Since the new Facebook Timeline was rolled out without the tabs you're accustomed to seeing, you may have thought the tabs feature had been scrapped. However, with the creation of Facebook Timeline comes Facebook custom tab images, which places the tabs in a strategic position for maximum exposure. While many people initially balked at this this change they don’t understand, the truth is that learning how to use the Facebook custom tab images as part of your social media training can be quite helpful. This is especially true when it comes to driving traffic to your site and exposing your brand in a more open and creative way.

How Do Facebook Custom Tab Images Work?

You may remember that, in the old Facebook layout, the tabs were located on the left sidebar, under the profile picture. Because generally people look to their right, the tabs were often missed. Facebook Timeline has changed all of that by ensuring that the tabs are front and center. Now located under the cover photo and to the right/center of that section of the page, it would be difficult for anyone to miss the Facebook custom tab images. Here are some interesting tidbits about Facebook custom tab images:

• There are a maximum of four tabs under the cover photo of your timeline.
• Rather than tiny icons and letters, there are 111 x 74 pixel images, plus a title under that photo to identify the tab.
• You can create your own tab images, but more importantly, once you click on the tab, you will have plenty of real estate to convey your message—no Facebook Ads or sidebars take up this space. Now fans can fully focus on the strength of your message without being distracted by other things like tabs, ads and sidebars.

Steps and Tips on Creating Your Custom Tabs

Creating Facebook custom tab images is simple. Follow these steps to create dynamic custom tab images to attract visitors and fans to your Facebook page:

1. To access the tabs customization menu, click on the arrow to the left of all the tab images.
2. Mouse over the custom tab image to change it and click the pencil icon on the top right.
3. Click on “Edit Settings.”
4. When the pop-up appears, click on “Change.”
5. Click “Upload” and choose the image you want for your tab.

When creating tabs, keep in mind that the images not only will be substantially larger than they were in the old layout, but they will also be more prominent in the design and much closer to the cover and profile photos. Because of this, it's important to choose images that will complement the overall design of the page. Looking for more Facebook training to enhance your social media skills? Splash Media U can help! Take a look at our current offer—a 14-day free trial of our social media offerings, including our new proprietary social media management software, SplashCube.