Whenever you meet someone new--whether it's a business meeting, first date, etc--I'm sure you agree that it's important to make a great first impression so the other party can clearly see your value, get an understanding of what they can expect and want to learn more about you.
I'm sure you agree that when people first visit your website, you want to make sure they are able to quickly understand what your company/website offers and why they would want to learn more about you, view your content, get in touch with you and potentially buy your products/services. You want to leave a great first impression so people will come back for more, tell their friends, and keep you in their thoughts.
With Facebook, it's also important that you make a great first impression with new fans--people who are potentially going to click the like button and subscribe to your updates. However, many sports organizations (and companies in other industries) are missing a crucial opportunity to make a great impression with people who come to their Facebook page for the first time.
When people view a company's Facebook page, they want to see what kind of value the page provides. They're likely asking themselves a few questions (whether they realize it or not):
- What kind of content can I expect to see here?
- What's in it for me?
- Is it worth liking or not?
Some sports organizations are not answering these questions and are missing the boat with first impressions on Facebook. They're directing people straight to the wall of their pages instead of to a custom tab that can help welcome first time visitors (non-likers) to their page.
A good Facebook welcome tab gives people two crucial pieces of information:
- Information about what they can expect from the organization on Facebook - the reason/s WHY people should like the page
- A call to action that encourages people to like the page to stay updated
Sending people to straight to your Facebook wall is like starting a conversation with a new acquaintance by bombarding them with a list of everything that's going on in your life. Instead, you want to give people a proper introduction. Send them to a welcome tab so they can get an idea of what to expect from you on Facebook, and most importantly, see what's in it for them if they like the page. Ideally this means giving people access to exclusive content, discounts, promotions, and engagement opportunities.
Here are a couple examples of great Facebook welcome tabs from sports marketers:
I love the design of this tab. Santana Moss is pointing to the like button. Great execution.
Simple, yet effective.
I know that there are many other sports organizations that are effectively using Facebook welcome tabs , but some organizations and companies are not using them to make great first impressions and encourage people to like their pages. They're missing out on the opportunity to introduce people to their pages and give fans a reason to click the Like button.
What do you think about Facebook welcome tabs and how sports organizations are using them?