Facebook has long been moving toward more vibrant, graphic content. What started out as primarily a text-heavy format graduated into a medium where graphics held more sway. Today, video is replacing the pictures of cute kittens and puppies that once gained the most attention.
"We see a world that is video first with video at the heart of all our apps and services," said Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg about a year ago.
You've no doubt noticed the increase in videos playing as your scroll through your newsfeed. Did you also notice that many businesses now use a cover video, instead of a cover photo, for their Facebook business page?
This is a great way to tell a better story about who you are and what you do. Here's what to do:
First of all, Facebook cover videos are shorter than regular Facebook videos. You've got between 20 and 90 seconds, so make sure you use your limited time effectively. (If it's longer than 90 seconds, it won't work,)
The video resolution must be 1080 p.
Stay centrally focused. You won't have to worry about any artistic camera angles or tricks. The videos will be cropped to 820 pixels by 462 pixels, so keep any important images in the center of the frame. Double check it once you've uploaded it---particularly on a mobile device, where the cropping will be different---to make sure you're showing what you want to show.
Cover videos are muted, unless your customers select otherwise. This is by design, to avoid annoying automatic sound when people are scrolling through. Make sure you can you're your message without sound, just in case.
Cover videos are short, and they loop by default. Try to create something that will make sense when it returns to the beginning and avoid awkward or abrupt endings. A good way to hand that transition is to begin and end with your logo.
Once you create your video, it's easy to upload it. Just go to your business home page and click on the "change cover" button in the top left. Scroll down to "choose from videos" and upload and position it, just like you would a photo.
Then, click the arrows to view the 10 thumbnail options and choose a thumbnail for your cover video, to represent a cover photo for viewers with low bandwidth. Once you've done that, all you have to do is click "publish" and you're done!
Have you updated to a cover video yet? Let us know in the comments!