The cover photo and profile picture — and how they interact — will serve as your brand's introduction to potential fans. For this reason, the creativity you put into both will REALLY matter. 

 

The cover photo does not trump your content. After all, the bulk of your brand's interactions with fans will still occur in the news feed. But it's important to think of the cover photo as a piece of content that can convey information, change dynamically, and otherwise invite fans to want to learn more about the story behind your business or organization.

 

So what do you do if you can't hand off the cover photo to a graphic design team?

 

Let's face it: Not every business can afford the luxury of a graphic design team to help their Facebook cover photo pack a creative punch. If you're one of those businesses, check out this awesome post from Beth Kanter, author of The Networked Nonprofit. 

 

Even if you're not a non-profit, this post is packed with resources to help you create a stellar cover photo and profile image if your budget requires you to be a DIY kind of operation. 

 

It includes a template file (and creative examples) from Hongkiat.com. It also includes some basic design tips, links to Photoshop alternatives, and even more examples of Timeline cover photos from various nonprofits.

 

Have you designed your cover photo yet? If so, share a link in the comments.