Brian Meert's Blog, page 117

With Facebook Dynamic Ads for Lead Generation, Auto Dealers Easily Attract Customers

May 26, 2018
Anna Hubbel

Auto dealerships have a distinct marketing challenge to overcome. Customers tend to associate them with deceptive salesmen. For that reason, customers are on guard whenever they interact with anything related to car sales. As a result, it’s especially important to deliver informative ads to customers that foster trust. That’s why Facebook recently introduced Dynamic Ads for Lead Generation.

Currently, Facebook offers Dynamic Ads for Auto and Lead Ads for Auto. Dynamic Ads for Auto allow dealerships to feature their vehicle inventory in a stunning format to customers most likely to buy. Lead Ads for Auto use a Canvas format to make the process of gathering and presenting information to customers easier, with a unique locator feature that helps customers easily find the dealership.

Now, Facebook’s Dynamic Ads for Lead Generation uses a dealership’s vehicle catalog to improve ad relevance and prompt potential customers to complete a lead form for additional information. This type of ad is even more unique because rather than linking customers to the dealership’s website, the generated leads can be forwarded to a CRM so the closest sales representative can use the information to follow up with the individual customer.

But why does Facebook think Dynamic Ads for Lead Generation is uniquely beneficial to auto dealerships? The new ad format makes it easier to adapt the ad experience to each individual customer based on the information gathered from the leads, creating a more personalized vehicle shopping experience.

Additionally, Dynamic Ads for Lead Generation allows dealerships to make ads relevant to each customer based on location and allows them to easily sign up for a test drive. If a customer encounters an ad for a nearby dealership that offers a unique test drive opportunity not long after viewing a previous ad, that customer is more likely to seal the deal sooner. The ultimate outcome is a quick, easy, and personalized customer experience that drives auto sales and removes the deceptive dealership stigma.

Businesses Are Already Benefiting

Facebook already reports multiple success stories of businesses that have used Dynamic Ads for Lead Generation. One local dealership in Louisiana, Hub City Ford, used the ads to showcase vehicles similar to those viewed by customers, accompanied by a call-to-action such as “Sign up for a test drive.” Facebook says the dealership generated 154 leads, which led to 34 closed sales.

Another business, Camping World, used Dynamic Ads for Lead Generation to promote its recreational vehicle inventory. The campaign produced a three times return on ad spend, Facebook reports.

“Dynamic lead ads for auto have finally given us an effective bottom-of-the-funnel acquisition strategy on Facebook,” says Brian McCabe, a digital marketing employee at Camp World in an interview with Facebook. “Now, we can create a better overall shopping experience while using our budget more efficiently.”

Advertisers Are Not Abandoned

With all the changes Facebook has been making to improve transparency and to crack down on platform misuse, advertisers may feel anxious about the future of their digital advertising campaigns. For instance, Facebook says advertisers must soon verify their leads were rightfully attained. Also, the network announced its efforts towards fighting clickbait and low-quality websites and giving users more control over their privacy.

It’s understandable that advertisers feel like they are walking on eggshells. And yes, more precautions will need to be taken to ensure ads are in full compliance with Facebook’s changes and policies. But advertisers are certainly not being overlooked, as it is clearly demonstrated by rollout of products like Dynamic Ads for Lead Generation.

That being said, advertisers need to make sure they’re putting in the extra effort to make their ads trustworthy to keep a strong following.

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Your Facebook Ads Were Disapproved. Here’s What to Do

May 25, 2018
Anna Hubbel

Your Facebook Ads Were Disapproved. Here's What to Do. #facebookads #digitaladvertising #digitalmarketing
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Don’t panic. Just because Facebook disapproved your ad, doesn’t mean you have to toss it out altogether. In fact, Facebook’s advertising policies offer specific steps to take if it disapproves your ad. None of the steps given include the words “toss,” “delete,” or “get rid of.” The biggest word Facebook does use, however, is “edit.” Although it may not be a creator’s favorite word to hear, it at least means the creator has the opportunity to change a disapproved ad and resubmit it.

You Have Two Options If Facebook Disapproves Your Ad

Facebook offers two options if it disapproves your ad. The first option is editing your ad. The second option is appealing Facebook’s disapproval decision. If you choose the first option, here are the steps for editing your ad:

Step 1: From the email your advertising account received when your ad was disapproved, read the details about the disapproval.

Step 2: Edit your ad based on the details Facebook provided in the email. You may need to edit the text, images, or call-to-action to comply with Facebook’s policies.

Step 3: Save your changes to resubmit your ad for review.

If you choose the second option, appealing Facebook’s decision, you can fill out and send an Appeal a Decision form. Facebook will review your request to see if it perhaps made a mistake in its decision to disapprove your ad. You may appeal Facebook’s decision if it isn’t completely clear whether Facebook’s justification for disapproving your ad aligns with its advertising policies.

To ensure your ad is not disapproved, familiarize yourself with Facebook’s Advertising Policies and Prohibited Content. If your ads are disapproved, here are 10 reason why.

10 Possible Reasons Facebook Disapproved Your Ad

It has a non-functioning landing page. If your ad directs users to a landing page that doesn’t function or that has poor navigation or broken links, Facebook will disapprove it.

The landing page doesn’t match the content promoted in the ad. Facebook considers this clickbait. Clickbait promises users one thing but then takes them to a page with unexpected content. Facebook will disapprove ads with clickbait.

The content in the ad is inappropriate or offensive. Facebook will disapprove content that includes profanity, sexual innuendo, and discrimination.

It encourages illegal or unethical behavior. Facebook will disapprove ads promoting illegal drugs or unauthorized streaming devices.

It contains third-party infringement. Facebook disapproves ads that infringe or violate any third-party’s copyright or trademark.

It contains misleading or false content. Facebook disapproves content that is false or makes misleading claims about products or services.

It promotes products or services that are prohibited by Facebook. Such products or services that Facebook prohibits include surveillance equipment, payday loans, counterfeit documents, tobacco, unsafe supplements, and weapons.

It contains low-quality or disruptive content. Slow loading pages, broken links, and poor grammar are a few examples of ad content Facebook will disapprove.

It contains disruptive animation that plays automatically regardless of interaction. Facebook considers video ads that play without first giving users the chance to click or engage with it disruptive to the user experience.

It contains controversial content for commercial purposes. For example, ads that contain content about issues like abortion or gun control for financial gain.

It’s more important now than ever to stay up-to-date on Facebook’s policies as the network continues to improve the transparency of pages and ads.

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13 Types of Businesses That Can’t Advertise on Facebook

May 24, 2018
Anna Hubbel

13 Types of Businesses That Can't Advertise on Facebook. #business #facebookads #facebookadvertising #facebookadvertisingpolicies
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Facebook advertising isn’t for everyone. It may be a matter of preference or it may be the type of business you have can’t advertise on the platform because the product or service you sell violates Facebook’s advertising policies. Since Facebook is enhancing its focus and drive to provide users with positive experiences on the platform, the company is extensively cracking down on negative or controversial content and the individuals who produce them. Here’s 15 types of businesses that can’t advertise on Facebook.

1. Tobacco Companies

Companies that sell tobacco or other related products can’t advertise on Facebook because ads or content that promote the sale or use of such products is prohibited.

2. Businesses That Sell Unsafe Supplements

If Facebook determines that a supplement a business is selling is unsafe, it will consider any related ads to be in violation of its policies. Businesses with this type of product can’t advertise on Facebook.

3. Businesses That Sell Weapons, Ammunition, or Explosives

Facebook does not allow the promotion of these products period. Business that sell weapons can’t advertise on the platform.

4. Businesses That Sell Adult Products, Services, or Content

Since Facebook users can be as young as 13, Facebook wants to keep its platform family friendly by prohibiting any ads promoting adult products, services, or content. Examples include the promotion of exotic shows, porn, and sexual pleasure enhancements. Contraceptives or family planning products are the only exemptions.

5. Businesses That Produce Controversial Political Content

If a business makes money off of controversial political content, it can’t advertise on Facebook because the company, in light of recent issues such as the Cambridge Analytica scandal, is cracking down on clickbait and politically divisive content. Businesses that produce this type of content may have their accounts blocked.

6. Businesses That Sell Surveillance Equipment

Spy cams, mobile phone trackers, or other hidden surveillance equipment is prohibited in Facebook advertising, so businesses that make money from those products can’t advertise on the platform.

7. Businesses That Offer Payday or Cash Advance Loans

If a business offers any kind of short-term loan and primarily makes money from these types of services, that business can’t advertise on Facebook. If, however, the business offers other financial services that do not fall under this category, as long as they only advertise those services and not the short-term loan services, they can advertise on the platform.

8. Businesses That Use Multi-Level Marketing or Pyramid Schemes

These types of businesses are misleading, promising quick compensation for little investment when in reality, acquiring compensation requires misleading practices. If a business offers income opportunities, it must be completely transparent about the process.

9. Penny Auction Companies

Facebook doesn’t allow ads that promote these types of business models, so companies that make money this way can’t advertise on Facebook.

10. Businesses That Sell Counterfeit Documents

These types of documents include counterfeit degrees, passports or immigration papers. If a business primarily makes money from counterfeit documents, it can’t advertise on the platform.

11. Spyware or Malware Companies

If a company has spyware or malware on its website or includes links to such products in ads, it will be in violation of Facebook’s advertising policies. Therefore, these companies have no place in Facebook advertising.

12. Businesses That Sell Unauthorized Streaming Devices

If a business makes money from devices that employ unauthorized streaming of digital media, they can’t advertise on Facebook because they are promoting illegal practices.

13. Businesses That Offer Prohibited Financial Products and Services

Facebook has a list of prohibited financial products and services that are commonly associated with misleading or deceptive promotional practices. Binary options, initial coin offerings, and cryptocurrency fall under that category. A business that makes money from these types of products or services can’t advertise on Facebook.

As Facebook continues to crackdown on platform misuse and clickbait, this list may change, meaning businesses may need to work harder to be considered trustworthy.

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Soon You Can Mute People You Don’t Like on Instagram

Mary 23, 2018
Anne Felicitas
Photo courtesy of The Verge

When it comes to feed options, Instagram dawdles. Unlike its parent company, Facebook, Instagram doesn’t have the option to mute friends—until now.

A rollout to which many would remark “it’s about time,” Instagram finally launches a long overdue mute feature. First spotted by The Verge, the mute feature allows you to stop people’s posts and Stories from appearing on your feed. The mute feature is not like the block feature: you can still visit people’s profiles, and even unmute the offenders at any time. And don’t worry. Your unsuspecting friends will never know that you muted their posts.

The mute feature, which is currently rolling out to users in the coming weeks, arrives as a relief to the conflict-avoidance individuals among us who find it too awkward and too confrontational to unfollow friends. The mute feature presents a median solution, relieving you of the options that lie on the ends of two extremes: either tolerating people’s annoying posts or unfollowing them altogether.

For those of us who are excited about the mute feature but do not yet have it, the rollout cannot come any sooner.

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6 Ways Buying Fake Followers Will Harm Your Campaigns

May 23, 2018
Anna Hubbel

6 Ways Buying Fake Follow Will Harm Your Campaigns. #socialmediastrategy #socialmedia #influencer
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Social media marketing takes a lot of work. The number of followers you have, whether it be on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or all of the above, can be a crucial determiner of your marketing campaign’s success. But attracting those followers takes a lot of creative investment. When your page finally breaks 1,000 followers, it’s a great feeling.

Because your following is such an important part of social media marketing, it can be tempting to take the easy route. Some businesses buy fake followers to make themselves appear more successful and subsequently attract real followers. However, this route can result in serious consequences that will harm both your campaign and even your account.

If you’re even slightly considering buying fake followers, here are six ways doing so can harm your social media campaign.

1. Decreases in Engagement Rates

If you are buying fake followers, you are also buying low engagement rates because the followers you buy aren’t going to engage with your ads or campaigns. If the number of fake followers you have outweigh the number of real followers, putting out engaging content is a waste of time—the fake followers aren’t going to bite.

2. Difficulty Tracking Genuine Metrics

When a significant portion of your followers is fake, it becomes difficult to track and measure numbers that are genuine. For instance, when you roll out a campaign that generates less-than-desirable metrics, how will you know if the results indicate users being uninterested or fake followers being the only (and unengaged) audience of your campaign?

3. Low Conversion Rates

The whole purpose of a social media campaign is to drive customers to buy something or take action in response to your ads. Your fake followers aren’t going to generate these conversions. Also, if other users suspect that you are buying followers, they are not likely to engage with your ads or your page. As a result, your campaign’s conversion rates will be low or even nonexistent.

4. Reduced Reach in Feeds

Platforms like Facebook and Instagram have algorithms that take engagement levels into account when prioritizing content in users’ feeds. With the aforementioned consequences of a fake following already affecting your campaign, these platforms will push your content to the bottom of feeds or exclude it from feeds altogether. As a result, your campaign will proceed to have lower reach, ultimately begetting a failed campaign.

5. Deletion of Your Page or Account

Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter may take serious action against your account if they suspect you are buying followers. Facebook, for instance, will block your account if it detects that your page is buying fake likes. Obviously, you need an account to have a campaign, so deletion of your account guarantees a failed campaign.

6. A Decrease in Perceived Credibility

Most important, buying fake followers decreases not only your page’s overall credibility but also your business’s credibility. If users discover that you buy followers, they will view any of your ads or campaigns as spammy or a nuisance.

But your credibility with users isn’t the only reputation that will harm both existing and future campaigns. Buying followers also harms your credibility with social media platforms. If platforms flag your accounts for generating a fake following, you may encounter significant difficulty redeeming yourself and starting a new advertising partnership with those platforms going forward.

7. Best Practices for Attracting an Authentic Following

Instead of taking the easy route, here are some basic best practices for building an authentic following for your social media pages:

Write compelling ad and post copy
Post relevant and compelling content
Post regularly
Engage with users and other pages
Incorporate trending topics into your ads and posts

You may think yourself cunning for buying fake followers and fooling the world into believing your brand has a good grip on social media users, but, as this post proves, buying followers brings all harm and no good.

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How to Properly Use LinkedIn Hashtags

May 22, 2018
Anna Hubbel

How to Properly Use #LinkedInHashtags #networking #career
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Hashtags. We see them on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. They’re fun tags that make posts more searchable. When used effectively, hashtags are a useful marketing tool for your social media strategy.

But can you use hashtags on LinkedIn? Absolutely. Although this wasn’t always the case (LinkedIn rolled out hashtags in 2016), LinkedIn does allow users to include hashtags when posting a status update on the platform to make it easier for them to browse and discover other posts containing similar hashtags.

Hashtags on LinkedIn work similarly to hashtags on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. When you include a hashtag in a status update, users who search that hashtag or click on an identical hashtag in someone else’s status update will see your post along with others in their search results. The biggest difference, however, is the hashtags you use on LinkedIn should be business oriented, whether you’re marketing your business to potential customers or marketing yourself to potential employers.

What Is a Status Update?

Status updates on LinkedIn are like Facebook status posts. You can either write a few sentences (or en entire paragraph, even) post an article or link to a website or video, or upload an image or video.

Brenda Meller (Zawacki), a marketing consultant, offered some examples of status updates in an article she shared on LinkedIn. In one example, a user announces a new professional role he acquired at an organization. In another example, to spark engagement, Meller tagged another user in her status update about some professional business advice he gave to her in an in-person conversation they had. Meller also shared an example of including photos in a status update by sharing pictures taken during a business event in which she was a guest on a panel.

Our Editor Anne Felicitas writes a LinkedIn status update with hashtags.
What Is the Proper Way to Use Hashtags in Status Updates on LinkedIn?

The primary purpose of hashtags on LinkedIn is to engage and network with other users. You can either create your own hashtags and hope others pick up on your trend, or you can use popular hashtags to help you appear higher up in search results.

The hashtags you use on LinkedIn should relate to your professional passions or goals in some way. They should be short, easy, and relevant. For instance, a hashtag can be as simple as #LinkedInHashtags. They can be used at the end of your status update or they can be incorporated within the context of the post. Here’s an example: “Check out my latest article about #LinkedInHashtags for some #socialmediamarketing tips. I’d also love to hear your feedback! #LinkedInConnections.” In this example, the author writes about social media marketing, so the hashtags are related to the post.

Amy Jones, a creative strategist, says in an article posted on LinkedIn that you should avoid using hashtags that are too general. Here are examples of bad hashtags: “Check out my latest #article about #LinkedIn #hashtags for some #social #media #marketing tips. I’d also love to hear your feedback! #Networking.”

You also don’t want to use random hashtags that have nothing to do with your professional profile or business. Status updates filled with irrelevant hashtags come across as spammy and annoying to other users, hurting your credibility.

In her article, Jones provides a list of hashtags used on LinkedIn. Below are a few you can use as examples to inspire your own use of hashtags:

#1MinMillenial by Goldie Chan and Fyiona Yong

#30DaysOfValue by Ali Akbar

#30DS by Eli Hochberg, Ben Rea, and Josh Jurkovich

#4C by Judd Borakove, Gilad Rosinger, and Avery Konda

#4In4Challenge by Paul Carrick Brunson

#5Videos by Fahad Mohammed, Mike Morgan Ph.D., and Goldie Chan

#AccessForAll by Goldie Chan, Brian Wallace, and Sarah Snow

#BERHOFFNetwork by Brett Berhoff

#BrandIn30 by Jake Jordan

#BridgeConnections by Sumandeep Sing

#GetLouder by Angelo Giallombardo

#GoalsTogether by Goldie Chan, Manu Goswami, Michaela Alexis, and Aaron Orendorff

What Are the Benefits of Using Hashtags on LinkedIn?

Social Media Marketing Strategist Mindi Rosser talks about the benefits of hashtags in her article shared on LinkedIn. She notes the following benefits in her article:

They help LinkedIn identify topics that are important and relevant to users.
They improve search engine optimization within the platform, which means they will also help your posts appear in Google search results.
They promote engagement and professional connections.
They make status updates more interesting (when they’re relevant).
They help you identify trends that may be useful to your marketing strategy.

What Other Ways Can You Use Hashtags on LinkedIn?
Our Editor Anne Felicitas includes a hashtag in her comment.

Status updates are one of the places where you can use hashtags. You can also use hashtags in the comments section and in articles you publish on LinkedIn. To do the latter, just before you publish your article, you can include relevant hashtags in the box that says “Tell your network what your article is about. Use #tags to help others find it.” LinkedIn will use the words and phrases within your hashtags to make your article appear in users’ search results.

It’s time to improve your #socialmarketinggame and use hashtags to make those #relevantconnections.

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Facebook Introduces Messenger Tools That Make Reporting Easier

May 21, 2018
Anna Hubbel

Facebook Introduces Messenger Tools That Make Reporting Easier. #facebook #socialmedia #tech
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Facebook cracks down on bad experiences across all its social platforms. For example, last month, the company announced its Data Abuse Bounty Program, which rewards users who report data misuse to help Facebook identify app developers abusing its platform. Back in the fall, Facebook stopped allowing self-reported targeting after some advertisers used it to target “Jew haters.” And recently, the company informed advertisers that it’s expanding its efforts to reduce clickbait and deceptive links to low-quality websites. Now, Facebook introduces new tools to its app, Messenger, that make it easier for users to report conversations that violate the network’s Community Standards.

Previously, users could only report Messenger conversations through Facebook reporting tools or through Messenger web—there was nothing for mobile. Now, Facebook says users can report conversations straight through their iOS or Android mobile devices.

Reporting Messenger Conversations

Users can report a conversation they suspect violates Facebook’s Community Standards by doing following:

Step 1: Open Messenger and go to the conversation in question.

Step 2: Tap the name of the person or group involved in the conversation.

Step 3: Scroll to “Something’s Wrong” in the list of options that appear.

Step 4: Choose the category that best fits the conversation, such as harassment, hate speech, or pretending to be someone else.

Facebook says users also have the option to ignore or block the person or group being reported. The network will send a confirmation message to indicate the report was successfully submitted.

“Providing more granular reporting options in Messenger makes it faster and easier to report things for our Community Operations team to review,” Hadi Michel, product manager for Facebook Messenger, says in a news post. Michel adds that the team reviews reports in over 50 languages. “This means our community will see issues addressed faster so they can continue to have positive experiences on Messenger.”

Although Facebook is comprised of a massive network of employees that review content across the globe, the company still can’t do it all on its own. It needs its users to help make its social platforms safe and enjoyable for all.

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How to Create Great GIFs That Connect with Followers

May 21, 2018
Anne Hubbel

How to Create Great GIFs That Connect with Followers. #hacks #gifs #graphicdesign
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Everyone enjoys a good GIF. They’re fun to look at; they can contain unique or relatable messages, and they are great for making users stop mid-scroll. In the marketing sense, GIFs are a smart way to connect with users without coming across as too salesy.

What Does “GIF” Stand For?

“GIF” stands for Graphics Interchange Format. They are low-resolution, looping video images that often look like stop-motion animations or brief snippets of a video clip with a caption. GIFs are short, telling a story or message very quickly. Users often use GIFs in witty responses or comment exchanges with other users. For example, if one user were to say something like “Well, it’s official: I’m now a vegan,” a friend might jokingly respond with the GIF of Michael Scott from an episode of The Office screaming “No, God no! No! Nooooooooo!”

How to Make Your Own GIF

Since GIFs are so popular, there are various ways to make your own quickly. You have conversion sites such as Giphy, Make A Gif, and Gifs.com, to name a few. Depending on which site you choose to make your GIF, the creation process will vary. For this step-by-step guide, I’m using GIPHY to make a quick and witty GIF.

Step 1: Go to Giphy.com and select “Create.”

Step 2: Choose whether you want to create your GIF using a photo or existing GIF, a video file, or an existing video link. If you choose one of the file upload options, upload your file.

Step 3: Enter the caption you want to appear in your GIF, the color and style you want your caption text to have, and the animation (if any) you want your caption to have. You can also add stickers, filters, or drawings to your GIF, and reposition the caption by clicking on it and moving it. When you’re finished, select “Continue to Upload.”

Step 4: Enter tags and a source URL for your GIF, then select “Upload to GIPHY.”

Step 5: When Giphy finishes uploading your GIF, choose one of the options to the right of your GIF to share it. And you’re done!

Make a GIF Using Photoshop

You can also use Photoshop to create a GIF, which is a good option if you want something very unique and original, and you don’t mind a few extra steps.

Here’s a step-by-step guide of how to convert a series of photos you’ve compiled into a GIF with Photoshop, courtesy of HootSuite.

Step 1: Open Photoshop and go to “File” > “Stack” > “Load Files into Stack.” Select “Browse.”

Step 2: Select the range of photos you want in your GIF. Use shift-click to select the whole list of files. Once they’re all selected, click “Open.”

Step 3: When you’re back to the “Load Layers” box, select “OK.”

Step 4: At the top navigation menu, go to “Window” and scroll down to “Timeline.”

Step 5: Click “Create Video Timeline” when it appears at the bottom of your screen. Change it to “Create Frame Animation.”

Step 6: Select the menu icon located at the top right of the Timeline panel.

Step 7: In the dropdown menu that appears, select “Make Frames From Layers.”

Step 8: The photos you uploaded will appear in the Timeline panel. Drag to reorder them in the order you want them to play. Press the triangular Play button to preview your GIF, making sure “Forever” is selected in the dropdown menu to the left of the Play controls.

Step 9: Go to “File” > “Export” > “Save for Web (Legacy)”

Step 10: You will be directed to an export menu box. Under “Preset,” select “GIF 128 Dithered.”

Step 11: In the same export settings menu box, set your “Colors” to 256.

Step 12: Select “Preview” to watch your GIF before pressing “Save” to name and save your GIF to your computer. And you’re done!

Making Your GIF Work for Your Social Media Campaign

If you decide to incorporate GIFs into your social media marketing campaign, it’s important to use GIFs that are relevant to your business or brand. In the first GIF example, with the caption “When they don’t have your shoe size,” this GIF would work well for a shoe brand. It obviously wouldn’t go over as well, however, for a restaurant.

You can also use GIFs for quick demos of your product being used. Perhaps, for example, you create a quick GIF that shows the multiple ways you could wear a scarf you sell. Or a GIF that demonstrates your mascara product being used.

Whatever the purpose of your GIF, explore and experiment with all the social media marketing possibilities available to you in this fun and creative media format.

Happy GIF-making!

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9 Ways to Make a Stellar Facebook Cover Photo

May 20, 2018
Anna Hubbel

9 Ways to Make a Stellar Facebook Cover Photo. #facebook #socialmedia #tips
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Your Facebook cover photo is like the headline of your page: it makes your page stand out from the rest. Facebook cover photos give you the opportunity to get visually creative. It also allows you to establish your brand’s color scheme and aesthetics and to lure users into browsing the rest of your page with interest.

Although it seems like such a simple concept, uploading a banner photo to represent your brand, there are some best practices you should keep in mind when making your Facebook cover photo. This post will walk you through some of the key best cover photo practices so you can make a stellar photo every time.

1. Use the Correct Cover Photo Dimensions

If you don’t use the correct dimensions for your cover photo, the photo may appear skewed, which looks unprofessional. The minimum dimensions are 851 x 315 pixels with a file size under 100kb, so use these numbers when creating your cover photo in Photoshop to ensure it displays on your page exactly the way you expect.

That being said, however, you also want to keep in mind that cover photos display more like a rectangle on desktop and more like a square on mobile. If you use the aforementioned dimensions, make sure elements in your cover photo will still look good on both desktop and mobile; otherwise, Hootsuite says you can also format your cover photo as 820 x 462 pixels to make it display well on both versions.

2. Don’t Violate Any Copyrights

Some people think they can simply look up a good image on Google Images, save it, and upload it as their cover photo. Nuh-uh. Not only is this path uncreative and unprofessional, but it also likely violates someone else’s image copyright. Put in the creative effort to make a sharp, original cover photo. It’ll be worth it.

3. Make Sure Your Image Is Relevant and Family Friendly

The last thing you want to do is offend or turn off users with your cover photo. Keep your cover photo clean and family friendly.

You also don’t want to use a cover photo that’s irrelevant to your brand. The point of a cover photo isn’t just to look good; it should also sum up the basic message or purpose of your business.

4. Don’t Violate Facebook’s Advertising Rules

If you want your cover photo to advertise a product or service, make sure it is in compliance with Facebook’s advertising policies for pages. You wouldn’t want Facebook to flag your page because your cover photo violates the platform’s rules.

5. Create a Template Using Photoshop

Using either the 851 x 315 or the 820 x 462 pixel dimensions, create a cover photo template using Photoshop. You can also mark where you want the text and primary elements to be located. This will make it easier when you update your cover photo: you can just insert your new images and text in the template and save your new photo as a JPG or PNG.

6. Use Clear and Simple Graphics, Text, and Photos

Don’t use an overwhelming amount of wordy text or complex imagery. You want your cover photo to quickly and clearly communicate your message. Users shouldn’t have to spend more than a second or two making sense of your cover photo.

You also want it to be captivating, and a simple look with elements that pop is best. Whether you prefer graphics or a photo, you can make a great-looking cover photo and still clearly communicate your message by keeping it simple.

7. Make Your Cover Photo Complementary to Your Profile Photo

Your cover photo and profile photo should look like a cohesive conjunction of elements. Although they should be different from each other, they should not be drastically different. They should complement each other, in color and size contrasts. You want to make sure that both the profile photo and the cover photo look like they are part of the same brand.

8.Optimize for Mobile

How will your cover photo read on a mobile screen? Is it clear, or is it confusing? Will any of the elements be cut off? Is the text big enough? These are the types of questions you should ask yourself to make sure your cover photo is optimized for mobile.

9. Right-Align the Elements in Your Photo

Although centering elements may in some cases be the preferred choice, Hootsuite says right alignment of your heavier elements reads more aesthetically for cover photos. It directs the eye from a left-to-right motion, landing on your page’s call-to-action button at the bottom right of your cover photo.

Now you’re ready to create a slew of amazing cover photo designs for your Facebook page! If you are the admin of a Facebook fan page, you can also learn how to upload a cover photo to keep fellow fans interested.

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How to Find Out If an App Misused Your Facebook Information

May 19, 2018
Anna Hubbel

How to Find Out if an App Misused Your Facebook Information. #facebook #apps #security #camrbidgeanalytica
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We’re all feeling vulnerable after we learned an app took advantage of our personal Facebook information in the Cambridge Analytica scandal. And it happened in such a misleading, violating way, in the guise of a harmless personality quiz app gathering information for “academic purposes.” Even after Facebook said it would alert every user who may have been affected, there is still room for suspicion about the other apps that may be misusing our information.

Facebook recently announced that the company is investigating all apps that had access to significant amounts of data prior to its policy changes in 2014. The ongoing investigation consists of teams of external and internal experts working in two phases. The first phase involves an in-depth, comprehensive review of all apps with this data access. The second phase entails detailed interviews and requests for information with app creators to ensure correct use of gathered data.

So far, Facebook’s investigations have led to the suspension of about 200 apps, pending further examination. As Facebook continues to learn more, it will proceed to ban any apps it identifies as misusers.

You may be thinking, “But I want to know now whether an app misused my Facebook information.” Well, Facebook has a page dedicated specifically to informing you whether your information was potentially misused by one of the apps being investigated. The page includes a table that Facebook updates as more information is discovered about each suspected app. Simply check in with the page every now and then to see if any new updates were added to the table. You have to be logged into your Facebook account in order for the table to update with information specific to your profile.

“There is a lot more work to be done to find all the apps that may have misused people’s Facebook data—and it will take time,” Vice President of Product Partnerships Ime Archibong said in a Facebook blog post. “We are investing heavily to make sure this investigation is as thorough and timely as possible. We will keep you updated on our progress.”

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