Social Media Real Estate: Take Advantage of Your Facebook Cover Photo

| 2060 Digital

Because your Facebook page is essentially your social store front, every little space is prime real estate to promote your brand. Especially your cover photo. Rules change often on Facebook, but currently you can include anything you want in your cover photo, so be sure to follow these tips for taking advantage of the many ways it can help engage your audience and boost your brand awareness.

This giant billboard at the top of your Facebook page isn’t a space to fill with just any photo. You’ve got to put some thought and strategy into how you’ll best use this space. Above all, your cover photo should be able to capture attention and effectively represent what your brand stands for.

Earlier Facebook rules prohibited the inclusion of prices, product information, calls-to-action or any type of contact information. Nowadays, there are few limitations, but the main thing to keep in mind is that any text in the photo should not take up more than 20 percent of the image. Now, let’s talk about…

How to Get the Most Out of Your Facebook Cover Photo

1. Highlight your latest promotions. Since your cover photo is the first thing visitors see, if you’ve got something new and exciting going in, this is the place to highlight it. Give prominence to products that you want to draw attention to. Or use it to draw attention to contests or sales. You can also encourage users to visit your store or attend an event.

2. Generate new leads. Your cover photo can directly help you capture leads by encouraging users to opt-in for your email newsletter or to simply click “like.” You can also direct users to a landing page on your website where they can submit their contact information in exchange for a free offer or resource. Just keep in mind that since the link will not be active, so make sure it is short enough for users to easily type it into their browsers.

3. Showcase trends. Every industry has trends – use this space to showcase the next big thing in your industry, whether it’s seasonal clothing, new technology, architectural designs, holidays, new menus, etc.

4. Encourage engagement. The whole point of having a Facebook profile is to join in the conversation that’s happening around your business. Use the space in your cover photo to encourage visitors to leave a comment or use a particular hashtag. Consider adding an incentive like a discount coupon for anyone who likes or shares your content.

5. Direct users to a new app. Promote a new app by directing users to it with the help of illustrations on your cover photo, which point to the app thumbnail!

Whichever way you decide to use your cover photo, remember to be creative, have fun and update it often to keep things from feeling stale and to keep people coming back to see what you thought up next!