Facebook Cheat Sheet – Cover Photo Sizes & More
When it comes to placing ads on Facebook, it takes more than just making the purchase and hoping for the best. This is especially true if you are using images or video as part of your advertisement. In order to get the most for your money, you’ll need to understand just what exactly is going to work for your needs.
Over the past few years, buying advertising on Facebook has become one of the standards by which small businesses and entrepreneurs have been able to reach a wide number of people on this social network. For those who have been successful, the results have been quite remarkable.
Creating your own Facebook page however, which is where many of your potential customers will visit must abide by some of the rules that this social network has set up as well in terms of picture or image and video sizing. By following some simple guidelines, you can find yourself creating the most viable Facebook page possible so that you can attract the most customers.
Creating Your Facebook Page
As easier as it is to start a blog, it’s even easier to create your own Facebook page. All it takes is a few simple clicks within the Facebook platform and filling in the requested details as you walk through their simple wizard process.
This is not only good for businesses and entrepreneurs, but also anyone who wants to create an attractive Facebook page for their hobbies, interests or other endeavors so that they can show them off to full effect.
Facebook Cover Photo Size
Your cover photo is the image of your business or endeavor as seen by others. When it comes to what people will notice, your cover photo is going to stand out.
- Recommended Size: 851px x 315px
Ideally, your cover photo should be something that represents your business such as the building it occupies or perhaps the task that it performs.
Profile Image
This is the image that is placed in the lower left corner of the cover image on your home page. In addition, every post you make will contain your profile image. You’ll want to choose the best profile image possible for your business efforts. An easy to read logo or symbol is a good start and will be easily recognizable by those whom you interact.
- Recommended Size: 180px x 180px
Your profile picture will be displayed at 160px x 160px, but you’ll want to oversize it just a bit so that you can move it around until it is the most flattering.
Remember that your Facebook cover photo size as well as your profile image not only need to be correct, but they will be something that you will not change over time save for rare occasions. This is because your cover and particularly your profile image are ones that your audience will instantly recognize. However, if you can do a variation of the image such as for the holiday season that makes for a nice change of pace.
Shared Images
The amount of space available is roughly 504px maximum width while the height will vary to a certain degree. If you put up a narrow image, you might see some gray space added to either side which will distract from the image.
- Recommended Size: 1200px x 1200px
This will be more than large enough to fill the space and provide good clarity to the images that are being shared.
Shared Link
If you are sharing links in the form of photos or images, then you’ll need to meet the minimum level of 484px x 252px.
- Recommended Size: 1200px x 628px
This will ensure that the link is large enough to be easily seen and recognized. In this manner, important links can be advertized effectively along with the content of your post as well.
Shared Video
Here, the size of the video cannot be adjusted and it will display at 504px x 283px, although when loaded up on YouTube for example and shown, the viewer has the option to increase the size of the video to full screen on their mobile device or computer.
Desktop and Mobile Device Ad Sizes
This is arguably the most important part of your efforts in terms of reaching people who use either computers or mobile devices. Despite their growing similarity, the difference in computing power and screen size still means that you will need to post the right size of images for your efforts.
Desktop
- Recommended Size: 1200px x 628px
Remember that there is a 20% limit on the text in the image, so be sure to post one that is mostly clean of text. Plus, if the size of the image is smaller than 470px x 264px, Facebook will render the image as a thumbnail and you’ll lose valuable size when viewed by the potential customer. Remember that if you do not load the image to the exact dimensions recommended, Facebook will crop to the center part of the image which may leave out valuable information.
Page Post Image
- Recommended Size: 470px x 470px
Again, load to the recommended size so that Facebook does not crop the image.
Page Post Event
- Recommended Size: 1200px x 444px
The same conditions as to the Page Post Image applies here as you are limited on 20% text and having Facebook crop your image if it exceeds the recommended size.
Page Post Video
- Recommended Image Size: 1200px x 675px
In addition, Facebook will only load a 1GB video, so this will only work on short videos or those that have been substantially compressed.
Mobile App Ad
- Recommended Size: 1200px x 628px
Again, you are limited to no more than 20% in terms of how much text can take up the space in the image. Plus, this will only run on mobile ads, so don’t expect any carryover to desktop or laptop computers.
Overall, you will need to experiment a bit within the confines of Facebook ad rules and regulations. The 20% Rule that Facebook has about text is one that applies to all ads, so you’ll need to be careful not to exceed that amount. From the Facebook cover photo size to choosing the right amount of text for your next advertising effort, following the rule of Facebook will help you select the right balance to get maximum results.
Infographic provided by TechWyse