Tag Archives: Page

Facebook Changes Page Cover Image Rules

Facebook recently, and with little fanfare, changed its Page Guidelines for Cover Images.

Previously, you could not have any price or purchase information within your coverage image, nor contact information, references to Facebook features, or calls to action.

Now, however, you can!

The Facebook Cover image rules were essentially narrowed down to one: Cover Images cannot exceed 20% text. Why is this? So that the News Feed remains visually appealing and isn’t covered in giant text-based advertisements.

The complete Facebook Guidelines can be viewed here:

www.facebook.com/page_guidelines.php

Not sure what 20% text looks like?

Test Your Facebook Cover Photo HERE!

We have incorporated a very handy tool that you can use to test your cover photo against the new rule. Just enter the URL of your Fan Page in the box below and click “load Cover-Photo”.

Once your cover photo loads, just click on every box that has text in it — then the app will tell you if you’re breaking the20% text rule or not!

Directions: Simply enter in the fan page name (the part after the facebook.com/), click load Cover-Photo, then click the areas of your image containing text:

When the tool is implemented, a user can see and view how their page stacks up to the 20% rule!

The Bottom Line Conclusion:

It’s not a major change but it does open up some marketing opportunities and options for Facebook Pages. Consider well how you will use your 20%! One of the key advantages we see is that there is value in updating the cover image more regularly now to update fans on important information such as a event, webinar, new product, etc. While 20% doesn’t give you a lot to work with, less can be more and this is one case where Facebook seems to be outlining exactly that to brands on Facebook!

The Old and the New Rules:

Screenshots of Facebook page guidelines courtesy of Mari Smith.

Facebook, PageMarch 26, 2013

Pinning to Pinterest Big Time via Pin Deal on Facebook

1,968 Pins from Facebook to Pinterest and counting..

The Ribbon Retreat has been using the TabSite Pin Deal Engagement App with great success on their Facebook Page. With our 1,900 pins in less than 30 days, this company has found a method within their niche to drive more and more traffic to their Facebook Page and ultimately to their e-commerce website.

What is Pin Deal?

The concept of Pin Deal is simple, setup a tab on the company Facebook Page with a promotion. To access the offer, users must “Like” the fan page and then use the integrated Pinterest Pin function to pin a set image to their Pinterest account. Following this the tab loads the deal image for the user and this can link through to the company website or landing page where they can access the deal.

The Ribbon Retreat Pin Deal Case:

1. The Ribbon Retreat setup the Pin to Win tab prominently on their Facebook Page Timeline below the cover image. The image quickly and concisely outlines the free offer.

2. Visitors clicking through to the Pin Deal tab are asked to “Like” the company Facebook page. The simple Like Gate is a image with instructions for the visitor. This is skipped if it is detected the Facebook user is already a fan of the page.

3. Once a fan, the visitor is presented with the deal and instructions image for Pinterest.

4. Upon clicking, the Pin button, the user logs in to their Pinterest account and completes the pin to the personal board of their choice. This box goes away and the Facebook page tab reloads to reveal the offer image.

All this takes merely seconds and the end result is that the visitor has become a fan and accessed the deal. They are also given opportunity to share the deal with others.

What is noteworthy regarding this social sharing is the staggering weight of shares via Facebook compared to other social networks. It is clear that Facebook and Pinterest are mainstays for the audience of The Ribbon Retreat. Knowing this “sweet spot” informs ongoing marketing and assists marketing efforts to continue to know they should be using Facebook and Pinterest as their user base is strong on both.

See the tab on Facebook >> Smart URL link

Interested in Pin Deal or other promotion apps?

Facebook, Page, Pin Deal, PinterestFebruary 18, 2013

Facebook Marketing and TabSite Apps Q and A with Mike Gingerich

Boost your Facebook marketing effectiveness in 2013!

Join TabSite co-founder Mike Gingerich for an informative hour to get your questions answered!

Do you have questions about:
– Types of Promotions a company can run on their Facebook Page
– Tips on selecting a Promo app for your Page
– Tools and Tips for Boosting Engagement on Facebook Pages
– Methods to give mobile users access to your promotions
– Best Practices for each Type of Facebook Contest

EVENT DETAILS:

WHEN: Friday, February 8, 2013
TIME: 1:30 p.m. EST (New York) / 10:30 a.m. PST
COST: Free online event

Mike will be live for 1 hour to answer questions.

1. Register to get access to the event, Facebook Q & A Registration

2. Post your Questions on www.Facebook.com/TabSite noting “For Mike” or tweet questions with #TabSiteMike

Facebook, Page, TabSiteFebruary 7, 2013

Deal and Promotion Apps from TabSite

Facebook Page Apps. We’ve got a wide array to meet your needs!

Boost your Page engagement with Deals:

Here’s a quick rundown on the various Deal and Coupon apps available from TabSite for use on Facebook Pages:

Each Page App can be accessed with selection of a 14 Day Free Trial of the Platinum Plan. Some Apps are available at lower plan levels as well. For a full review, including Contests see: Promo Apps

Sweepstakes Plus is a powerful promotion app that is viral by nature.

Setup a sweepstakes with form for fans to enter to win a prize. The viral power is that a fan that enters gets a additional entry for sharing the sweepstakes with a friend via the Friend Share tool and a further entry if the friend clicks the link and comes to the tab! That’s 3x the entries for that one fan that entered! Fans can come back and share again with a different friend for another entry and so on! Motivate fans to share and reap the rewards of more traffic and engagement on your fan page! Includes export option for all entrants and the data on their sharing.

See full details.

Add to your Fan Page

Friend Share Deal Reveal

Increase your Facebook Reach! This app allows Facebook Pages to offer a deal that can only be accessed after the fan has shared the deal with a friend. Empower fans to spread the word with friends via the Friend Share Deal Reveal.

Page Admins set the number of total times the deal page can be accessed, and stats are given on times shared per Facebook profile.

See full details

Add to your Fan Page

Brand VideoMaker

This promotion app allows Facebook Pages to offer a deal that can only be downloaded after the fan has shared the deal with a friend. Includes a lead capture form for name and email after the share to grow your email list. Increase online reach as fans share with friends via the Friend Share Deal Download.

Page Admin is able to control downloads including total number of downloads that can be accessed and the date when the deal is no longer active on the tab. Exportable stats include number of times each fan shares per Facebook user, number of skips (if any), number who accessed the Download and name/email from form submissions.

Add to your Fan Page

Contest

The Contest suite allows Facebook Page Admins to easily create a contest! Options for contest type include: Photo contest, Video, or Essay/Text entry contests. The Contest app comes with a full suite of tools to allow extensive customization and language control for any brand.

Create your Contest including an option for a countdown timer and ability to set a “go-live” time to automatically turn the Contest on/off. Use your own images/video/essays, or allow user entries. Build a custom form specific to your entry needs and language, and customize your page with your own images. Platinum features include ability to have multiple winners selected, exporting of data, 2-stage contests(general and finalist rounds), Admin approval of entries, and more! View details: Contest Overview or 2 Stage Contests.Add to your Fan Page

Brand VideoMaker

Brand VidMaker allows users to easily create customized videos for your company Facebook page!

The video will be made up of select image slides you load, such as products, services, or marketing messages. Video creators add a title and description, followed by adding the company logo (which will be the transition between each main image). There are multiple video background options, slide transitions, and a number of select music soundtracks to choose from to further customize the video. Up to 8 product/service/marketing slide images can be used in the video. Once ready, the video can be pushed to the brand Facebook Page where it will be hosted by Facebook. Facebook also provides embed code so that you can use the video on your website or blog. Users can select to also publish the video to a tab on the company Facebook page as well.

Add to your Fan Page

Group Deal

The “Group Deal” App from TabSite is a great social tool for offering a special discount, an e-book download, a savings code, or other promo that is unlocked by group participation and sharing! More details >

KEY FEATURE: Page Admins set how many times a Deal must be “shared” in order for it to be “unlocked and active” for fans to access. This App is available at the Platinum Plan level and includes the Promotional Tool feature enabling you to build an embeddable call-out to add to your website/blog to drive traffic to the tab! Admins can also capture contact information for those participating and limit the total number of deals that will be offered, putting you in total control of this viral sharing mega-engagement booster!Add to your Fan Page

Pin Deal

With more referral traffic than Google, Twitter, Bing, and Yahoo, Pinterest is a social referral monster! Now with TabSite you can utilize this traffic source for your Facebook Page by using the Pin Deal app. In order to “unlock” your Facebook Page tab deal, the fan must Pin the deal on Pinterest!

The “Pin Deal” App from TabSite is a powerful tool for offering a special discount, incentive, or offer promo that spreads because fans need to “Pin” the deal on Pinterest in order to get access themselves. This App is available at the Platinum Plan level and includes ability to offer a download or an image offer revealed after the Pin. As with all Engagement Apps, this app includes the Promotional Tool feature enabling you to build a call-out to add to your website/blog to drive traffic to the tab! Pin Deal Details >

Add to your Fan Page

Instagram Contest

Create, promote, and manage an Instagram Contest where users enter by uploading a image via their Instagram mobile app using your designated hashtag. Perfect for engaging mobile users and tying together interaction on your Facebook Page with Instagram, this app offers ability to run a Instagram Contest where images are displayed and fans can vote, comment on, and share entries. Multiple control options for Page Admins make this a dynamic promotional tool for Facebook Pages. Full Details >

Add to your Fan Page

E-mail Sign-up

Drive traffic to your fan page by offering a discount coupon or code! Simple to setup, customize by loading a branded image with coupon information that fans can use on your website or print and bring to your location.

This app is available at the Platinum level and includes social sharing tools and optional Like Gate. Additional features included are the Promotional Tool feature to embed a call-out on their website or blog to drive users to this tab, as well as an option to add a “Sign-up for future Coupons” form for entering e-mail address and name. This form comes with an export option as well! Setup Details >Add to your Fan Page

Social Feedback

Available at the Gold and Platinum Plan levels, the Social Review app allows Page Admins to create a tab where fans can share, review, leave a testimonial or give input on a specific question or topic. The uses are limited only by your creativity! Page Admins can select to have one comment stream or to add multiple areas, each with its own unique stream of comments. Some brands have used the Social Review tab to get input on possible new logos, new products, or input on specific store location customer service. The Platinum Plan offers the additional capability for Page Admins to set review to “Must Be Pre-Approved” which means that no comment is live until the Page Admin reviews it and makes it live.

KEY FEATURE: Have one comment stream on the tab or have a unique comment stream per image. This allows you to have one unified comment thread or individual threads per image (different products, services or ideas). Why Social Reviews? Because Facebook’s Comments Social Plug-in uses an algorithm to only display relevant comments to each user. So not all comments are displayed and different viewers might see different comments if using simply the Facebook Comments tool. Not so with Social Reviews! Social Reviews will show ALL viewers ALL the comments and also gives the user the ability to post the comment to their profile News Feed. View Details >

Add to your Fan Page

Drive traffic to your Facebook fan page by offering a discount coupon or code! Simple to setup, customize by loading a branded image with coupon information that fans can use on your website or print and bring to your location.This app for Pages is available at the Platinum level and includes social sharing tools and optional Like Gate. Additional features included are the Promotional Tool feature to embed a call-out on their website or blog to drive users to this tab, as well as an option to add a “Sign-up for future Coupons” form for entering e-mail address and name. This form comes with an export option as well! Setup Details >

Add to your Fan Page

Facebook Page Power with TabSite fan page Promotions! For other apps for Products, Photo galleries, Pinterest and more, see www.TabSite.com/engagementapps.

App, Fan, Fan Page, PageJanuary 30, 2013

Using Facebook Pages as a Customer Support Tool

Facebook Page as a Customer Service Support Tool

Social Media use by persons of all ages continues to grow. Facebook is the most used social media tool by people across the world. Social Media is not a fad, it’s penetrated to become part of our fabric as a society. As businesses have seen this change, they have responded to incorporate social media as part of their business strategy.

Many use Social Media as part of a sales and marketing strategy but increasingly we are now seeing Social Media, and particularly Facebook, used by businesses as a fast and efficient support and customer service tool.

Here’s how Facebook Pages specifically, can be used as a support channel for a business:

As a Announcement Tool

A brand Facebook Page can be location used as a announcement tool for service issues. For example, if there is a new product update, a organization can post a message on their company Facebook Page to let users know the details about this change. This is a pro-active way to get a message out quickly where customers, fans, and subscribers can see it and potentially Like, Comment, or Share the news. The more Facebook fans share the news or comment, the further the reach of the information extends across Facebook and beyond
.

As a Monitoring Tool

Many social media software services like HootSuite, PlanYourPost, and Sendible allow you to setup searches and monitor terms. A business could monitor terms for their business name so that they catch “social chatter” related to the company and can respond to comments, questions, and complaints. This is sometimes called “social listening”. Listening and monitoring can help a company offer assistance which can help boost sales and solve customer issues. Cable giant Comcast is noted for using Twitter as a support tool as they have staff monitoring terms on Twitter, for example, so that they can review and respond if someone is tweeting about a Comcast cable service issue. As well, Page Admins can monitor their company Facebook Page by setting the Page Admin alerts in their Facebook Admin area.

As a Quick Response Mechanism

Sometimes the best response is a quick response! If a customer is having trouble setting up your product, purchasing your product online, or wanting to know something, a quick response can make all the difference in the world in terms of their overall satisfaction. Allowing users to send your company a Tweet or post on your Facebook page News Feed allows your company the opportunity to publicly respond. This can solve the issue for the requester but also answer that same question for others who were getting ready to inquire! This public answering can help elevate your company and be a differentiator between your company and a competitor.

Real World Example on Facebook

A utility provider in Arkansas, Entergy Arkansas, recently used their Facebook Page as a key support tool during weather related power-outages in their service area. While the company Facebook Page notes that it is primarily monitored during business hours, the Page offers key resources using TabSite‘s page App tools to add resource tabs to the Fan Page so that users can view information on Facebook about service outages and getting power back. By posting updates on their Facebook Page and using tabs on their page, fans of the Page are kept abreast of the latest information and can share this with others. Companies can post alerts to the Facebook Page News Feed and include a URL to the tab where more detailed information can be provided. It’s like having a website and chat feature all together in one location.

Ultimately, the more options for getting information out quickly and effectively to customers, the better. So, like many businesses, it may be time to take a deeper look at social media not only as a marketing opportunity but also as a support channel.

How is your business using your Facebook Page as a company support tool? Comment below!

To view TabSite options for adding tab apps to your Facebook page, click below:

______________________________________

Author: Mike Gingerich, TabSite Co-Founder. Facebook and Internet Marketer. Part geek, part marketer, total social media junkie. TabSite is a leader in Facebook fan page tools for businesses. TabSite offers brands the power to boost Facebook marketing with apps, contests, and promotion tools.

Facebook, Page, Social MediaJanuary 24, 2013