Do you know that Facebook’s event cover photo size is different for both personal profiles and Fan pages? This means that the answer to the best Facebook event cover photo size is not going to be a straightforward one.
Everything that Facebook touched has turned into gold. Whether it’s ads or events, Facebook does have the Midas touch, no doubt. The way they have implemented Events has also helped businesses and individuals to market their events in a big way. With more and more people happily opting to go the online way, Facebook Events will have more adoption in the coming days.
While conducting Facebook Events can be great for your business, you need to ensure that you are using the right visuals to attract your audience. The choice of your Facebook cover photo should be fitting and in line with the event that you are planning to conduct. The event should have all the details that should help the participants to learn everything about it. Write a proper description of the event so that the prospects are lured into registering for the event.
There are a lot of events that you can do with the help of Facebook Events, the opportunities are endless. Thankfully, it is extremely easy to navigate the Events feature. All you need to do is follow the best practices to get the best bang for your buck.
What is the ideal Facebook Event Cover Photo Size?
Before you plan to create a page for your event, you need to have photos that are of the right size and dimensions. The ideal Facebook Event Cover Photo Size is 1920*1005 pixels. Previously, the dimensions were 1920*1080, which had an aspect ratio of 16:9.
Let’s say you try to add a photo that is smaller than the dimensions mentioned, then Facebook will automatically increase the size of the photo to fit its dimensions. Unfortunately, this will reduce the quality of the photo. Even if the photo was too wide or too long, please expect Facebook to crop it thus reducing its beauty.
You do not want a blurry or a distorted picture, right? Of course not. You can use an image editing tool so that your Event photo is proportional to the expectations.
How to make your Event Cover Photo stand out on Mobile phones?
Everyone knows that people are more prone to browsing their social media handles on mobile phones than on desktops. The Facebook Event Cover photo should look perfect in all the devices that one view from.
The sides of your Cover photo might get clipped off a bit when viewed vertically on mobile devices. If you want to ensure that none of the information which you would like to pass on to your clients goes missing, then make sure that all the necessary details are concentrated in the center area. Very few pixels get affected, so here’s what you should do- leave some space on the sides, top, and bottom of your photo.
If you follow these instructions to the T, then you don’t have to worry about any part of the picture which is important for getting cut off.
How to add Cover Videos?
Did you know that you can also add videos to your Cover for your Event? It is a great way to make people interested in your Event. You can be sure that it will increase the number of registrants for your event. Facebook recommends the same size for event cover videos as well. It is perfectly all right if you haven’t shot the video in this format, you can always use a video editor to crop your video so that it is in line with the recommended guidelines.
How long should the cover video be? These Facebook videos can be anywhere from 30 seconds to five minutes.
Would we advise you to make such long videos that last for five minutes? Of course not.
The attention span of people has dwindled down over the years and they are no way going to sit through the entire video.
Pro tip- Make sure that your cover video for the event is less than two minutes. The shorter the video, the better it is for the experience of the visitor.
How to create a Facebook Event?
Community gatherings, business openings, announcements, launch parties, and more are some of the reasons why you should use Facebook events exclusively. You are the one who has the power to run the event in a way you deem fit. The event can be Private or Public based on how you want it. While Public events are visible for everybody, that is not the case with Private events where only you and the ones who have been invited will be a part of the event.
Let’s say you are planning to launch your winery online, and you want to invite some of your Facebook friends. You can create a Private event and only add your friends who you want to be a part of the event. You can add the event photo, fill in the other details that will help your invitees understand what the event is about.
There has never been an easier time to create a Facebook Event. Everything that you require to make the perfect cover photo is available as tools, most of which are free. There are a lot of free templates available which you can make use of if you don’t have any designing experience. There are a lot of tools available if you have a design background, like Adobe, Canvas, Photoshop, etc.
To create a Private Facebook event on your computer
- From your News Feed, click Events which is present in the left menu.
- Click ‘Create New Event’ which is visible on the left side.
- Click Private Event, and then click Next. Only invited guests will be able to see your event. If you create a private event, you won’t be able to change it to public later.
- Fill in the event name, location, date, time, and description of the event.
- Click Create. You can invite guests, add a cover photo or video, share posts, and edit event details so that you can convince the invitees to be a part of the event.
To create a Public Facebook event on your computer
- From your News Feed, click Events in the left menu.
- Click + Create Event on the left side.
- Click Public Event, then click Next. When you create a Public Event, anyone will be able to see your event and search for it, even if you aren’t connected as friends on Facebook. The same rule applies here- once you have created a public event, you cannot change it to a private event.
- Fill in the event name, location, date, time, and description of the event so that attendees have all the information in hand..
- Type and select keywords about your public event so it can be better recommended to people who are interested in that topic (example: Food festival).
- Choose who can edit and post in your event and then click Create. You’ll be taken to your event where you can invite guests, add a cover photo or video, share posts, and edit event details.
Best practices for a Facebook Event
Events as a feature is a great addition to Facebook’s arsenal. It comes with a lot of benefits that will help the average business owner or individual who is planning to leverage this. Here are some of the best practices that you need to follow for a Facebook Event.
#1 Discuss your event
Did you know that there was an entire section dedicated to the discussion surrounding the event? As the event creator, it is your duty to spark interest and talk regarding the event with the invitees. It is must that you keep your invitees engaged so that they actively participate on the D-day.
Create polls, ask suggestions, post updates, and create a buzz around the event by having some activity or the other going on. Even use it as an opportunity to post about news in your industry. Even if your guests have RSVPed, it doesn’t mean that they will be a part of it on the event day. It is exactly why you need to pique their interests.
Also, you need to be responsive when questions are asked about the event. Respond to each individual question professionally.
#2 Set clear expectations
Your clients should know what the event is about and be aware of how it will help them so that they are clear about what will happen in the event. Events like these are an opportunity for you to create a good impression and build a long-term relationship with the participants.
While Murphy’s law can happen to anyone, you should be well prepared so that the best results only occur. Ensure that everything that the attendees expect is fulfilled. If you have already hosted events like this, use the Facebook event platform to post old pictures and videos so that the attendees know what they are getting into.
#3 Credibility
One of the most important things when it comes to doing business is having credibility. Even if you are a newcomer to a particular industry, you need to show your credibility if you want clients.
If you are a newbie, one way to show that you are credible is by associating with other businesses that are already credible in your industry. You will become credible in the eyes of your invitees by the theory of association. You will also be able to access their network and might even land a few clients through the event.
#4 Keep your audience in your mind
When you are creating a Facebook Event, everything that you prepare for it, from the photos to adding the description, you need to have your audience in your mind. They are the ones who are going to be a part of it. The words that you choose, the pictures that you opt, and the videos that you upload should resonate with your audience and they should be able to think-” Hey, this event is for me!”
#5 Use tools
Like we have already mentioned in the article, use the various tools that are available to create stunning designs. Canva, Fotojet, PosterMyWall, Bannersnack, Crello, Adobe, etc., have tools to create Facebook’s Cover page. If you are not sure where to start from, these design tools have many templates that can be customized based on your requirement.
#6 Use FB recognized venues
Let’s say you are organizing an offline venue, then ensure that you are using a venue that is recognized on Facebook. It becomes easier for the attendees to take that piece of information when they are trying to attend the event. Also, when people are checking out the location, they will be directed to the Event page and you might even end up getting more attendees for your event.
#7 Use Keywords
When creating a Facebook Event, use the tags section to add relevant keywords. No, do not use just branded keywords. In fact, Facebook will give you relevant suggestions based on what you are typing. Choose one that resonates with your audience and is in line with what you plan to offer for your participants.
#8 Run ads
It is a no-brainer that Facebook’s organic reach has reduced drastically. Boost your event by promoting it on Facebook. You can start with a small budget, based on the response you can slowly increase the budget. Find innovative ways for your event to go viral if you are looking to have more people to be a part of the event.
#9 Promote outside of Facebook
Some of your audience who are not on Facebook might not be aware of your event. It is important that you not limit your audience to Facebook alone. There are a lot of other social media websites that can be used to promote the event. You can direct all of them to the Facebook Event page and you can use it as a source for information and updates on what you intend to do.
#10 Apply marketing tactics
There is a lot that marketing psychology can teach you when it comes to running your business. Create a sense of urgency or have only limited seats so that people who are on the fence take a decision to be a part of your event.
Mistakes to be avoided when creating a Facebook Event
Since Facebook events are easy to create, do not make the mistake of creating an event for everything. It will look misguided for any brand. There are mistakes that most individuals and business owners make, here are some of them.
Using the wrong Cover photo
We couldn’t stress the importance of a Cover page enough, well, that’s exactly why we have an entire article stressing only on that. All you need to do is follow whatever we have mentioned in the article so that you end up using pictures that have the right dimensions.
Posting a lot
If you keep talking about the event everywhere, it will cause even your supporters to be annoyed with you. You do not want to spam your invitees, attendees, and partners. Only post when there is something relevant to share and when it is timely. At other times, it is all right if the group is not active.
Not being clear
Remember that no one has the gift of clairvoyance, therefore, unless you tell about your event clearly, you will not be able to get people to participate in it. Ensure that you share all the necessary details about the event to your invitees. There should be no confusion in the minds of the attendees.
Zero Interaction
Posting too many times is a problem. Of course. So is dead silence on your Facebook event. You need to drum up participation and pique the interest of everyone who has been invited by posting stuff that is relevant to your audience. Ensure that you keep providing value.
Conclusion
If you are not using Facebook’s Event feature for your business, you are letting go of a huge opportunity as the ROI from these are incredible. There was a time when we had to call up people to invite them for an event, thanks to Facebook, that is not the case anymore. Facebook Event will act as a repository of everything about your event based on the interactions you will have here.
Do remember that you need to use pictures that have the right dimensions according to Facebook’s strict guidelines. If your picture is not in alignment, then it will be distorted or cropped which is not an ideal situation to be in. Attractive visuals is the first appealing thing that people will notice about your event.
