With the introduction of the new Timeline for Facebook Pages, business owners are scrambling to find ways to make their Timelines stand out.
Let’s face it…the majority of website owners are not large corporations with deep pockets. They are small business owners with limited budgets who need to count every penny.
Even if your budget pales in comparison to Amazon’s bank account, you can still create a visually appealing Facebook Timeline.
Here are some steps to help you:
1. Upload a Cover Image
The cover image is the first visual your potential fans will see when arriving on your Page.
This 851 x 315 px space is a top branding area for website owners. Publish an image that represents your brand whether a product or visual depiction of what you offer. Be careful not to use the cover image for any advertising or calls to action.
According to Facebook, your cover image should NOT include:
- Price or purchase information, such as “40% off” or “Download it at our website.”
- Contact information such as a website address, email, mailing address, or information that should go in your Page’s “About” section.
- References to Facebook features or actions, such as “Like” or “Share” or an arrow pointing from the cover photo to any of these features.
- Calls-to-action, such as “Get it now” or “Tell your friends.”
- Covers must not be false, deceptive or misleading, and must not infringe on third parties’ intellectual property.
Tip: If you are low on cash, you can use a site like Fiverr.com to snag some inexpensive graphics. Just make sure to use a provider who has high ratings and a good record.
Some great Facebook Timeline examples:
Dressing Your Truth
Red Bull
2. Add a Creative Profile Photo
Your profile photo is also an important component of the overall cover image. It is the small 125 x 125 px picture located at the left lower corner. Though Facebook suggests using this area for logos and branding, some brands have become really creative with it and extended the cover image directly into the profile photo.
Be aware that the profile photo will also serve as your thumbnail on posts and the main image on Facebook mobile apps.
To learn how to create interesting profile photo/cover image graphics, see this tutorial: How to Create a Cool Facebook Timeline Cover Photo and Profile Picture Combo
3. Use Custom App Images
The app images replaced the tabs located under the profile picture on the old Page design. These apps can now support custom 111 x 74 px images to further enhance your branding.
Since you can no longer use advertising or utilize a default landing page, marketers are using these images to not only establish visual interest but also to draw the eye to click.
Take a look at these brilliant examples:
HyperArts
Social Stars
4. Highlight Popular Posts
If one of your previous image posts captured people’s attention, highlight it to make your Page more visually interesting. Highlighting a post will expand it across your two-column layout.
Click the “star” icon in the upper right corner of the post you want to highlight. Click the “star” again to return the post to its normal size.
With the new Facebook Timeline for Pages, there are plenty of opportunities to boost the appearance of your Page. If you have a visually appealing Facebook page, please share it with us in the comments below.
Jenna Scaglione is a content writer, internet marketer, and a lover of family, friends and life. Jenna enjoys learning, growing and discovering the newest and latest trends on the internet. Known as "Lady Content", she lives in sunny Socal where she helps her clients around the world increase brand awareness on the internet through content writing and social media.
I think you can’t post a timeline picture with an arrow pointing to the like button only because once you click like the arrows are in the wrong place. Go facebook.
@phillycybergeek Thanks for the mention.