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How Do You Make A Good Facebook Cover Photo?
When anyone visits your Facebook profile, the first thing they see is a huge picture that occupies almost a quarter of the screen: your Facebook cover photo. This is the headline for your profile, a big, bold banner image that promotes your brand to new Facebook followers.
You may have pictures of your product or staff, advertisements and promotions, or even anything as basic as a graphic that sets the perfect tone in your Facebook cover picture. A good cover picture will improve interaction, whether it is more page likes or increased visits to your website or other social media.
So, how do you create Facebook cover images that are effective?
851 x 315 pixels is the resolution of the Facebook cover photo
A Facebook cover photo’s minimum dimensions (also known as “Facebook banner size”) are 851 x 315 pixels. If you are creating a cover photo and want to see how it would look before you post it, this is the easiest size to use.
Facebook advises using a PNG format for the best photography experience. Choose this choice if you want to use a high-resolution logo in your cover image or if the copy in your cover image needs to stand out.
On mobile, it is always preferable to prioritise image types that load quickly and consume little data. In this scenario, Facebook suggests uploading an sRGB JPEG file that also meets the following two requirements:
- The size of this image is 851 x 315 pixels.
- The file size is smaller than 100 kb.
- Remember, the Facebook cover images on the desktop are more rectangular to accommodate larger/widescreen displays. The cover picture on mobile is more square, allowing it to fit on a portrait-oriented phone.
Though mobile is used by 95% of Facebook users, you cannot disregard the 31% of users who access the web via desktop. Facebook recommends 820 pixels x 462 pixels for a Facebook cover picture that looks fine on every phone.
The dimensions of the Facebook cover video are 820 x 462 pixels
Facebook cover videos are another way to get a user’s interest and encourage them to engage with your website. Cover videos are more entertaining than static images on desktop and can really bring your page to life. They are, however, less successful on mobile because they do not use autoplay and instead load as a thumbnail. Check out Blue Sky Graphics to learn graphic design and for more info.
Here are Facebook’s recommended cover video size and duration settings:
- 820 x 462 pixel dimensions (820 x 312 minimum)
- Duration: 20 to 90 seconds (nothing more, nothing less!)
- It is worth noting that Facebook cover videos will have music, but they will not play until you click on the video. Be sure the video you post fits well with or without sound for the best performance. And if you are not watching cover episodes, keep the following in mind: With the volume turned down, 85 per cent of Facebook users stream updates.
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Use a straightforward picture with a consistent focal point.
The aim of your profile banner is to draw attention and pique people’s interest so they can take action on your website. Make use of recognisable images in colours that represent your brand, and do not be afraid to use negative space, particularly if you include copy: it will help your words stand out.
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Match your Facebook cover photo to your profile photo.
A Facebook cover photo that suits the profile photo still seems professional and well-put-together. It can seem to be a constraint, but it is also an incentive to be imaginative.
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Make the cover picture mobile-friendly.
When selecting a picture for your Facebook cover photo, consider how it would appear on the screens of Facebook’s 1.15 billion mobile users. Will the text be readable if it is small? What about the finer info on a smaller screen? When the cover picture is panned and scanned to smartphone size, what is cut off?
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Use right-aligned elements to balance your Facebook cover picture.
On cover pictures, centred photographs perform well, but aligning the picture quality to the right is aesthetically appealing and strategic. The call-to-action buttons on Facebook appear on the right side of your profile; hopefully, your pictures should attract the viewer’s attention to that part of the website. Have elements that attract attention to the CTA if at all necessary.
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Keep the cover picture up to date.
Your Facebook cover photo is an excellent way to publicise what is new at your firm. Keep this space fresh with new posts, whether you are marketing a new product or service or referencing recent events relevant to your brand.
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Have a link from your Facebook cover picture
Using a connection inside the cover picture page is an effective way to push traffic to the other Facebook accounts. To build a personalised URL format exclusive to your brand, use a connection shortener like ow.ly. It makes connections easier to handle and hides the UTM code you should be used to trace traffic sources.
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Pin relevant updates to the bottom of your Facebook cover picture.
Remember that the goal of a headline is to entice you to read the article underneath it, and Facebook cover images are no exception. Your most appropriate recent posts should be pinned to the top of your Facebook profile. People pulled in by the cover picture can see the most important detail as soon as they scroll down.
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Experiment with a 360º Cover Photo
A few years back, there was a popular trend in which people combined their profile and covered images into one large picture. Unfortunately, since your profile picture looks differently based on the smartphone you use (and mobile is very popular), it no longer works.
That does not preclude you from being inventive. Facebook also allows for 360-degree cover portraits, which are surely eye-catching and exclusive. Simply take a 360 shot and use it as the cover photo. You may still use a panorama that is not a true 360.
