A social media presence is a must.  But simply creating accounts for your store on these sites doesn’t cut it anymore.  Each week, we’ll explore a new way your store can enhance their online presence in our Social Media Series to make sure you’re taking full advantage of these interactive outlets.

When a student enters your store, you greet them with a smile, thank them for stopping by, and help them navigate to the items they need.  Your social media visitors should experience the same treatment.  Is your store’s Facebook page making the right first impression?

Many stores make the mistake of using their Wall as a landing page.  However, a Wall cluttered with status updates and posts can easily cause information overload.  From the very first click, your page should instead send visitors a customized and personal message.

Working as a ‘greeter’ for your page, a Welcome Tab serves as a way to thank visitors for stopping by and direct them to engage with you in the future.  Not to mention, creates a professional appearance that enhances your store’s credibility.  It’s a simple step, but one that can be extremely effective at gaining new fans and even generating website traffic.   In fact, according to Mari Smith, social media consultant and co-author of Facebook Marketing: An Hour a Day, those who land on a custom Welcome Tab are 47% more likely to ‘Like’ your page than if they land on your Wall.

Luckily, Facebook offers the ability to integrate an endless list of third-party applications to streamline the process.  To add this innovative feature to your page, you need only the most basic web skills.  Start by navigating to the Applications page on Facebook. Here you can find a variety of providers by simply searching phrases such as ‘tab app,’ ‘welcome tab,’ or ‘create tab.’  

Click the image to see our Welcome Tab full-size on our Facebook Page...Don't forget to 'Like' Us!

The options can be a little overwhelming, so we aggregated some of the best choices for you.  We currently use Hy.ly, which allows you to customize a tab with colors, images, and text, all without the use of HTML or coding.  You can choose between a free version, with minimal Hy.ly branding, or an upgraded option for less than $20 per year.  The application offers a professional, yet simple, look that suits our style and was easy to implement.

Your store should explore which app best meets your needs before installing.  Other popular apps include Wildfire’s iFrames, Pagemodo and Wix.

No matter which you chose, the installation process is virtually the same.  Choose an application from your Facebook search results by selecting the hyperlinked name.  Click ‘Go to App’ at the top of the page, and choose ‘Install’.  When prompted, select ‘Allow’ (if you agree to the terms and conditions listed) and follow the directions provided. Keep in mind that for most applications, if you are adding an image, the maximum width is 520 pixels.

Consider incorporating the following strategies into your Welcome Tab:

•Greet new visitors

•Describe what you do

•Demonstrate your value (provide a coupon or exclusive discount)

•Explain the goal of your social media

•Link to your other social media or websites

•Offer reasons why they should ‘Like’ your page

•Invite visitors to ‘Like’ your page

•Provide a preview of your store’s personality

Once your tab is created, you will need to change your page settings within Facebook, designating it as a landing page.  Simply click ‘Edit Page,’ choose ‘Manage Permissions’ from the options to the left, and use the dropdown menu labeled ‘Default Landing Page’ to select an option.

Next, choose ‘Apps’ from the left hand column, and find the application you used to create your tab.  Select ‘Edit Settings’ under the name of the application.  Here, you can change the display name within your page by editing the ‘Custom Tab Name’ box.

There are countless variations of aspects you can include within customized tabs, and the results are just as unique!

We will continue to offer information on how to personalize your social media experience throughout our weekly series. If you have questions while implementing any of the strategies listed, feel free to post a question on our Facebook wall, and we will do our best to help you solve your issues!

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