How to Set Up a Facebook Cover Photo / Video to Keep Viewers on Your Page
Bill Widmer If you think that the standard photo covers are a bit boring, Facebook has something new for you in store. You can now create yourself a Facebook cover photo / video. Mark Zuckerberg himself said that video would be the next “mega trend” after the mobile revolution. But many businesses still haven’t transitioned to using a video for their Facebook cover.
Trying to decide whether or not a Facebook cover photo / video is worth your time? Here are some important facts to keep in mind:
- 85% of Facebook users watch videos with the sound off.
- 80% of Facebook users become annoyed when videos auto-play sound (which ends up giving a negative impression of your brand).
- 110 Million hours are spent watching Facebook videos… per day.
Ready to dive in? Let’s go!
How to shoot a Facebook cover photo / video
Creating your first Facebook cover video may be a bit tricky but with some help, you’ll be able to pull it off in no time!
Before anything, I recommend using a professional camera. If you absolutely have to use your mobile device to film your video, purchase a tripod to minimize the shakiness of the video.
A tripod, good lighting, and a quality microphone are the three most important things to create a high-quality video..
In this video, Jason van Genderen reviews products that will help tremendously with audio quality:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02SDsUvCzZU&w=560&h=315]If you feel uncomfortable recording a video on your own, you could always hire a graphic video designer on Fivver (or any other freelance workplace).
As you can see, there are plenty of people to choose from! Just be sure to read through their reviews and ratings before deciding on someone.
How to upload your Facebook cover photo / video
Uploading your Facebook cover photo / video is as easy as uploading a regular cover photo. Simply follow these steps and you’ll have your video uploaded in no time!
Go to your Facebook business page and hover over over the “Change Cover” option.
You’ll then see a list of options to choose from. Choose the one that says “Upload Photo/Video”. Or, if you have the video you want already uploaded to your Facebook page, you can select the “Choose from Video” option.
That is, if you have a video that meets the requirements to do so:
Keep in mind that Facebook will not allow you to upload a video that doesn’t meet the specific requirements.
That’s all there is to it! Next up, let’s take a look at some current video covers from various businesses to give you some inspiration.
Facebook pages using video covers
Here are some cool examples:
1. Out of the Grey Coffeehouse
In this cover video, Out of the Grey Coffeehouse shows pictures (and videos) of their establishment, tells you what time of day they’re opened (as well as what days they’re opened), and (the best part?) auto-plays without sound.
Remember: 80% of Facebook users become annoyed when videos auto-play sound (which ends up giving a negative impression of your brand).
2. Kim Winey Photography
While Kim does implement auto-play sound in her video cover, it goes well with what she’s showcasing: her photography.
Each frame of this video is beautifully picked and draws you into her world. She calls her Facebook cover video a digital business card (which is an awesome name for these!).
3. Buffer
In this Facebook video cover, Buffer shows off their awesome team in a mix of regular and hyperlapse video footage. They also shoot some of the video with a drone which is pretty freaking cool.
They’re able to capture the essence of their team, their workstations, and show just how happy everyone is. It’s a truly awesome video that you can pull inspiration from!
4. National Geographic
It’s no surprise that National Geographic excels when it comes to anything visual…
…why would their Facebook cover video be any different? National Geographic captures the stunning beauty of nature in this quick video, which is the essence of what their brand is all about.
5. See Australia
Viewer beware… you’ll want to pack your bags and go to Australia before the end of this cover video.
All travel agencies (and businesses) would be wise to take notes from the See Australia Facebook cover video. By showing your audience what they’ll be able to do in Australia (or anywhere, for that matter), you’re creating a visual which could prompt people to book a vacation with you!
Three tips for creating an awesome video cover
Now that you know how to create a Facebook cover video, it’s time to go over some quick tips that’ll help you put it all together.
Tip #1: Create a behind-the-scenes workspace video
Want to give your audience a real treat? Create a unique behind-the-scenes video showing off what happens, well… behind the scenes!
Talk about why you chose your product, how you pack and ship it, and, if you have workers that help you, ask them to briefly talk about their role.
Tip #2: Show how your products are made
If you sell homemade products and want your audience to get a better look at how each product is crafted, this may be the best route for you to take!
Keep in mind that competitors may be watching, too! Don’t give away all your secrets – the basics will do.
Tip #3: Ask customers to film/photograph themselves with your products
It’s one thing for your audience to hear from you how awesome your products are…
… it’s another thing for your audience to hear from previous customers how awesome your products are! Like testimonials, videos and pictures of customers using your products will surely give that wow factor you need to get ahead of the competition.
Three more quick tips for you:
- Your video must be between 20-90 seconds long in order to upload properly.
- Part of the height of your video will be cropped out. Be sure to keep important information in the center of the video to avoid this.
- The resolution of your Facebook cover video must be 1080p in order to upload properly.
Bonus: Two awesome tools to use
You didn’t think we’d give you all of this information just to leave you hanging when it came to the technical stuff, did you?
Below are just two tools we believe are the best to make some magic videos – there are plenty more to choose from though!
1. Wave.Video
Wave.Video is an awesome tool that helps you create professional looking videos in no time.
With Wave, you get access to over 200 million stock video clips to choose from (which seems overwhelming, but comes in handy more than you realize).
You’re able to add music to your videos, combine as many clips as you’d like, and you can add your brand logo and watermark to your video!
There are three plans to choose from:
- Pro – For professionals and small businesses $39 per month
- Agency – For freelancers and agencies $49 per month
- Ultimate – For large agencies and corporate markets $149 per month
2. Animoto
Animoto allows you to create videos whether you’re creating them for business, families, or photography.
Like Wave.Video, you’re able to choose music, add text, and fully customize your slides to make them your own.
Unlike Wave.Video, you’re unable to add your watermark to the videos (that we know of).
The plans are a bit cheaper to choose from, too:
- Personal – $8 per month
- Professional – $22 per month
- Business – $34 per month
No matter which software you choose to go with, you’ll be able to pull of professional looking videos in no time.
The ball’s in your court now!
Conclusion
We’ve given you all the tools, tips, and advice you need in order to make a kick-ass cover video that embodies your brand.
What route do you think you’ll take? Will you hire a graphic designer to create a professional Facebook cover video or will you take on the challenge yourself?
