So Facebook upgraded you to Timeline? Yeah, they did that to us, too.
In the short time the cover photo/profile picture dynamic duo has been around, we’ve seen both stellar and simple minded decisions made in regards to this piece of real estate. Here are some best practices for your cover photo that will help you on the road to Fan Page fabulousness:
- KISS. Keep It Simple, Stupid. If you’ve decided that this space was made for a diatribe about your company and how fantastic you are, think again. People respond well to clean and attractive, not crowded text boxes and convoluted CTAs. It can be a tricky line to walk, so here’s a quick way to tell if your cover photo is working for you: ask a friend or family member to visit your Page. Can they tell you what your brand is about after looking at your Timeline for ~5 seconds?
- Consistency is clutch. Utilize brand artwork to showcase the one and only YOU. Whether you are all about smurf icons or you enjoy a simple white/black juxtaposing, bring a consistent (and memorable) look, tone, and feel to life in this 851 x 315 chunk of property.
- Make it a combo meal. The combination of your cover photo, profile picture, and About section on the bottom left should clearly tell first-time visitors what you do and why they should stick around for a beer or two. Prominently displaying your logo in the profile picture is a great way to lay the branding foundation for the entire Page and any apps you may be using.
- Be a drama queen. We’ve all got a touch of Jersey Shore in us and here is the place to let it rip. Note: it’s not always easy to notice the difference between tacky and classy (insert sarcasm here), so watch yo’self, Liberace.
- Color within the lines. To avoid being blackballed by the Facebook overlords, take note of their few, but often ignored, cover photo regulations. While you can’t demand users “Like us now!”, promote your latest fan-only discount, or share your contact info in this capacity, there is still plenty of creative space.
- Play it up. Customer quotes of the week, catch phrases, event titles, new product call-outs, or the company tagline are all resourceful ways to incorporate your fresh content, without getting a slap on the wrist from the big guys in Silicon Valley.
- Bust a move. Turn your cover photo into a “signature move” that makes it an active, instead of stale, feature of your Page. Radio stations can thank their “caller of the week”; bakeries may promote a “Friday Frosting Fiesta” with their latest flavors; fashionista blogs can show-off the latest trends and runway ready styles.
Need to kick start your creative juices? Check out some visual inspiration below:
