Facebook is huge in most countries, and definitely catching up in the others. For that very reason, companies are choosing to set up a Facebook page to promote themselves. But how do you make your Facebook page stand out?
Setting up a Facebook page is easy, but making it professional is another story. If you are a beginner who is not satisfied with default tabs, and wordy content, I hope this post would help shred some light!
But of course, I am not a pro myself. Part of my work in India is to create social media presence for SRF Foundation, a non profit company, and I understand some of the problems beginners might meet when they set up a page from scratch. So, here are the solutions!
Creating customizable tabs
The default tabs made available by Facebook are sufficient, but they limit creativity. To create and customize your own tabs, you can use an application called “Static FBML.” It should appear under “More Applications,” as a recommended app. However, to use this app, you would need simple HTML knowledge.
After adding the application to your page, you can add a FBML box to create your very own tab. If you are not good with HTML (like me), you can display your content as an image. It made my life easy, but I sacrificed SEO.
Some simple HTML codes
An image size of 750X853 worked very well for me.
1. To add an image, paste the following:
<img src=”IMAGE LINK” width=”750″ height=”835″ border=”" alt=”"></a>
2. To add an image that’s linked to another site, paste the following:
<a href=”WEB ADDRESS”><img src=”IMAGE LINK” width=”750″ height=”835″ border=”" alt=”"></a>
3. To add an image that’s link to an Email message directed to a specific Email address, paste the following:
<a href=”mailto: EMAIL ADD”><img src=”IMAGE LINK” width=”750″ height=”835″ border=”" alt=”"></a>
4. To add videos, you can find information here. Otherwise, Google is your best friend. (:
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Below is an example of what I did. I designed my content as an image and added it into the tab.
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After you are done, go back to “Edit Page” and click on “Application Settings” of the tab you just created. Then, remove “box” and add “tab,” to make your tab visible to visitors.
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To add another tab, you have to edit the tab you just created, go to the bottom of the page and click on “add another FBML box.” Then, go back to “Edit Page” and edit the new tab!
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Setting a username
Promoting your Facebook page can be difficult with a long and meaningless url. It also does not contribute much to your SEO efforts. Having a vanity url is essential for any page, but you have to be eligible for it first. To get your own username (http://facebook.com/username), you have to gather 25 “likes” for your page. After which, go here to set your very own vanity url! It’s that easy (:
Choosing a landing page
If you do not want your page’s wall to be the landing page, you can easily change that. It can also be very helpful in drawing the attention of your audience when they first enter. You can be like Adidas Originals, greeting visitors with a YouTube video, and an attractive background, or be like Pizza Hut, introducing a particular service or product with stunning visuals.
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To set your default landing page for everyone else (Page admins’ landing page will always be the “Wall”), go to “Wall Settings” under “Edit Page.”
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Additional Tips
To make your Facebook page more successful, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
1. Always use high resolution pictures. Blur images turn audience off.
2. Do not create too many tabs. Be concise and organized. People only have that much time to waste before they exit your page.
3. Be action oriented. Always create content that would lead to action, such as using links to direct your audience to a purchase page.
4. Bear in mind the importance of SEO. The “notes” tab provided by Facebook has helped many companies create more visibility on search engines. Remember to use keywords that would lead relevant people to your page.
