Have you done your monthly Facebook page tab check-up yet?

What, you don’t check your Facebook page tabs? First, for those thinking, “what is a ‘Facebook tab,’” let me take a step back.

Facebook page tabs are the images to the right of your Facebook timeline cover image on your fan page. By default, you’ll see photos, likes and a map, if you have a location.

These are customizable, so that you can feature things like other social media channels, a blog, events or even custom apps to lead capture for your newsletter. The arrow in the photo below points to the page tabs on the Soaring Solutions Facebook page:

Here are some things you should know about how Facebook page tabs work:

1. How you customize these tabs – There are various tools available that allow you to link other Web properties into your Facebook Tabs. To name a few: Woobox; Tradable Bits; Short Stack; and Pagemodo.

Make sure that whatever tool you use has a free basic level available, and that the tool allows you to include every item you want to integrate so that you don’t have different apps running different tabs. You already have enough to manage!

2. Note that you can also modify the order of your tabs, and the images within them – Photos will always be first, but you can change the location of the other tabs so that you can feature them by priority. If you hover to the right side of your tabs, you’ll see an arrow down. When you click that arrow it takes you to edit mode, where you’ll see all your tabs. If you hover to the top right of a tab, it gives you the option to swap the location with another tab.

3. Finally, the Facebook tab check-up! – If you set your page up long ago, you may have used an app that no longer exists. I’m always coming across fan pages that have a tab linking to a blog that returns an error. If you used the “YouTube for Pages” app to connect your YouTube channel, that no longer functions, and will lead the user to an error page.

Schedule a quick time in your monthly calendar to click through each of your tabs, and perform these three tasks:

1. Make sure your accounts are synced – Sometimes password changes or software updates may impact this, rendering the tab useless.

2. Make sure the app is still available and functioning correctly – These days, apps may be purchased by another brand (or become obsolete) very quickly.

3. Feature what is current – Have an event coming up? Feature your events tabs as primary. Maybe later you are doing a Pinterest campaign? Feature that tab as primary. Keep your page dynamic!

Facebook and associated applications are always changing, and without notification. So always make sure your page is up to date so your fans can have a seamless experience, and explore your entire online presence from a centralized location.

Sue Koch is the chief navigator for Soaring Solutions, LLC. She can be reached at:

Mobile: 773.844.4438

Fax: 773.435.6370

Social media: