Your Facebook cover photo is one of the first things people will see when they visit your profile. It serves as a header image across the top of your Timeline and helps express your personality. Choosing an attractive, eye-catching cover photo is important for making a good impression on your Facebook friends and followers. Here are some tips to help you select and design a cover photo that looks great.
Choose an interesting, high-quality image
The most important part of an attractive Facebook cover photo is choosing an interesting, high-quality image to use. Stay away from blurry, pixelated photos as these will look unappealing when stretched across the cover photo area. Some good options include:
– A beautiful landscape photo showing an interesting location. This could be a scenic view from a vacation spot or even an artistic shot of something in your hometown.
– A well-composed photo of you or friends/family. The photo should be crisp and well-lit. Avoid selfies and instead opt for photos taken by others.
– An eye-catching graphic or visual that expresses your personality or interests. This could be anything from an illustration to an artsy photo.
– A favorite inspirational quote written over a blurred background image.
The key is choosing a photo that is visually striking and able to capture attention. Stay away from busy, cluttered images as they won’t look great enlarged. Go for photos with bright, vibrant colors as these tend to stand out in the cover photo area.
Edit and customize the image
Once you’ve selected an attractive base image, you’ll need to edit and customize it to work perfectly as a Facebook cover photo. Download the image to your computer and use photo editing software like Photoshop, Canva or PicMonkey to:
– Crop it to the optimal dimensions of 820 pixels wide by 312 pixels tall. This ensures it won’t get cut off on your profile.
– Make any color adjustments like brightening or saturating it to make the photo pop more.
– Add text or graphic overlays if desired. For example, you could add an inspirational quote in a stylish font.
– Blur or pixelate part of the image if needed. For example, you can creatively blur background scenery while keeping yourself in focus.
Take the time to get creative and make the image look just how you want. The cover photo area is prime real estate for showcasing your personal style!
Use an attractive filter
If editing software overwhelms you, an easier way to customize your Facebook cover photo is by using a filter. Facebook offers several preset filter options that add a color tint or aesthetic to your image with just one click.
Some popular filters to try include:
– Warm Vintage: Gives photos an orange/yellowish tint that creates a nice retro vibe.
– Cool Wave: Adds a lush blue/green oceanic overlay. Works great with outdoor images.
– Crisp Cold: Desaturates and brightens photos for a clean, frosty effect.
– Sweetheart: Tints images in muted pinks and reds for a romantic feel.
– Black and White: Removes all color for an artistic monochromatic look.
Don’t go overboard with filters. Lightly alter the image rather than making the effect too heavy. Preview how the filter looks on both mobile and desktop to ensure it translates well on all devices.
Align your name and profile photo
A cover photo doesn’t just include the header image. It also displays your profile picture and name. Make sure these profile elements align and balance well with your cover photo.
– Position your profile picture purposefully, such as having it overlap with a specific part of the image.
– Adjust the vertical placement of your name so it stands out against the background image.
– Customize your name by changing the font, size or adding effects like bold or italic.
Proper alignment makes everything look cohesive. Experiment to get the overlay with your profile pic and name just right.
Add a call-to-action
Want to use your cover photo to promote something specific? Try adding a call-to-action. Some ideas:
– Overlay your website URL if you want to drive traffic to your site.
– Include a prompt like “Message me for details!” to encourage engagement.
– Add event info like the date and location if you’re promoting an upcoming event.
– Insert a coupon code or special offer to incentivize sales.
– Direct viewers to take a specific action like signing up for a newsletter.
The cover photo offers valuable real estate for promotional messaging. Just don’t go overboard – you don’t want text overload. Keepmessaging brief and eye-catching.
Showcase what you’re into
An effective strategy for an appealing cover photo is showcasing an interest, hobby or skill. For example:
– If you love traveling, use a shot of you posing at an iconic landmark.
– For foodies, an appetizing dish you cooked or plated at a restaurant.
– Yogis could do a yoga pose against a natural background.
– Musicians can feature themselves playing an instrument.
This lets followers get a sense of your passions. When done tastefully, it makes for an authentic, personality-filled cover photo.
Use relevant holidays or events
Your cover photo is the perfect space to showcase holidays, events or causes important to you.
– Holidays like Christmas, Diwali, Pride Month and Halloween offer lots of visual possibilities. Dress up, decorate your space festively or creatively photoshop holiday elements.
– Birthdays, graduations, weddings and other milestones also present fun theming opportunities.
– Topical events like Earth Day or Mental Health Awareness Month allow you to raise awareness for a cause.
This adds seasonal variety to your profile and gives followers insight into what you value.
Show locations you’ve lived or visited
Help familiarize friends with places important to you by featuring them on your cover photo. You can show hometown pride by using iconic landmarks from the city or town you grew up in.
If you’ve moved around, showcase some of your former homes to represent your varied life experiences. You can also post images from memorable vacations or destinations you’ve visited.
Some ideas:
– Skyline of the city you live in currently
– Your college campus quad or buildings
– Map view of a foreign country you backpacked through
– Ocean sunset or mountain ranges from trips abroad
– Your childhood street or neighborhood
– Aerial view of a national park you once camped at
There are so many possibilities to artistically feature meaningful locations. Even faraway places you’ve never been can inspire a travel wanderlust or bucket list cover photo.
Use motivational quotes or mantras
Words can make a powerful impact. Try setting a positive, inspirational tone with a motivational quote or mantra overlaying your image.
Some ideas:
– Uplifting affirmations like “She believed she could so she did.”
– Quotes on self-confidence, strength, hope.
– Mantras like “Living life in the positive” or “Make each day count.”
– Song lyrics or famous quotes from books/movies/speeches.
– Create your own inspiring phrase or aspirational motto.
Pick something meaningful to you and display the text in a creative font over a blurred background or light overlay. This can give followers some insight into your personality.
Conclusion
Your Facebook cover photo provides lots of creative opportunities to make a great impression. Use high-quality, eye-catching images that align well with your profile picture and name. Customize the photo with filters, text overlays and editing to give it your unique flair. Showcase your interests, values and personality. Change it regularly to keep your profile looking fresh. With a little effort, you can have an attractive, engaging cover photo that looks fantastic representing you.