Facebook rolled out the Timeline feature some time ago and whether you like it or not it’s here to stay. It will become mandatory on March 30, 2012. The functionality of the storytelling layout is open for debate but the cover image is a big improvement!

This really gives you a billboard to put your brand out there and by combining it with the profile image you open up another jar of creativity.

Artwork by Giuseppe Draicchio

Measurements

The cover image is positioned at the top and uses the full width of the Facebook interface.
The size is 851×315 pixels to be exact. That’s a lot of space to display your brand! There are sites available that will help you in setting up your cover image, just Google: timeline cover service. We have created a special template in Photoshop with the exact measurements and profile picture placement to set up cover images for our clients.

Landing Page

We have lost the ability to display a custom landing page when non-fans visit your page but the enhanced branding opportunity should outweigh that in the long run. The cover is a great spot to inform visitors on new products or services, you could even create a dedicated cover for each of the four seasons.
By losing the custom landing page to engage non-fans we now have the cover to serve everybody that visits your page. This requires a new approach to grow your fan base and a stronger focus on quality content.

Now it’s time to get creative and set up your own cover photo because come March 30 your page will be converted anyway. Below are some more creative (and funny) ways to utilize the Timeline cover!

Artwork by Richard Kårström

Artwork by Mohammad L. AlAzzam

Artwork by Aly Moffatt