how-to tuesday... Facebook landing pages :: greensboro wedding photographer

Hope everyone's week is off to a great start! Today, I'm starting a new installment called How-To Tuesday. I know that I am an expert at very few things, a novice at many things, and trying to learn as much as I can in this crazy game called life, but I feel a responsibility to share what little I do know. So sometimes, this how-to may be for all you brides out there, some weeks for fellow photographers and wedding vendors (holla!), and some weeks just for the average Joe (or Jane). WARNING - it may not happen every week, but I'll try to keep it up at least a couple of times a month.

Enough talk - let's get to it. This week's how-to is for all you photographers (or even other small business owners) out there. After having it on my to-do list for months, this very day, I finally got around to creating a Welcome tab for Glessner Photography's Facebook page. These landing pages are great way to have a good first impression on your potential clients, showing them a bit of your personality and what your business is all about instead of that boring old Wall.

To some, this may appear at first glance to be a daunting task, but I'm here to tell you that it is actually incredibly simple (I did it in about an hour, folks) if you know how to use Photoshop and are familiar with Facebook. Let's get real here - who under the age of 40 isn't on Facebook by now.

1. You'll want to start by designing your landing pages. On Facebook, you can have two separate landing pages or Welcome tabs - one for those who already "like" your page and one for those who are not yet fans. I used Photoshop to design my landing pages, with dimension of 500 x 720 pixels. You can design your landing pages to include anything you like, but there are a few key components you may want to include, depending on your business and your target audience. Beware people - I'm about to go all marketing on you.

The number one, most important thing you can include on your Facebook Welcome tab is a call to action. What do you want the person coming to your page to do? On your landing page for non-fans, your first goal is likely to have them "like" your page. As you can see on my Welcome tab above, the call to action is at the very top, asking you to do this very thing. I even have an arrow pointing right at the button to make it easy on you. On your landing page for current fans, you may have a different goal. Create this page to include whatever your goal is for those who already "like" your page - encourage them to visit your website or blog, have them sign up for your newsletter, get them to check out your photos on Facebook, or ask them to contact you.

After you've included the call to action, everything else is secondary. A big part of our branding for Glessner Photography is us as a couple, so we've included our photo on the landing page. We want someone coming to our Facebook page and our website to know who we are, what we look like, and what we enjoy before we even have that first meeting. You may want to include a wedding photo or photos of your product, if you, for example, own an Etsy store. This landing page is also a great place to announce contests or promotions.

2. Once you've created your landing page designs, you'll want to host them somewhere online. You can always host them on your own site, but I choose to host mine on Photobucket, which is completely free and gives you a quick share HTML code for your photos. You'll need these links in the next step.

3. Next, you'll want to get the Static HTML: iframe tabs app. To do this, find the app by clicking the link above or typing Static HTML: iframe tabs into the search. In the lower left column, select Add to My Page. Next, go to your business page and select the Welcome tab under your profile picture. Here - you'll see two boxes. In the first, where it says Enter your content here, paste the HTML code for the design you've created for non-fans. In the second, optional box, you'll paste the HTML code for your design for those who are already fans. Click Save and view tab at the top right to check it out.

4. Last, but not least, be sure to go to Edit Page on your Facebook business page and under Manage Permissions, change your Default Landing Tab to Welcome.

And voila - you've created your very own personalized Welcome tab for the world to see.

I hope this helps some of you out... If you liked this post, we'd love for you to head over to our Facebook page and "like" us too!

good things come in small packages :: greensboro photographer

This morning, after running some errands (i give huge props to myself on this one for having on makeup and real clothes before noon), I checked the mail as I pulled into the driveway and was so excited when I found a little package fromhello dearie in my  mailbox! My friend Dawn in Mississippi is one of the owners and creative brains behind hello dearie, and they make some of the most adorable things you have ever seen, from hair accessories and cloth dolls to superhero capes and funky pillows. 

When I saw these headbands she's been making, I just had to place my order! Dawn did a great job - I gave her a basic color scheme and she created this beauty. Really... who can resist a good summer fashion accessory like this?!

On a bit of a sidenote, wouldn't this headband be PERFECT as a bridesmaid's gift or even for a barn/farm engagement session?! Especially as a clip with a birdcage veil for you vintage country brides... I'm in love with the idea.

... and aren't their business cards just precious?! I am assuming they are Lucky Luxe (Dawn - please correct me if I'm wrong) - another great business in my hometown. All you brides out there looking for some really classy, one-of-a-kind letterpress invitations, check them out! I don't know the owner personally, but I've seen her work and it is OUTSTANDING.

Seriously though - check out hello dearie on Etsy and head on over to Dawn's blog! I promise you'll be glad you did!