Your Facebook cover is what your potential client sees right away when entering your page, and as we all know, your first impression is EVERYTHING. Think about it! Any website, the most important information is right away when you land, it has to be, because if that information doesn’t grab you, you’ll leave faster than they can say goodbye! Your Facebook cover photo is large and present, right away when someone lands on your homepage. Catch their attention from the start! You can either make it funny, creative, engaging or all at once… But DO NOT WASTE IT!

Depending on your brand, you can use your cover photo to really communicate something, rather than just letting it be a big ornament. It’s crazy that I even have to remind you about that, but I’m sure there are a lot of people that haven’t considered this.

Here are some ideas for your Facebook cover:

1. Good place to showcase your new products

You can promote your newest products or services on the first photo people see when visiting your page. Lead with something new and exciting, might just draw people in! Don`t use only text or only images, make a combination of the two! Use the colors that match your style and brand and while doing that, remember that people perceive information from left to right, so make the image flow with their attention. Good design brings people in.

2. Call to action / Redirect fans

Want them to visit your website? Just say it! Of course, don`t make it hard for them. Simple instructions go a long way. Why not tell them to check out your website, maybe even show them a fun display of what they might see when they get there! That’s advertising. Use anything that directs your fan towards your desired result: descriptions, arrows, icons, download buttons, any call to action button. Before uploading this cover, make sure the instructions are clear and easy to follow.

3. Make it about the senses

What better way to trigger emotion if not through a visual story? Maybe your fans won`t observe your fine ingredients and quality dough, but they will sure get excited/curious/hungry over that fresh-out-of-the-oven delicious looking pizza you uploaded as your cover photo. This can drive them to spend more time on your page, in search for more tempting pics.  Next time they will be hungry, you`re on their list - in case they didn't already order after seeing your appetizing food. Your ingredients are great, but I wanna see a pizza!

4. Celebrate a milestone/anniversary

Maybe your page just got to 10,000 likes. Make it obvious, thank your fans for it, mark this moment. It's good for your brand awareness and people will see you are more reliable as you continue to announce achievements. It’s a banner for your company’s birthday or congratulations party, use it as such.

5. Exclusive Facebook offers/coupons

Make special offers just for your Facebook fans. People will like a page that occasionally gives them the opportunity to get something for free or have lots of promo codes designed  just for them. Anything that makes your Facebook fan feel special, do it! They’ve come to visit, reward them, they’ll like it, they’ll come back for more, you’ll make more on that than you will just begging them!

6. Contests/Giveaways

Attract attention to your contest starting from the top of your page. Free advertising, more participants, happier life. Who doesn't like this? Create simple and creative messages. Don`t rush on posting something random, your Facebook page has a certain purpose and the cover photo should meet that same target.

Now that we’ve given you some ideas, here are some tips you should consider when coming up with what you will post as your next cover photo:

1. Establish your objective: Why are you making this cover? What do you want people to see when they look at it? Combine your purpose with relevant content.
2. Keep it simple, don't overdo it, don`t lose the main focus of your concept.
3. Include real/valuable info.
4. Give directions through arrows/CTA`s.
5. Keep in mind your profile photo when designing your cover.
6. Create quality content by using quality software.
7. Update your cover once a month and on special occasions.
8. Keep an open mind, pay attention to your client's needs and interests - they may change in time.

What are you waiting for! You have all of this brand new purpose in life, a perfectly matching cover photo! Go find yours and start tracking the results, you’ll never know what little thing can push your clients to their next conversion… it might just be a catchy cover photo!