn't the Timeline Change Rendered it Dead?

DEAD? Not really. In fact it just got better, below are some of the added features:

Facebook Custom tabs are now 810px wide inside Facebook’s container which is 850px wide, with enforced left and right margins of 20px. More space for application and other branded media inside the tab.

You can create your own large thumbnail (“Custom Tab Image” or “View”) for all apps. Thumbnail Size: 111x 74 px

Make a status update “sticky”: You can “pin” status updates to keep them at the top of your updates for up to 7 days. (Custom Tabs update can be pinned to the top)

A big juicy Cover Photo (851 x 315px) (although no advertising or promoting allowed) you can smartly connect it with your custom tab thumbnail.

See an example below

How can Facebook Custom Tabs assist SME's in Making their Social Media Campaigns Effective?

It helps you to create a brand identity on the social web; your tab can be as simple as a basic image with a link, or as complex as a mini version of your main website. It helps you to drive more traffic to your business.

Remember Google ranks Facebook fan pages in its search results and a Fan page is a quick way to get some search results out there for a new company. If done correctly with the help of HTML on your custom fan pages you can add stylized text, links, buttons and images that can help direct your customers into your conversation stream.

Presenting this initial custom page helps convert the new user into a fan of your page and then directs them to your intended destination for new clientele, be it on Facebook or another website.

You can direct people to a sales stream, towards an advertised product, featured video, etc. Sometimes, due to the high traffic that flows through Facebook, when people search up your company, your Facebook fan page is higher in the search results than your website.

With the world today being more and more focused on brand awareness, identity and communication, Facebook Custom Fan Pages are a great way to create a social hub for your brands’ message.

Does One Need to be a Geek to Work with Custom Tabs?

YES and NO! If you know HTML and CSS you can create customized FB tabs. BUT if you don’t know coding you can use third party applications. All these third party applications gives an option to install Images, videos, form, sweepstakes, picture gallery, blogs and so on.

How can a Non-coder Work with Facebook Custom Tabs?

Yes. Here is a step by step way to add a custom facebook tab on your page

Step 1 - Go to - https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/fit-in/580x348/filters:format(webp)/"https://apps.facebook.com/iframehost-heart/?fb_source=search&ref=ts" target="_blank">https://apps.facebook.com/iframehost-heart/?fb_source=search&ref=ts

Step 2 – Select the page

Step 3 – Authorize & add the images or code

If you want to paste an image here is the copy of the HTML code.

Example - https://www.socialsamosa.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/socialsamosa_logo2.png" />

If you want to link your image to a website, copy the below code,

https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/fit-in/580x348/filters:format(webp)/"WEBSITEURL">

Example - https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/fit-in/580x348/filters:format(webp)/"https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/fit-in/580x348/filters:format(webp)/"https://www.socialsamosa.com/">https://www.socialsamosa.com/ ">https://www.socialsamosa.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/socialsamosa_logo2.png" />

Code for adding a facebook comment box,

Are there any other creative ways to use Custom Tabs?

With the help of Custom Facebook tabs brands can showcase multiple promotions at the same time. These appear as multiple “tabs” across the top of your Fan page. Apart from https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/fit-in/580x348/filters:format(webp)/"https://www.socialsamosa.com/2012/05/11-creative-contest-ideas-for-facebook/" target="_blank">contest you can use custom Facebook tabs for following purposes,

• Impress your fans with video
• Advertise your services / Sell your product
• Gather E-mail Ids
• B2B brands can showcase slideshare presentations, client list, or share(download research reports) with their fans.
• Lead generation via contact us form
• Drive traffic to the website

How can custom tabs be made consistent across desktops/laptops and mobiles?

As we all have likely experienced, Facebook mobile site and mobile apps for Android and iOS do not offer a simple ability to access custom tabs.

Facebook Mobile app limits a user to the Wall, Info, Photos, and Activity.  Therefore, your custom tabs are hidden from fans, if they are accessing it from their mobile devices.

You can you Tabsite (third party app) it is programmed so that if the link in the wall post is clicked, TabSite checks to see if it is a mobile browser, and, if so, we deliver a mobile friendly version of the content to the user.

How does one track the performance of a custom tab?

Setting up custom tabs is only one part of your Facebook success. Track your tabs’ performance in real time and react where needed. A lot of third party applications provide insights for your custom facebook tabs including Iframe tabs.

Can you share with us some examples of brands who have made effective use of Custom Tabs?

https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/fit-in/580x348/filters:format(webp)/"https://www.facebook.com/cocacola/app_161193133389" target="_blank">Coca Cola, https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/fit-in/580x348/filters:format(webp)/"https://www.facebook.com/ContentinoEnt/app_216924904991602" target="_blank">Contentino, https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/fit-in/580x348/filters:format(webp)/"https://www.facebook.com/vh1india/app_4949752878" target="_blank">VH1 India

If you need any help, you can always get in touch with me at https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/fit-in/580x348/filters:format(webp)/"https://twitter.com/manveermalhi" target="_blank">@manveermalhi on Twitter

Featured image: https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/fit-in/580x348/filters:format(webp)/"http://www.flickr.com/photos/69002729@N06/">Nicolas Drossos