Everyone’s doing it these days. Custom welcome Facebook pages but do you know what a custom Facebook page should do for you?
Often people spend too much money on a custom welcome page without even understanding the proper usage of it, here’s a hint, it’s so much more then just gaining a fan.
The first thing you need to understand is that a custom welcome page is nothing more than a landing page for new fans. If you have your new custom page set as the default tab for new fans (as you should) this is what new fans will see instead of being taken directly to your wall. This is what people who are not already fans see when they find your Facebook page. If you are thinking that people who are already your fans are revisiting this page, you are mistaken. The likelihood of this is slim.
A Couple of mistakes are being made here right off the bat when it comes to these pages.
1) Your fancy welcome page is nothing more than an image telling people to like the page.
Ever go to a page and be greeted with a fancy image stating, “Like our page for exclusive discounts, news and events from our awesome company?” You clicked on like expecting something magical to happen as a thank you for “liking” the page and becoming a fan only to discover nothing happened. You still see that same image telling you to like the page. Boo. Reward your fans, this is your chance to capture not only their interest but maybe some contact information for marketing efforts you are going to do down the road. The right technology platform will allow you to create a great looking page and once that precious like button is clicked it will display new content such as a newsletter sign up form that can now encourage people to share their information with you to receive an exclusive coupons or something to that effect. You have gained a fan AND added to your email database.
2) Your welcome page contains images with links embedded for users to click through to items on your website.
Ever go to a Facebook page and all you see are several images with a call out for you to click on them? For example, images that display items such as “buy tickets here” or “get your official merchandise here” and when you click on the corresponding image it takes you to their website? This case confuses me; the brand has directed you to their Facebook page only to direct you away from it. Somebody in the marketing department is missing the boat here.
Welcome tabs serve no purpose if they are not served properly to a potential fan. Be sure you understand what these pages should be doing for your brand before you waste your time, effort and money on something that is just designed to look pretty.
10+ Years of SaaS 