ByAre you grabbing attention with your Facebook page cover?
From small companies to large enterprises, businesses are reaping the benefits of social media. Those of us in the marketing field have discovered that peer impressions have much more impact now than they did in the past.
People turn to social media, including Facebook, to ask “friends” for recommendations when seeking a product or service. In some aspects, having an attractive Facebook page is just as important as having a user friendly website. The challenge is creating a Facebook cover that grabs the users attention and immediately prompts them to “Like” your page.
Social media, like other mediums, has become quite saturated. People are getting pickier about who and what they “Like”. So, how do you create a Facebook page cover that stands out? Below are a few ideas to help drive both Facebook likes and leads to your business…
1. Review Facebook Guidelines
First and foremost, be sure to review Facebook’s cover photo guidelines. While there are many liberties you can take with your cover, you do want to make it fall within Facebook’s requirements. Any violation could result in Facebook taking action against your page, which could be it being taken offline.
For more tips on creating Facebook cover photos of the right dimensions read this infographic. It also contains tips on setting up a good Facebook page.
2. Brand Your Facebook page Cover with Your Website
Your Facebook cover is part of your brand. Therefore, it should be immediately recognizable to your customers. Many small businesses are purchasing website/social media packages from qualified developers who design both the website and the Facebook cover concurrently.
The Facebook cover for South Carolina Golf Magazine business is branded beautifully with their website. The logos, colors and photos all match. There is no doubt whether or not this Facebook page and website belong to the same company.
Remember, there are other businesses that either offer the same products/services and/or have a name similar to yours. You want to make sure customers and potential customers can clearly identify your company by your Facebook cover.
3. Use Color and Photos:
Make a cover that reaches out to your audience. Creative use of color and photos can help grab attention and engage the user. When using colors, be sure they match your company’s colors to preserve branding. And, choose photos of people happily engaging in your product or service.
Prenatal Peek® is an example of a Facebook page with a bright, eye-catching cover that uses colors and photos very well. Happy faces are always a plus!
4. Integrate Your Profile Picture
This is a technique few people take advantage of. Your “profile” picture overlaps with your cover, so why not creatively integrate the two?
The Facebook page for the book “Life is an Amazing Song” does an excellent job of integrating their profile picture into their cover. Notice how the tree in the cover and profile picture blend into one. This cover also immediately shows the user where they can find the product by placing “Available at amazon.com” on the upper left.
Even if you choose not to integrate your cover and profile photos, be sure to still take into account the placement of the profile picture. In other words, when designing your cover, do not place pertinent information and/or pictures that will be covered up by the static profile picture. Also, try to make sure both the cover and profile photos do not clash, but rather complement one another.
5. Include a Call to Action
Many people are unaware that Facebook quietly changed some of their guidelines last year. While calls to action (CTAs) were previously frowned upon, you are now able to incorporate them into your cover photo. This can certainly help drive leads to your company! A good article for in depth information about this Facebook cover photo change can be found here.
The Facebook page for Just Sweet Enough and Cookie Dots includes a CTA, enticing people to try one of their most popular and unique products: “Try our delicious Sweet Potato Poundcake”. This cover also has a catchy graphic prompting visitors to “Like Us” (will discuss this strategy in the next section).
6. Make It Easy For People To Like or Contact You
One of the most effective, attention grabbing tactics you can use in your cover is a catchy graphic which makes it easy for people to “Like” or contact you. The easier it is for them to connect with you, the greater they are likely to do it. Surprisingly, this is one feature that is lacking in many Facebook covers, yet it is very easy to incorporate.
This Facebook cover for Progressive Debt Relief uses a graphic of an arrow to show users where to call them and how to “Like” them. The photo is also very effective because it shows a person who victoriously made it to the top of a mountain, symbolizing “Financial Freedom”.
All of the examples provided were Facebook cover designs for actual small businesses. The intent was to demonstrate that you don’t have to be a “Coca-Cola” or “Harley Davidson” to create a catchy Facebook cover. If you are uncomfortable with creating one yourself, there are many qualified professionals and registered Facebook developers who specialize in creating affordable covers for small businesses. It is well worth anytime and investment you are willing to put in to ensure your Facebook cover grabs attention.
If you already have a business Facebook page, do you feel there are any improvements you can incorporate to make your Facebook page cover photo stand out? Did you feel this article contained helpful information that will benefit both you and your company? Please leave a comment and let us know!
About Gina Smith
Gina Smith is a writer for Global Response, a brand care call center founded in 1974 to provide both inbound and outbound customer service for businesses nationwide. The company has since expanded their core competencies to include social media monitoring and management. Visit Global Response.
