Facebook Changes Page Cover Image Rules

 

Facebook recently, and with little fanfare, changed its Page Guidelines for Cover Images.

Previously, you could not have any price or purchase information within your coverage image, nor contact information, references to Facebook features, or calls to action.

Now, however, you can!

The Facebook Cover image rules were essentially narrowed down to one:  Cover Images cannot exceed 20% text. Why is this? So that the News Feed remains visually appealing and isn’t covered in giant text-based advertisements.

The complete Facebook Guidelines can be viewed here:

www.facebook.com/page_guidelines.php

Not sure what 20% text looks like?

Test Your Facebook Cover Photo HERE!

We have incorporated a very handy tool that you can use to test your cover photo against the new rule. Just enter the URL of your Fan Page in the box below and click “load Cover-Photo”.

Once your cover photo loads, just click on every box that has text in it — then the app will tell you if you’re breaking the20% text  rule or not!

Directions: Simply enter in the fan page name (the part after the facebook.com/), click load Cover-Photo, then click the areas of your image containing text:

 

When the tool is implemented, a user can see and view how their page stacks up to the 20% rule!

 

The Bottom Line Conclusion:

It’s not a major change but it does open up some marketing opportunities and options for Facebook Pages.  Consider well how you will use your 20%!  One of the key advantages we see is that there is value in updating the cover image more regularly now to update fans on important information such as a event, webinar, new product, etc.  While 20% doesn’t give you a lot to work with, less can be more and this is one case where Facebook seems to be outlining exactly that to brands on Facebook!

 

 

The Old and the New Rules:

 

 

Screenshots of Facebook page guidelines courtesy of Mari Smith.