Adding a custom background to your Facebook posts can be a great way to make your posts stand out in the news feed. With so many posts competing for attention, custom backgrounds allow you to catch viewers’ eyes and share creative, visually appealing content. In this article, we’ll walk through everything you need to know to add custom backgrounds to your Facebook posts.
Why Use Custom Backgrounds?
Here are some of the key benefits of using custom backgrounds on your Facebook posts:
- Make your posts more eye-catching – Custom backgrounds add visual interest and help your posts stand out.
- Reinforce your brand – Match the background to your brand colors and style for a cohesive, professional look.
- Highlight key information – Draw attention to important text, calls-to-action, etc. with an appropriate background.
- Set a mood – Choose backgrounds that match the tone of your post (playful, serious, elegant, etc.).
- Increase engagement – Posts with custom backgrounds tend to get more likes, comments, and shares.
Whether you want to create a holiday-themed post, highlight a promotion, or just spice up your page, custom Facebook backgrounds can take your posts to the next level.
What Image Formats Work for Custom Facebook Backgrounds?
Facebook supports the following image formats for use as custom post backgrounds:
- JPG / JPEG
- GIF
- PNG
JPG is one of the most common and reliable formats. GIFs allow for small animated backgrounds. PNG files support transparent backgrounds.
We recommend using JPG or PNG files for best results. The ideal image size is around 1200 x 630 pixels to cover the full background of a Facebook post on desktop and mobile.
How to Add a Background Image to a Facebook Post
Adding a custom background to your Facebook posts is easy and only takes a few steps:
- Have your background image file ready in JPG, GIF or PNG format. Ideal size is around 1200 x 630 pixels.
- Go to your Facebook Page and click to create a new post as usual. You can do this on desktop or mobile.
- Click the ‘+’ icon to open the media tray underneath your post.
- Click ‘Background color’ and select the Photo/Video option.
- Upload or select your background image file from your computer.
- Adjust and crop the image if needed.
- Click ‘Select’ to add the image as your post background.
- Write your post text as normal.
- Click ‘Publish’ to post your update with the custom background.
Once published, your post background will be visible to viewers on desktop and mobile. You can select a new background for each post to match different updates and themes.
Tips for Creating Effective Custom Backgrounds
Follow these tips for making the most of custom backgrounds on Facebook:
- Choose high-quality images – Pick photos and graphics with vibrant colors and crisp resolution.
- Avoid busy backgrounds – Don’t detract from your text with backgrounds that are too detailed or cluttered.
- Use relevant backgrounds – Match the tone of your background to your post text (funny, inspirational, seasonal, etc.).
- Highlight key info – Use simple backgrounds with ample blank space to spotlight important text, captions, or buttons.
- Add graphics – Overlay some basic shapes, lines, or icons on a solid color background for visual interest.
- Reinforce branding – Incorporate your brand colors, logo, or other identifiable elements.
- Optimize images – Compress files and reduce image dimensions to ensure fast loading.
Taking the time to create and select the right backgrounds will give your posts a polished, eye-catching look that stands out on social media.
Using Background Images for Holiday Posts
Custom Facebook backgrounds are perfect for creating holiday-themed posts. Simply add a relevant seasonal image to your background to delight fans and spread cheer.
Some holiday post background ideas include:
- Evergreen trees or ornaments for Christmas
- Hearts or roses for Valentine’s Day
- Shamrocks or leprechauns for St. Patrick’s Day
- Eggs, bunnies or flowers for Easter
- Fireworks for the 4th of July
- Jack-o-lanterns or haunted houses for Halloween
- Turkey, autumn leaves or harvest decor for Thanksgiving
Make sure to incorporate your branding, even in holiday posts. Use your brand’s established color scheme and fonts for the foreground text. This keeps the background festive while maintaining familiarity for your audience.
Can I Use Copyrighted Images for Facebook Post Backgrounds?
You need to be careful when using copyrighted images for Facebook post backgrounds. As a general rule, do not use photos or material owned by someone else without permission. Even if you find an image through a public Google search, that does not mean it is free for commercial use.
Your safest options are:
- Use original photos taken by you or your brand
- Search for Creative Commons CC0 images that have no copyright
- Use stock photos from inexpensive providers like iStock or Pexels that grant you licensing
- Purchase an Extended License for premium stock images if needed
- Only use copyrighted images you have explicit permission to use
Proper attribution is also important if you use a Creative Commons background. Adding a photo credit in your caption shows respect for the original creator and complies with license terms.
Tools to Design Custom Backgrounds
You don’t need advanced design skills to make great custom Facebook post backgrounds. Many free, easy tools can help create backgrounds.
Here are a few top options:
- Canva – Provides professional templates and easy editing tools to customize backgrounds.
- Adobe Spark – Create backgrounds by remixing free images or uploading your own.
- Unsplash – Search this collection of CC0 background images you can use without attribution.
- Pixlr – Full featured online photo editor to tweak images and graphics.
- BeFunky – Fun creative editor with templates and effects to design backgrounds.
These DIY tools make it simple to quickly produce custom Facebook post backgrounds. Play around with different options to find an app with features you like.
Conclusion
Adding custom backgrounds is an impactful way to make your Facebook posts stand out. The right background can reinforce branding, set the tone, and boost engagement. With the image upload options built into Facebook’s posting tools, it’s easy to upload and assign eye-catching backgrounds to your updates.
Use high-quality, relevant images, avoid anything with unclear copyright, and leverage free design tools to create effective backgrounds even without advanced graphics skills. With this guide’s tips in mind, you’ll be ready to start enhancing your Facebook page’s aesthetics and engagement through memorable custom post backgrounds.