Essential Guide to Optimizing Your Facebook Profile and Cover Photo

When was the last time you had a good look at your company profile picture? Does it match the image you are trying to portray or still using an old outdated photo from a couple of years ago.

Remember, the first impression counts and we only get one chance to make a good first impression. In a way, the profile picture you choose to display defines your business and its reputation, and when creating a profile on a professional network, it becomes crucial to have the right picture to portray the right image.

The perfect profile picture for your business will depend on many factors, including the scope and size of your business, your product or service and your marketing strategy.

But, Is there such thing as a perfect profile picture?

Let’s find it out:

• Branding:

To portray good image, businesses must go with a well-recognized logo. And once you have selected your image, be sure to stick with the same picture as your default photo from one network to the other, that way people easily recognize you across all social networks. Do not place a random picture of your company that, to your customers, will just look like an ordinary office building.

• Updates:

Don’t set it and forget it. Update your picture when necessary.

• Dimensions:

Make your Facebook picture the full 180-by-180 pixels resolution that Facebook allows even though the image will display as 160-by-160 pixels on desktop. The picture should be clear, crisp and not blurry.

• Cover Photo:

Since your cover photo takes up the most space on your Facebook page, make sure you are selecting the one that is high quality and engaging to your visitors. It is now displayed at 828-by-315 pixels

• Optimization:

You may consider including links to your website in the descriptions for your profile picture and cover photo. It depends on your goals for using Facebook, whether it’s to a blog post, a piece of lead-generation content, or just an “About Us” page. Links are opportunities for interested folks to get to know your company better. If you decide to add links to the descriptions of these two photos, make sure they are shortened links with UTM parameters attached to them – that way, you know if they’re working or not.

• Integration:          

If you are creative and feel confident about your design skills, try coordinating profile picture and cover photo in a creative way. Trust me, the possibilities are endless when it comes to creativity. For example:

• Call-to-action Button to Your Cover Photo:

Back in December 2014, Facebook launched a new feature that allows you to add one of seven pre-made call-to-action buttons to your Facebook Page’s cover photo. Pages can choose from one of the following options — “Sign Up,” “Shop Now,” “Contact Us,” “Book Now,” “Use App,” “Watch Video,” and “Play Game” — and customize it with a destination URL of their choosing. This is surely a great way for marketers to drive traffic from their Facebook Business Page back to their website.

So, a good picture is worth a thousand words. Therefore, your picture plays a big role in whether you’re able to interest an audience enough to reach out to you. The fact is people do business with people they trust so be sure that your picture conveys the right impression. Be sure to choose the right ones.

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