When people visit your social media profiles, one of the first things they’re going to see is your cover image. Given this, it’s important to use that valuable space on the top of your profile to make a meaningful statement that your audience will remember.
Yet, despite this, many businesses make the mistake of using a generic image, a low-quality picture, or a larger version of their profile picture.
We’ve all heard the phrase, “a picture is worth a thousand words," and on social media, where attention spans are low, you should always be making the most of opportunities in this regard. Your cover image is the perfect place to do just that.
In this post, we'll look at some of the best ways to maximize your social media cover images, and make your profiles and branding more memorable as a result.
Think of Your Cover Photo as Your Virtual Shop Window
People love to window shop, and a good window display gives people an overview of what to expect inside, enticing people to come in, take a look, and ideally, make a purchase.
On the internet, you can’t necessarily lay out a window display to entice traffic, but on social media, your cover photo has the potential to facilitate the same effect.
Given this, you should use your cover photo to show some personality, and give visitors an idea of what to expect from your brand and social feed. This is why it’s so important to use a custom image that reflects your brand - no one's going to stop or remember you for a stock photo.
Take the time to create something that'll make people want to keep scrolling and stay with your content for a while. You can also use it to have some fun - unlike your profile picture, you should consider switching up your cover photo frequently.
Bed Bath & Beyond is a great example of a brand that uses its cover image as a digital storefront - here, they’re using it to showcase back-to-school dorm items that which in high-demand.
Inspire Action
Because of its prominent position on the page, your cover image can be a great place to plant a CTA.
And it doesn’t need to contain a blatant pitch to sign up for a newsletter or make a purchase for it to be effective - get creative and use it to inspire curiosity and prompt action.
In this image, Dunkin’ Donuts is using their cover image to spark curiosity about their current contest. While the image itself isn’t a direct CTA, it encourages the viewer to click through and find out more about what’s going on.
Prime Promotional Space
Your cover image is also a great place to promote new products and services.
Regular posts can easily get buried in your stream along with all of your other content, but the cover image remains at the top, taking up prominent space. So you should definitely use that as an opportunity to let people know about products, offers, or any events you might have coming up.
While you probably don’t want your cover image to always be a promo, using it when you have something special to announce will catch your audience’s eye.
For example, McDonald’s frequently uses its cover image to announce new menu items.
Tell Your Story
A simple image can say a lot about your brand, and make an impression on page visitors.
You can make a statement about your band's identity and story - it doesn’t have to be fancy in order to give people some insight into who you are and what your brand is all about. People want to identify with the brands they buy from, and showcasing the personality behind the logo is a great way to connect.
This cover photo from Vans shows off their most popular shoes, while also connecting with the skate culture that made them so popular in the first place.
When used correctly, your cover image can leave a lasting impact on your audience - so take advantage of it and put the effort into creating an image that shows off your personality, and inspires people to check out the rest of your content.
When people see an eye-catching image that they identify with, they’ll be more likely to stick around, and come back again. Worth considering in your strategic planning.
