How to Create a Facebook Welcome Tab for Your Fan Page

By Lisa Nelson  |  Social Media

A Facebook welcome tab can serve many purposes, such as increasing the number of ‘fans’ you have, boosting subscribers to your newsletter, or promotion of a particular product/service.

My preference is to create a two step welcome tab:

Step 1: Encourage page visitors to ‘Like’ your fan page.
Step 2: Invite them to sign up for your newsletter in exchange for information they want.

Here are examples of two fan pages set up using this strategy:

https://www.facebook.com/trianglenutritontherapy
https://www.facebook.com/TheProfitableWoman

You can visit the above pages to see the initial welcome image encouraging visitors to ‘Like’ their fan page. After you ‘Like’ the page the welcome messages changes and there is an invitation displayed along with a place to enter your name and email.

How to Set Up a Two Step Welcome Tab

First, Facebook is constantly changing as do your options for setting this up. When I set up Tracy’s page (https://www.facebook.com/trianglenutritontherapy) the best option at the time was FBML. FBML has since been replaced by the improved iFrames choices.

After you login to your Facebook Fan Page go to the following application:


https://www.facebook.com/iFrameWrapper

Scroll down the page and look for the ‘Add to My Page’ link in the bottom left column.

1. Click ‘Add to My Page’

2. Select your Fan Page from the box that pops up and click ‘Add to Page’.

3. Close pop up box.

4. Use Facebook as Page and ‘Switch’ to your fan page.

5. Click ‘Edit Page’

6. Select the Welcome Tab.

7. Scroll down until you see the following at the bottom of the screen and click ‘Settings’.

You’ll have to continue as your personal profile to make these next changes.

8. Allow iframes to Access your basic information.
9. Enter your ‘Non-fan’ content & ‘Fan’ content.

For the most visually appealing pages you’ll want to use html code to create your content.

10. Click ‘Save’.
11. View your page and adjust content until it appears the way you want.

Set this welcome tab as your landing page for non-fans.

1. Go back to Use Facebook as Page and switch to your fan page.
2. Edit page.
3. Under ‘Manage Permissions’ set the Welcome tab as your Default Landing Tab.

Other Options

This is just one of many options you have for creating a custom welcome tab. This is my current ‘favorite’ until the next best thing is developed.

All the best,
Lisa Nelson

6 thoughts on “How to Create a Facebook Welcome Tab for Your Fan Page”

  1. Lorraine Matthews-Antosiewicz, MS, RD

    Hi Lisa-

    I did my best to follow your directions to create a Welcome Page. I’m such a novice – in every sense of the word – when it comes to anything like this. I’m not really sure what non-fans are seeing now when they land on my page. And I wasn’t sure what content to include for fans-so I didn’t.

    Can you take a look at my face book fan page and let me know what you think?

    http://www.facebook.com/ProfessionalNutritionServices.NJ

    Thanks so much- Lorraine

  2. admin Post author

    Hi Lorraine,

    I just visited your fan page. Right now when someone visits your page and is not a fan (non fan) they seen a sentence that says “Welcome! Become a fan by clicking the “like” button.” So, you changed that correctly. However, after I click like this welcome messages changes to “Fan Content goes here”. I recommend you change this to message that says something along the lines of you are happy to connect with them and look forward to sharing tips. This would go in that second box of the iframes app. The first box is for non-fans, second box fans.

    All the best,
    Lisa Nelson RD
    http://healthpracticesonline.com

  3. Kimberley Seitz

    Hi Lisa,
    I’m still in the process of finalizing my website and I’m beginning to think about social media. I really appreciate your article, as it gives me the “how to” to get it done easily.

    My question is, do you think it’s better to ensure that fans who are on your page are actual customers (so that you can more effectively target your messages/materials) or do you think quantity is more important? I’ve heard it both ways, and can see the pros/cons both ways too.

    Thanks!

  4. admin Post author

    Hi Kim,

    I know I replied within the LinkedIn group, but wanted to leave my comments here as well.

    I’d side with the argument that quality over quantity is more effective. The goal is to run a business and to do so you need income. You can make a respectable income with a small following if you are engaged with your audience. You can have all the followers in the world, but if they don’t read what you share . . .

    My two cents:)

    All the best,
    Lisa Nelson RD
    http://healthpracticesonline.com

  5. Martha Giffen

    Hi, I also commented in the LinkedIn group but wanted to add my thoughts on the subject of quality vs. quantity. I vote for quality. If you have 1000 “likes” but none of them want your products, what’s the point? I would rather have 25 people who are raving fans any day!
    BTW, nice post :)

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