 |
| image |
Facebook has a vast global user presence - 168 million in the US, 65 million in Brazil, 63 million in India, 52 million in Indonesia and Mexico with its 41 million users. The exclusively mobile using strata is 604 million from various smartphone devices.
Quality content, glitzed with a little visual elements such as customized tabs to your business page, is a great way to add an extra dimension to your promotional campaign. Be it a map that allows you to show check-ins/locations, show your latest blog posts, discount offers or simply know customer reviews, tabs exist to serve various functions.
If you have a good development budget allotted, you can always hire custom tab developers. Then there are some DIY codeless development tab options such as free apps that are enterprise-specific.
The pressing question is why should you invest your time in including such tabs to your Facebook Page?
An industry expert suggests that "A requirement of Facebook promotions is that you use a third party application instead of having people perform specific actions within Facebook."
For one, there are loads of Pages with downright frivolous tabs that actually manage to gather substantial number of fans for the Page Facebook thrives on such fanfare. But what if these "Likes" actually helped you monetize your business score further?
Caught your attention?
Apps and Tabs are two separate entities, that people confuse most times. To put it simply apps - paid and free are used to create custom tabs specific to the function your business requires. To create tabs one can use a HTML app that allows a custom design to be coded or there are many ready-made design templates that can be incorporated into your Page.
1. Static HTML iFrame Tabs
 |
| image |
The largest custom tab providers on Facebook, iFrame is a free app that allows you to design HTML pages with 5 core apps - HTML content editor, Drag & Drop, Image, Contact and Website. The best option is that you can add tabs inside the app.
2. WooBox
2. WooBox
The latest on the app scene, their product apps are social media savvy. Available in both free and paid subscription mode, it has custom tabs such as Polls, Pinterest, Deals and even Instagram that can be embedded onto your Page, once you have signed up with them.
3. ShortStack
3. ShortStack
This is a wholesome app that lets users with more than 2000 Facebook Page Likes, use their service for free. Offering a total of 22 format templates such as those for running contest, Promotions, video and photo display, Social media engagement features for Pinterest, Foursquare and others like a Contact Form, RSS blog. In addition, it has 30 widgets to help build a Facebook Tab such as Comments, Likes, Friend Invites, Voting, Entry Counts, Newsletter signup etc.
4. Livestream
4. Livestream
 |
| image |
With video marketing becoming all the rage, streaming the updates and events of your business live, is a fantastic engagement strategy. To install the tab on your Facebook Page, you just need to visit the app page > choose Start NewChannel > Log In and select a name for your channel> click Launch Channel. To broadcast live videos, you can install the Livestream Podcaster onto the Page tab.
5. SurveyMonkey
5. SurveyMonkey
 |
| image |
Knowing the customer preferences is the start of understanding your own business again. An easy-to-add tab on your Facebook Page, all one has to do is sign up and start creating surveys that can be embedded onto your Page. You need to simply activate the Current Survey option from the tab's menu to let your fans know that a survey is on and opinions are invited.
6. NutshellMail
6. NutshellMail
A handy app that helps you keep up with notification that line up on your Facebook Page via its e-mail functionality. With a cross-platform sync-in advantage i.e it connects easily to Facebook, Twitter and MySpace, one can customize when (time & day) to receive messages.
7. Jobcast.net
7. Jobcast.net
 |
| image |
Imagine a time when one of your fans could actually be an intern or employee at your enterprise. If you want to run a different recruitment drive, this is a handy app for your Facebook Page. An easy to integrate social recruiting app, it allows you to both promote job openings as well as fans to respond back.
8. Aweber
8. Aweber
 |
| image |
A web form tool that allows businesses to build their e-mail list, this is quite an interesting tab to have what with e-mail marketing needing an immediate revamping. Whenever you plan to host a giveaway or a contest, the customers can be asked to participate after providing their mail addresses that is in turn automatically added to your Aweber account. The opt-in forms supported by the app makes for a great social media conversion strategy.
So which one are you going to pick for your Facebook Business Page? Do let us know which are you favorite tabs and how have they contributed to your customer engagement strategy. Leave a reply in the Comments section below.For more fantastic app lists and Facebook tips, stay tuned to E-junkie.
Quite an amazing line up! We'll be launching soon on Facebook: www.Appska.com
Thanks for the kind words guys and we wish you the very best for your upcoming launch event!