This allows you some additional customization to your mobile app since webpages can be easily customized beyond what some other tab types might be able to do! For example, you might create something like a Contact Us form, or use some customized embed codes to add more complex functionality to your app. You can also utilize images to your advantage to create a seamless app experience for your users!
A browser tab needs to comply with app store policies. This means that there are some limitations to browser tabs, and not all website pages can be used. Additionally, your app must be mostly in-app content (such as media items or events), and cannot be mostly browser-based content (such as links or browser tabs), as the app stores don't want apps to be repackaged websites.
Keep reading below on how to create your very own browser tab and add it to the app!
Build or find your preferred web page.
The first step in adding a browser tab to your app, is finding or creating a website page that can be used! If your package includes SnapPages, our website builder, this can be easily done by creating a new Page in your SnapPages Dashboard. You can drag and drop content easily onto the page that will integrate with your Dashboard content. If you are using another website builder, you can find your web embeds for media, events, and more inside of your App Dashboard under Web > Embeds. However, you don't need to build a webpage from scratch, you can also use one you find online!
Make sure your web page complies with app store policies
If your webpage contains a way to access certain content, the app stores will flag and even possibly remove your app from the app store, so it's very important to carefully audit your web page before adding it in as a browser tab. Here are the main items to make sure your web page does not have:
YouTube links or embeds that allow you to get to YouTube
Giving
Purchases
References to the app store companies or stores in any capacity (ex. a Google Play logo or picture of an iPhone)
Features that require logins
References to the pandemic in any capacity
Any way to get to any of the above (ex. if a website links to Facebook, which links to YouTube, then it counts as having YouTube links)
Please make sure that once you add in this tab, your app is still mostly app-based content (ex. media tabs, calendar tabs, etc). Apps with mostly web-based content (such as browser tabs and links) are not allowed by the app stores. If you already have a browser tab in the app, it is not typically recommended to add a second one.
If your webpage allows access to any of the above items (be sure to check in the menu of the website as well), then you will need to either remove those items from that page or find a way to hide them. If you are using SnapPages for your website builder, you can add ?embed=1 at the end of the link to hide the navigation menu that might allow access to certain items (such as Giving).
Create the tab
In your Dashboard, head to Mobile app, then click Manage tabs. From here, click Add Tab. Scroll until you see the Browser Tab and then give it a title and an icon. From here it will be in your inactive tabs, so drag it up into active, and then publish! Lastly, you can click into the tab and set the URL that you want the browser tab to open.
Keep it up-to-date
Any time you would like to update content on your browser tab, all you need to do is edit that web page! Please note that you will need to make sure any new content you add in will also need to comply with app store policies, so you will want to continue avoiding the items listed in Step 2, just to makes sure your app continues functioning as usual.