How does your FaceBook banner photos compare to Wal-marts?
Keeping Your Store’s FaceBook for Business Banner Photos Current and Relevant
Most of the independent retailer’s FaceBook for Business sites that I’ve reviewed recently have seem to have one of the following banner photo themes:
1. A picture of their store. Sometimes out of focus, normally with a DSD truck parked inside the photo by the front curb and a Coke can or two laying in the parking lot.
2. A picture of some food they sell. Could be fish tacos, a large display of potato chips or a panoramic picture of the first four or five aisles.
3. A picture of some employees. Sometimes they’re smiling, sometimes they’re grimacing.
Unfortunately I see far too many store FaceBook for Business pages that do not change – ever.
Please keep in mind that one of the objectives of your FaceBook for Business page is to get customers and their friends to “Like” your FaceBook site. You need to provide content — including your large banner photo—- that is timely and relevant.
You can do this for free. Just take a few minutes to plan out the perfect shot for your FaceBook for Business site. Something that’s timely, intriguing and attractive enough to draw attention to FaceBook viewers — and something that your FaceBook followers will feel good about when they suggest the site to their friends.
Some Banner Photo Ideas for April and May-
How does your banner photos compare to your competitors?
If you just don’t have the time to take periodic photos for your FaceBook site, invite your customers to take some photos and submit them to you. The best photo gets posted on your FaceBook site as your banner photo.
Wal-Mart Banner Photo Contest
Here’s an example from Wal-Mart (yes Wal-Mart) who does exactly that.
Walmart has a contest with their followers to provide photos that can be used for their FaceBook banner photos. With 34 million “likes” they have plenty of photos to choose from.
Kroger Banner Photo Fun
You don’t need to be too serious with your Banner Photos – have some fun. Every store has some creative employees who when tasked with the job of creating something fun for your FaceBook banner page, you may be real surprised.
Here’s a “food fight” between two marshmallow bunnies. Viewers get a chuckle and “Like” it enough to invite friends to see it.
Hy-Vee – Reminding FaceBook viewers of seasonal items now available
Spring is a fun season with plenty of “new crop” items that begin appearing in your Produce Department. Soon you’ll be featuring strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and asparagus. Why not picture them on your FaceBook banner photo?
In this case Hy-Vee plants the idea that they have some fresh fruit available with their FaceBook Banner photo.
Costco: Springtime translates to fresh flowers
Spring flowers is a theme that works well on FaceBook banner photos in April and May.
Whole Foods: Easter Eggs on their FaceBook Banner Page now
What are MSC retailers with Social Octane Subscriptions Featuring on the FaceBook Sites in April and May?
If you need help with your FaceBook Banner Photos, just call any of our Customer Service Reps at 480-639-1200 and they’ll help you with your Banner Photos.
Here’s our gallery of choices for your sites this month:
Your Store’s FaceBook For Business Banner Photos-
Some “do’s and don’ts ”
Your store’s FaceBook for Business page can be a very valuable asset in terms of helping you reach new customers and connecting with your existing customers.
The first thing your customers will see when they visit your FaceBook page is your cover or banner photo. Remember that there’s only once chance at making a great first impression — and your banner photo can help set the stage and keep your FaceBook followers interested in your FaceBook posts.
A couple of “do’s and don’ts” and some suggestions for your FaceBook site:
- Make sure you own the photo or that the source of your photo has properly licensed it for your use. FYI, all Social Octane banner photos are properly licensed for your use if you are a current subscriber.
- Facebook frowns on calls to action in your photo. No arrows directed toward the “FaceBook Like” button. You’ll see some sites who do this anyhow but they frown on this.
- No sales pitch. According to Facebook you’re not allowed to mention a price, promotion or special offer on your banner. Keep in mind that a picture is worth a thousand words.
- No contact information, email, phone number, address, etc. is permitted on your banner photo.
- FaceBook has had a “20% text rule” for page cover photos. What they’re trying to accomplish with this is to make it easier for their “bots” to review your FaceBook content for ads and the “bots” read text – not photos.
- Banner size? Banners are 851 x 315 pixels. If not right, FaceBook will ask you to resize it.
Here’s the current FaceBook Cover Guidelines:
https://www.facebook.com/help/search/?q=cover+guidelines