Did you know that you can now make a video that can be used for your Facebook cover in just a few minutes? And, that you can enhance your page and attract more fans and shares simply by doing that? Well, it is true.
And, with this article, I will walk you through the basic steps of creating your Facebook page cover video and at the same time, explain the reasons behind such a process through the latest numbers and of course, some real-life examples.
The constant evolution of visual media
Since 2006 when Facebook was launched for the general public, it has been constantly growing on popularity. And, along with the audience gain, a lot of changes were implemented along the way. They were all welcomed since they aimed at constantly adapting the social media platform to its users, the changing online trends and habits and of course, the new technologies once they become available.
One of the biggest and most frequent changes, for the regular users and the marketers as well, were those applied to the visual look of the personal and business pages.
Out of all the elements that construct the visual image, the most important is the header. And, it is important because the first impression always counts and this is the first thing somebody sees upon landing on your page. It has changed drastically over the years and new options became available. Now you can even have a Facebook animated cover photo or a video component in this area.
The importance of video
According to a recent survey, 60 percent of consumers watch branded videos on Facebook every day while 64% say that videos from Facebook have influenced their purchase decisions in the past month. This means that video content is quite popular on the biggest social media platform that exists today.
However, one of the first things to do, before actually starting to create and publish videos, is to make your page more video friendly. This process, of course, it allows you to make a statement to your audience.
Where do you start?
You start with your profile images and the page header. And yes, you can actually create an animated profile picture or cover.
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Facebook video cover specs
Before getting started, there are a few things to know about the size of the Facebook cover. Particularly, videos with this destination will seem quite strange regarding their resolution.
Facebook cover video length: The animated cover should be between 20 and 120 seconds long. Shorter or longer videos or animations will not be accepted.
Video cover resolution should be at 1080p, that means you need to create a full HD video/animation. It is not mandatory but it would be better for the overall look of your page since it will be cropped at 820 x 462 pixels after upload. This will be the resolution at which your banner will be displayed on your Facebook page.
What’s great about these videos is that they do start automatically. The autoplay is however muted which means that it will not be intrusive to the visitors of your page. Make sure, however, that it makes sense without the sound stream.
How to make Facebook cover video online
Now, that you know all the technicalities, it is time to start creating your own Facebook animated profile picture or banner. And, guess what, one of the best Facebook profile video maker is right here, on Bannersnack. Yes, you can create a Facebook cover video in just a few minutes with this impressive and easy to learn app. What do you need?
Well, let’s analyze the process step by step:
1. Create your account and log in
This first step is quite obvious. Whatever service you are going to use, it is logical to create an account and log in before actually using that said service.
Once you log in, you are facing two options: You can choose to create a single banner or a full set of banners.
For the sake of this tutorial, I will choose the single banner option since we are dealing with Facebook only. However, it’s good to remember that with Bannersnack you can create a full set of banners for all major social media platforms automatically. Therefore, if you want to advertise or market your business on more than one platform, you should select that option and save precious time by having the app adjust your designs for all formats, shapes, and sizes.
2. Get into the app
Select to create a single banner. Choose the “Facebook cover” option.
Now, you can really start your work and design your banner.
There are plenty of stock images, buttons and shapes already available on Bannersnack. However, if you have already designed your slides, you can import them and insert them one by one in your Bannersnack banner design.
3. Create your animation
Since you are aiming at creating an animated banner, the “animated templates” menu available on the left side of the screen becomes essential.
You can use one of the available templates and build everything based on one of them. Or, you can upload your own image and add texts and animations in order to create your amazing Facebook cover.
TIP: Existing templates can help you master the animation techniques easier and in less time. You can select them as a working design and study each element individually, the type of animation used, the time and of course, the way each of these elements enters the scene and animates on a finite banner.
As seen in the above image, there are numerous types of transitions and animations you can choose from. (Alpha, Blur, Slide, Scale, Roll, Zoom, Flip, Rotate). There are a lot of different fonts, shapes, and buttons available as well. These elements can also be animated.
Moreover, the templates list is quite impressive with more elements being added from time to time. This article explains some of the most beautiful options you have right here on Bannersnack.
Testing and saving
Once you are done, you can test your Facebook animated banner, name it (if you didn’t already name it) and save it.
The test and save buttons are available at the top of your working panel as seen in the image above.
Great examples of animated and video Facebook covers
Regardless of your industry, it is important to know how to address the audiences in as many ways possible. National Geographic makes our favs list with a simple yet effective wildlife video as their Facebook cover:
When you think about social media, you cannot ignore Hootsuite, one of the major players in social media marketing. They know what they are doing and you can always learn from the best. Take a look at their Facebook page and their simple yet professional looking animated cover:
However, you can also mix images and videos and create an animated slideshow for your Facebook vide cover. Take a look for instance, at this beautifully animated collage created by a Photographer who showcases some of her work on her Facebook cover:
Another great example of a company that showcases some of their best products comes from Marvel Studios. In this case, the video cover features a short trailer of their latest Ant-Man movie:
Of course, you can create animated banners that explain in a few seconds what you are about and why people should choose your services. Another great example in this case comes from Wave, a popular app for social media marketers and advertisers that allows the easy creation of videos ads.
You can also give the audience a sneak peek into your office or, if you are advertising a public venue, some of the things you think might attract them. This example comes from the Metropolitan museum of New York and it is at the same time inspiring and effective in showcasing what the venue is about:
Are you advertising an outdoor resort, or a beautiful place that needs to be seen? Show the audience why they need to book your venue. Get inspiration from this beautiful Facebook video cover created and distributed by One&Only Resorts:
Here’s another example where you can see how an SVGator, online product is presenting their new features
Or showcase your personal brand if you want to leverage your online brand using Facebook video covers. Here’s a great example from Mari Smith:
The latest example here comes from an educational page, one that belongs to the University of Michigan.
This video takes the audience into a virtual tour of the campus with all its facilities: stadium, parcs, buildings, labs etc. A simple, effective and professionally cut video that inspires the viewer and offers him quite a great first look upon the institution with all its attractions.
Conclusion
I am sure that right from the start, you are thinking about designing the best Facebook video cover possible. Videos and animations are the latest hit when it comes to social media trends, one that you cannot ignore any longer if you have access to a community that comprises of technology savvy people.
We’ve seen throughout this article how easy is to create an animated banner, we’ve walked through the process and shared some technical details that will most certainly prove to be helpful.
What do you think about this type of content? Did you consider designing a Facebook page video cover or an animated banner?
Illustration by Anita Molnar