Facebook seems to have once again quietly made a change to the Page Guidelines for Cover Images!
The 20% rule is now gone from the official Facebook Page Guidelines language and the document shows it was updated July 1, 2013.
The last change had come March 19, 2013, enabling calls to action, website addresses and more, but enforcing a 20% rule on text on the cover image. Prior to that March update, pages could not have any price or purchase information within the coverage image, nor contact information, references to Facebook features, or calls to action.
All of that is now gone!
The complete Facebook Guidelines can be viewed here:
www.facebook.com/page_guidelines.php
Below is an image of the current and most recent prior Facebook Page Guidelines statement:
What do you think about this change? Good, bad, more visual overload in cover images?
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Hmmm seems they moved the 20% text rule into the advertising guidelines (see section D there), which according to your excerpt above applies to page posts. Seems like they just moved the writing rather than changing the rule…
@Njp Ads and sponsored stories are different than the cover image. The Cover image guideline text was changed to remove that 20% while, yes, the ads still have that applicable. Separate issues and different items in my opinion.
Hi Mike – just found the following link in Facebook’s help section that still mentions the 20% text rule for covers https://www.facebook.com/help/276329115767498 Am I missing something here?
I’m with NJP on this one. When you use the Help feature, it still says it can’t have more than 20% text on your cover photo.
I’m going by the official Page Guidelines doc and the revision date it notes. Thinking they are just behind in their help desk updates. (happens to me sometimes too!)
OK, thanks Mike 😉
Of course! Sorry! Reading too quickly. Okay so it seems the 80/20 still applied to page posts.
We have some extra confirmation of the 20% text rule being gone for Cover Images via a Facebook representative. It does still apply to any image ads. http://www.facebook.com/Ravishukle/posts/477314715689353
This might be precipitated by the 4% loss of U.S. users and the reaction of businesses in the way they use their Facebook Business Pages. Limiting the way businesses handle their own pages has always been viewed negatively by companies and marketing departments.
Facebook is trying desperately not to become another MySpace…
Well, this is a good move then to help marketers out and give more opportunity. Thanks for stopping by.
Would you trust a company that keeps changing its mind about what the rules are? I don’t think I would.
Is it though? What about this: https://www.facebook.com/help/468870969814641
Hope this gets figured out, because it has a big impact on my day-to-day work at a marketing firm.
Thanks,
Jackson
Seems to me that businesses always evaluate what is working and what needs improved. In this case they made a improvement that helps.
@jacksonkeirmclean:disqus, that is for running an AD with the Cover image. So the 20% is gone for the Cover image, but the 20% still applies for any Facebook Ad. In my experience, most marketers are not running ads of their Cover image.
Thanks Mike. It is just next to impossible, though, to keep up with them. Any suggestions for small biz owners who cannot follow every change facebook makes. In addition, our social media lives are not limited to facebook. One can spend all one’s time keeping up with the latest guidelines and having no time to actually work.
Hey @AlisonGilbert:disqus . I understand. We try to help you with that! On this blog post near the bottom we added a “Facebook Changes” email sign-up. You can sign-up and then we do the work for you. Whenever there is a key change, we email you and give some input and guidance on what the change means. That means less searching for you! It will come to your inbox. Only important changes will be emailed.
What about “Like Ads”? They seem to pop up in my news feed all the time, and they show pages’ cover photos (which often contain more than 20% text)
What we’ve seen is that often a Page can start a ad and it gets some exposure but then if Facebook catches up with their review and determines it is not meeting requirements, then they stop the ad. So there are times the ads go initially and you could see them, then Facebook stops them.
However, when you choose to edit your cover, you receive this message from facebook:
Pick a unique photo from your life to feature at the top of your timeline.
Note: This space is not meant for banner ads or other promotions. Please don’t use content that is commercial, promotional, copyright-infringing or already in use on other people’s covers.
Hi. The key here is that we are addressing Facebook business pages and not personal profiles
Just had an ad for my page removed because the cover photo had more than 20% text but they didn’t take down the cover. It seems you can have a cover like that but you can’t promote your page with it up.
Yes, Dustin, the cover image can have more than 20% text but if you try to run it as an ad, then it comes under the “ads may not have more than 20% text rule” that applies to all ads.