Facebook cover photo ideas to make an impact for your brand.
Customizing your Facebook cover photo can boost your company's brand presence. Facebook cover photos set the tone for not only your Facebook page but also your business. So as you work to update your Facebook cover photo, it’s important to take marketing and design strategy into consideration.
This article will discuss branding principles, cover photo creation rules, and top brand tips for creating an eye-catching Facebook cover photo.
Overview
The art of branding.
According to branding strategist David Brier, "Branding is the art of differentiation." Two very similar companies can feel completely different due to branding.
For example, Ulta and Sephora are similar stores, but Sephora's consistent branding builds trust that their products are boutique and higher quality. Ulta carries many of the same products but is branded more toward a younger, lower-income audience. It’s more approachable to some and less exclusive to others.
Know who you’re talking to.
To make Facebook cover photos that stick in your audience's minds, you need to know who they are and how to target them.
Facebook gives you a beneficial tool here called Insights. The Facebook Insights tool analyzes your audience reach throughout your social network. These audience insights allow you to see the age, gender, and country of Facebook users who like your page or have viewed your Facebook page in the past.
Build a brand kit that includes Facebook cover photos.
Brand recognition can make or break your business. Your branding should be compatible across all social media platforms to attract and retain followers. But how do you get there? Brand kits are a great place to standardize your approach.
Brand kits and guides are an effective way to ensure consistency across your projects and messaging. They empower your team to make efficient and compelling content by establishing clear style guidelines.
A Facebook cover image is another opportunity to advertise and make a first impression on your audience. Envision your Facebook business page as your company's very own digital billboard with endless call-to-action possibilities. Branding should lead the way in making a standout Facebook banner.
(Tap this image to remix it and make it your own on Adobe Express.)
Ever wonder a single image can draw your attention? Studies suggest that the human eye is attracted to particular symmetry, color, and shape components.
In the example Facebook banner for “Pop-Up Store” events above, the overlapping ovals work as the focal point because they catch the eye first. The style draws attention. The example also uses green to get your attention. A focal point is typically a bright color, an object in the foreground, or in an unusual placement.
Symmetry.
Symmetry is a fascinating and effective graphic design tool. Symmetry is when an exact balance in the photo draws the viewer’s attention from all parts of the frame. In Facebook cover photos, there should be two focal points placed at either end of a vertical center axis line.
A symmetrical Facebook cover photo creates a sense of order and balance. So, how can you achieve this for your own brand? As you’re designing your cover photo, reposition your image to ensure your focal points are symmetrical around the image’s axis.
Color.
Color grabs the attention of your page visitors and immediately sets the tone for your brand. A Facebook cover photo with lots of red is likely to have a high-energy feel, while a Facebook cover photo with green is likely to have a more natural and earthy feel. Facebook covers that include blues will often have a calming effect on people.
Consider what you want your Facebook page to say about your brand or business, then choose colors accordingly. Do some research on trending colors if you want your brand to feel current. Finally, choose a profile picture that works in harmony with your Facebook banner colors and logo.
Shapes.
When it comes to shapes, our biggest piece of advice is to "think outside of the box." Psychologists assert that the brain maps various shapes to specific feelings. Be intentional about shapes you choose because they convey a feeling or message. This graphic lists the messages that shapes can convey for your brand:
Let’s go further into the nitty gritty of strategic design. Facebook cover photos are full of attention-grabbing potential if you can incorporate these tactical design elements.
Policies, pixels, and page permissions.
Master the technical details now so you don't run into technical difficulties later. Your page cover photo should reflect Facebook's guidelines and its users' behavior. The possibilities are endless — as long as they are within the guidelines, of course.
Note that Facebook business page policies differ from those of a typical Facebook profile. If you plan on using your Facebook cover image to communicate promotions, CTAs, a Facebook event, or your Facebook group, be diligent about learning the guidelines.
Facebook cover photo size guide.
Here are the dimensions to help you achieve your perfect cover photo without distortion.
Minimum image size.
- 400 pixels wide by 150 pixels tall
Optimal image size.
- 851 pixels wide by 315 pixels tall
- Less than 100 KB
Most efficient image format.
- JPG in standard RGB color space
Desktop image display.
- 820 pixels wide by 312 pixels tall
Smartphone image display.
- 640 pixels wide by 360 pixels tall
How to make changes to your Facebook cover photo.
If you collaborate on your Facebook Page with a designer or internal marketing team, double-check page permissions and page roles. This will allow for seamless handoffs.
Here are step-by-step guides on how to edit and update your Facebook cover photo.
How to upload, replace, and reposition your Facebook cover image.
1. Click the “Edit” button at the bottom right-hand corner of your cover photo.
2. Select the photo you want to set as your cover photo.
3. Drag to reposition the photo and then click the “Save changes” button on the right.
4. Your new Facebook cover image is all set.
Looking for something different? Try a cover slideshow.
A Facebook cover slideshow is an alternative way to catch users' attention and inform them about your brand at a glance. As the name suggests, Facebook cover slideshows let viewers automatically cycle through a number of cover photos on your page.
The slideshow feature will draw attention to your brand personality because it allows more opportunities to engage your audience.
The size, length, format, and dimensions of a Facebook cover slideshow are the same as the Facebook cover photo size, so you don't have to reformat any of your content.
How do you add a cover slideshowto your Facebook profile? The same way as a cover photo. The only difference is you select "create slideshow" instead of "upload photo" in the drop-down menu.
(You can tap this image to remix it and make it your own on Adobe Express.)
Elevate your Facebook cover photo by trying some of these ideas and adding your brand's unique look and feel.
Gone are the days when large corporations were the only ones able to make stunning work. You have options when it comes to top-shelf graphics on a small business budget.
Using the Adobe Express app, you can quickly and easily create standout Facebook cover photos from thousands of beautiful templates.
You have access to a whole library of fonts, headers, stock photos, and free images in just a few taps. Available on web and mobile.