Important update: As of Spring 2021, the option of having a Facebook cover video has been removed. You can still have a static image or a slideshow with multiple images as your Facebook cover.

---

When the Facebook cover feature initially launched in 2011, a new aspect was introduced to our profiles. Suddenly, we had this large top panel that could be filled with a photograph of our choosing. It was practically a second profile picture.

Seven years later, Facebook added the option to upload a Facebook cover video as well.

Why is this feature great for your business? How can you set up a Facebook cover video?

And, most importantly…

What is a Facebook Cover Video?

A Facebook cover video, quite simply, is a video that plays at the top portion of your profile as opposed to a still image. It’s a great promotional tool that makes your business profile that much more dynamic.

If you’re on a desktop, your cover video can be found just to the right of your business’s profile picture. When on mobile, your cover video will be located just above your profile picture.

Regardless of what device you’re using to access your Facebook account, the chosen cover video for your business profile takes up some very prime real estate.

Facebook cover videos can be especially impactful when promoting specific items or giving users a better idea of what your company is all about. Unlike static images that usually aren’t remembered too often by your audience, cover videos can give your profile some solid sticking power.

Facebook Cover Video Specifications

There are a few things you’re going to want to keep in mind when creating your cover video. For one, you need to consider dimensions for both desktop and mobile.

It’s recommended for your video to be at least 820 x 462 pixels, but there is an allowed minimal resolution of 820 x 312 pixels. Always aim for more pixels, preferably high-definition if you can, so your video doesn’t look grainy or low quality.

The folks over at Gallereplay advise you can push your dimension to roughly 1280 x 720 pixels for an overall sharper image. Another thing to note is that your video must be an MP4 file in order for it to be uploaded to Facebook.

When it comes to video formatting, landscape 16:9 is the go-to here. If you choose a square video as your Facebook cover video, it won’t fit the frame properly and will drag down your profile’s general appearance.

In terms of time, aim for a limit anywhere between 20 and 90 seconds. When it comes to video, particularly social media video, short and sweet is best. Besides, you’d like for your audience to explore the rest of your page and not be locked at the very top of your profile for a full 90 seconds anyway. Any Facebook cover video leaning towards the 90-second limit is a bit overkill. Considering that, aim for a cover video between 25 and 45 seconds.

If you choose a square video as your Facebook cover video, it won’t fit the frame properly and will drag down your profile’s general appearance

An essential thing to remember is you can loop your cover video. This means your video will consistently play over and over at the top of your profile. This is an especially important feature because if your video loops, it won’t require your audience to hit the play button again after viewing the video once.

The key with looping is your video has to be edited in a way where it looks nice when it loops. Otherwise, you run the risk of your Facebook cover video looking janky or jumpy, two things you definitely want to avoid.

How to Make Your Facebook Cover a Video

Changing your Facebook cover from an image to a video is actually very uncomplicated. Just follow these simple steps:

• Go to your Facebook business profile and hover over your cover photo. Select “change cover” in the top, left-hand corner.

• When the pop-up menu appears, select “upload photo” and this will give you the opportunity to select the video file you wish to have as your cover video.

• Upon uploading your new cover video, you’ll be prompted to crop the video for the best fit. You’re likely to lose a little bit of your video on the edges, so be sure to crop with a focus on the most important elements.

If you’re trying to craft a Facebook cover video from scratch, this straightforward guide can help steer you towards a fantastic video.

Facebook Cover Video Examples for Inspiration

While you may have a lot of ideas about what you’d like your video to be, it can be hard to bring an idea fully to life. Therefore, we pulled some examples to help spark your creative motor and get the wheels turning on how to best represent your business through a Facebook cover video.

1. Showcase Products

A great way to put new products front and center is by showcasing them in your cover video. Marvel has just released Infinity War on digital and DVD, so their cover video shares a few clips from the very popular movie while also advertising that you can own it now. The video smartly takes advantage of Facebook’s auto loop feature too.

2. Share Content Relevant to Your Brand

When you go to National Geographic’s Facebook page, you’re greeted with a beautiful cover video filled with wildlife video clips. It instantly matches their brand and puts on display some of the things their magazine is known for.

3. Give Visitors a Feel of What You’re About

Lucky Brand isn’t exactly selling clothes in their cover video. What they are doing is giving users a general sense of their style. All the models are wearing their merchandise while moving about in urban settings. They aren’t trying to sell you clothes, they are trying to sell you a lifestyle. They did all that with a simple cover video.

4. Prompt Users Into Action

Like any good marketer knows, it’s important to inject a sense of action into your audience. After all, you want them to interact with your brand. Use your cover video to urge them into action.

5. Inform Users as to Why You’re an Essential Service

If you want users to know why you’re a better option than your competitors, put your reasoning into your cover video. You can easily pack in some essential takeaways as to why your business is superior. Use your Facebook cover video to demonstrate finesse in your particular industry.

6. Promote a Service

If you’re a local restaurant that just started delivering, you’re probably trying to get the word out. So, format that news as a Facebook cover video and your cover panel will serve as an announcement headline to all of your visitors.

7. Introduce Your Team

As long as you’re relatively transparent, a good way to get people on board with your brand is to introduce your audience to the people who help shape your company.

8. Give Users a Sneak Peek

If you have people dying to get into your location for new displays, products, or events, give them a little sneak peak in your Facebook cover video. The Metropolitan Museum of Art does a good job of doing just that.

9. Let Your Location Speak for Itself

When your business is nestled in a beautiful location, it’s sometimes best to let your surroundings do the talking. One&Only Resorts’ cover video does a wonderful job of giving users a look at a number of their amazing locations around the world. It genuinely makes you want to travel.

10. Advertise a Sale

In the event your store is having a sale, you can use that as content for your cover video. Include all of the important details shoppers need to know and use Facebook’s cover panel as your electronic billboard.

Regardless of your industry, it’s possible to create an exceptional video to use as your Facebook cover video. While you are held to certain time constraints, the time allotted is more than enough to get your brand’s message across. With the number of angles you can approach your cover video from, there’s no shortage of possibilities for your business profile. Interact with your customers in new ways simply by uploading a cover video to your Facebook profile!