New Facebook Cover Photo Rules Create Opportunities for Brands

Sound the alarm and jump for joy, Facebook is giving brands more freedom to play with cover photos! The use of text on brand cover photos has been lifted, leaving brands with 20% to catch a fan’s eye.

Previously, limitations on what can be included in cover photos prevented brands from being able to use this huge piece of real estate as a place to market activations, events, and promotions to fans. And ever since Facebook removed the ability to set a custom default landing tab, it’s been more difficult to drive traffic and awareness.

New Uses for Facebook Cover Photos

The rules for cover photos aren’t entirely clear. However, Facebook Page Terms now allow the following, as long as the photo is less than 20% text:

Contact Information

Facebook Cover Photo Contact Info

Purchase Information or Special Offers

Facebook Cover Photo Offer

Calls to Action

Facebook Cover Photo CTA

Facebook Cover Photo QR Code

But Wait… There’s More!

The benefit of more freedom with cover photos is magnified as Facebook has also released a new “Page Like” ad unit that includes the brand’s cover photo. This presents a huge opportunity to carry a brand message from the Facebook page to the news feed with consistency around a marketing or promotional message.

Facebook Cover Photo Ad Unit

As Facebook continues to evolve into a more visual platform, it is important for brands to continue to evolve the way they craft messages to ensure that they are relevant and top of mind for fans and consumers. These allowances for cover photos are a definite opportunity for brands to provide stronger messaging on the platform while playing in the photo-heavy sandbox Facebook has created.



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