When Facebook updated its business pages to the Timeline format, businesses were faced with a number of new opportunities and challenges--one of the most significant being what image to use for their Timeline cover.

What is a Facebook Timeline cover?
A Timeline cover is the huge, 851px x 315px image that goes front, top, and center on your business Facebook page. You can't miss it--which is why it's so crucial.



Why Your Timeline Cover Matters
1. You can't miss 'em. When a new visitor or existing fan comes to your Facebook page, the first thing they'll see and pay attention to is your Timeline cover. Make it good!

2. It shows competence. If your business is legitimate, it'll have a Facebook page. If your business is serious about and worth following on Facebook, your page will look good. That being the case, when potential customers arrive at your page and see either a crummy Timeline cover, or even worse, no Timeline cover, the perception of the visitor is that your business either (1) doesn't really care about its Facebook presence and therefore isn't using Facebook as a serious way to communicate with existing and potential customers, or (2) doesn't quite know what it's doing on Facebook. Neither one is good.

3. Regardless of its limitations and restrictions, it's a huge marketing opportunity. Your Timeline cover is your billboard. Showcase your product, your team, your logo, your customers, or other relevant things to tell your company's story through strategically assembled images and design.

Tips

• Follow the rules! Many folks are unaware of this, but Facebook does impose a few restrictions on what you can or cannot include in your business's Timeline cover. You may not include:

Price or purchase information, such as "40% off" or "Download it at our
website"

Contact information, such as web address, email, mailing address, or
other information intended for your page's "About" section

References to user interface elements, such as Like or Share, or any
other Facebook site features

Calls to action, such as "Get it now" or "Tell your friends"

• Stay light on the text, heavy on the images. People love photos. They also hate reading (generally speaking, that is). The Internet brings the child out in all of us. Why read a book when you can just look at the pictures, right?! Use hi-res images and lay off the text when possible (try using less than 10 total words in all cases).

• Make it sexy. If you're going to go out on a date, you'll almost certainly take a shower, comb your hair, put on some deodorant and cologne/perfume, wear some decent-looking, clean clothes, and make sure your breath doesn't stink. You want the date to evolve into a relationship that actually goes somewhere, right? Your Timeline cover is your chance to make a great first impression. Don't blow it! If you need some help, don't be shy. Ask a designer for some help. This stuff matters!

• Save some dough by trying it yourself first. You'd be surprised what you can create if you start with the right tools and templates. Consider using the GroSocial Platform--after all, it's free to try!

-The GroSocial Team