How to animate photos on facebook
Facebook lets you create '3D photos' that MOVE – here's how make your own right now
FACEBOOK users can now post 3D photos, which move as they tilt their phones or VR headsets.
The effect makes photos appear more immersive and alive, although for now the ability to post 3D images is limited to iPhone users.
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3D photos are all part of Facebook's strategy to make its social network more immersive for usersCredit: FacebookFacebook first announced its plans to launch 3D photos in May, but it's only now that the feature is being rolled out.
It works by taking advantage of photos taken with dual-lens cameras, which like pairs of eyes combine two pictures together to create a layered image with depth and perspective.
This means that only users with dual-camera phones will be able to create 3D images, and for now the feature is restricted solely to the iPhone 7+, 8+, X, XS, and XS Max.
However, Facebook has said that it will be "adding support for more devices in the future," according to The Verge.
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Desktop users of Facebook will not be able to benefit from 3D photosCredit: Getty/ContributorHow to post a 3D photo to Facebook
Assuming you have one of the compatible iPhones, posting a 3D photo to Facebook is easy:
- Open Facebook on your iPhone and create a new post
- Tap the 'More' icon in the top-right corner (the icon with the three horizontal dots)
- Scroll through the drop-down menu and tap 3D Photo
- Tap the photo you'd like to post in 3D
- Preview the 3D photo and then tap Next
- Add a caption if desired and then tap Share
That's it, although Facebook explains that certain types of photo translate to 3D better than others.
It recommends that users take photos with 'layers,' meaning that there are people or objects at different distances from the camera.
It also recommends making sure that photographed objects have strong contrasting colours, so that differences in perspective show up more easily.
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Once posted, the 3D photo can be viewed by anyone with a smartphone (not just iPhone owners), or by people using the Oculus Go or Oculus Rift VR headsets.
It's obviously not true 3D (since you can't walk around the photographed object), but the ability to tilt the image does give a very good illusion of depth.
And given that Facebook lost users this year due to a variety of data scandals, anything that makes the Facebook experience more immersive is likely to be good news for the company.
Will you be posting 3D photos to Facebook? Let us know in the comments!
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12 Facebook tips and tricks everyone should know - Animated profile pic
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Animated profile pic
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Unfollow but not unfriend
From someone's profile in the Facebook mobile app, tap on 'Following' under their profile picture and then 'Unfollow' to get rid of their posts completely. On the desktop, click the drop-down arrow to the right of a post to unfollow a person.
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Never miss an update
People and pages you've marked to see first will have a little blue star next to their posts in your feed.
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Make separate groups of people you're friends with
Facebook creates list of friends by default based on common affiliation, whether it be the same hometown, school, etc. On Facebook's desktop site you can see all of your friend lists from this page and add people to them. This creates individual News Feeds within Facebook for you to browse.
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This day that year
Only you see your 'On This Day' activity, and you can find the feature from the link Facebook.com/onthisday. Facebook also lets you hide certain people (Again, insert ex here) from showing up in your past activity.
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Get alerted every time a login attempt is made
You can choose to get a Facebook notification or email whenever a login is made. Login Approvals mean that you'll have to enter a secondary code sent to your phone before logging into Facebook on a new device.
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Hide relationship status change from your friends
This means the change won't show up in your friends' News Feeds.While editing your profile under 'Family and Relationships', change the privacy filter to 'Only Me'.
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Customise profile for public and individual friends
When you're logged into Facebook on the desktop website, go to your profile, click the ellipsis and then "View as..."
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Tell people how to pronounce your name correctly
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Block people
Select 'Block'.11/11
Turn off auto-playing videos in your News Feed
Go to Settings in the Facebook mobile app and then "Account Settings." From there select "Videos and Photos." You can choose to auto-play videos over cellular and Wi-Fi connections, just Wi-Fi, or never.
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The Complete 2022 Facebook Cover Photo Guide: Scale, Sizes, Tips & Samples
Your Facebook cover photo is the first thing people will notice when they see your page. When you're looking to create the best first impression, everything matters: size, content, text, mobile readability, etc.
In this guide, we'll look at Facebook photo and video size rules, templates, and examples.
Let's talk about what to do and not to do, and much more, which will help you create the most effective and impressive cover photo and video.
Before we begin: Let's get acquainted with the necessary terms
In order for everyone to be on the same wavelength and understand what will be discussed, it is necessary to go through the basic terminology that will be used in this article. You won't find a lot of technical information, but there are some terms you still need to know. So:
- The cover photo is a space for a panoramic image at the top of the Facebook page, located above the avatar. Business accounts can use it to highlight their products, services, and more.
- The Safe Zone is a small part of the Facebook cover photo that is always visible on all social networks.
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A pixel (px) is a constituent element of a digital image, as well as the smallest unit of information. For example, an image might be 640px wide by 512px high, which is easy to see when you zoom in.
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PNG (portable network graphics or “portable network graphics format”) is one of the most commonly used formats in which image compression is lossless.
Facebook cover photo dimensions
Facebook cover photo is a large high resolution image. But with such a huge number of rules and sizes (covers, avatars, links to photo publications, etc.), it's hard not to get confused. Here are some specifications:
For desktop users, your cover photo is displayed at 820px wide by 312px high. For those using the mobile version, the photo will be limited to 640px wide and 360px high. If the photo does not fit within the designated frames, it will be automatically resized to fit.
Luckily for Facebook users, all photos are scaled to fit the cover space. Depending on the original dimensions of the image, it will be stretched or cropped. Automatic correction does not distort the image. However, the image may become slightly blurry if it is small and has a low resolution.
The cover photo is the largest image on your page. It can make a good impression of you when you first visit the page, but it can also destroy it. If the selected image does not meet the requirements, then you may experience some difficulties. For example, an image can be "pixelated" as discussed earlier. Also, part of the text may be “cut off” during correction, or the entire layout may look awkward.
Facebook Headline Size: Desktop vs Mobile
As shown in the picture below, both the mobile and desktop versions cut off significant portions of the original image. Therefore, it is best to position the main part of the image and text closer to the center. Then you will avoid the risk of losing important information.
Some users are annoyed by the inability to upload different images for mobile and desktop versions. To avoid this problem, you need to choose an image that will fit both formats. The generally accepted size is 820 x 360 px. In the images below, you can see how Facebook automatically resizes the same image that was already created with this fact in mind.
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There are more reasons to make your pages mobile friendly. For example, 71% of website visitors are mobile users. Thus, it is very useful to make your content available to all users.
Facebook cover photo sizes
All these rules and sizing requirements make the process of creating a Facebook cover photo very intimidating. To make your task easier, we have collected practical recommendations and the most important tips. There's plenty of room for creativity - all you need to do is make sure that your cover image follows three basic principles:
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Text - A short slogan can play an important role in attracting attention. Small text serves as an additional way to interact with users and allows you to effectively promote your brand message.
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Emotions - if you get an emotional response from visitors, they are more likely to remember the content they viewed. For example, creating a connection between a brand and feelings of friendliness, inspiration, warmth, and happiness has a positive effect on users' purchasing decisions.
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Relevance – Your cover photo should be relevant to your audience as well as your brand message. Find a balance between making the cover useful for searchers and reinforcing your company's interests.
Once you've mastered these basic principles, you can move on to the rest of the helpful tips. Let's explore practical tips on how to create relevant and visually memorable Facebook covers:
- Follow Facebook cover photo requirements
It never hurts to read Facebook's official requirements. There are no critical consequences for non-compliance, but you don't want to put your Facebook page at risk of being taken down. You can always refer to the official requirements when choosing a photo:- Covers are visible to all users.
- Cover art may not contain false information, be misleading, or violate anyone's user rights.
- Be sure to check the size requirements before uploading a photo.
- Create an eye-catching cover photo
Whether it's a photograph, a hand-drawn illustration, a stock image, or anything else, make it visually impactful.
You can use colors. Color schemes can affect how an audience perceives a picture and creates an impression in different ways. Play with different color combinations to change the tone of your work - they can be bold, sophisticated or romantic, depending on what you're aiming for. - Apply the old 20% text rule
The old Facebook rule allowed text to be no more than 20% of your cover photo. Although this rule has technically disappeared, the general impression of its usefulness has remained unchanged. If your cover photo will contain text, try to keep it concise. - Choose colors that work in harmony with your brand aesthetic
A single color scheme will bring consistency to all your channels. Treat your Facebook page as an extension of your business. If you have certain colors that are used in your physical and online stores, then you can also use them on various social networks. platforms. In this case, your brand logo will become even more recognizable.
- Keep your cover simple and clear
A neat image grabs users' attention more effectively than an image with lots of detail. Determine exactly what you need to put on the image. Even if you feel like downloading tons of information, don't do it. It also doesn't mean that you have to conform to minimalism. The overall impression should be such that your image becomes recognizable - so the less details it has, the easier it is to remember. - Don't try to put your avatar on the cover photo
The old Facebook format allowed users to use some tricks to add an avatar to the cover photo. If you come across this advice, please be aware that this feature is no longer available for business profiles. - Promote your current events and products
Seasonal and current covers can be used as announcements of new products/services/events. In such a discreet and visually pleasing way, you will attract more attention to what you are promoting.
If you periodically change the covers, this will keep the audience interested in the content on your page. - Give your action buttons a nice design
You can try emphasizing call-to-action buttons such as Sign Up or Buy Now. Facebook used to ban designs focusing on these buttons, but that restriction has now been lifted. However, remember that the layout for mobile versions is different. - Experiment with shifting focus to the right
Facebook's current layouts place the avatar on the left while the cover image takes up all the space on the right. Most of the important elements on your cover can be placed on the right for even alignment. This will give a balanced look and create some extra space. - Include a description in your cover photo that supports your active buttons
If your Facebook page or marketing campaign has certain active buttons, add them to the description of the new cover. This is another way to keep your feeds consistent.
In addition, you can insert a link to your offer so that visitors have direct access to it. - Don't forget mobile users
As mentioned in the Facebook cover photo size section, you need to keep mobile users in mind when creating your cover photo. You don't want to lose a huge part of your audience. Once you've settled on a particular image, test it on different devices to see how it performs on different layouts and screen sizes. - Attach a post that matches your Facebook cover photo
When you have a lot of elements for the same purpose - your cover photo, description, action buttons - you can complete this set with a post on the same topic and attach it. The post will be highlighted at the very top of your wall for 7 days and will contribute to improving conversions. - Use your cover photo to attract more visitors
Your chances are equal to the amount of time and effort you put into creating your cover photo.
Therefore, it should be not only attractive, but also competitive. Of course, you should not write the template "Buy me!" or "Offer ends today!", you can subtly lead to what you want to sell. For example, add a general hashtag, organize a challenge, or something similar.
Mistakes to avoid
As long as you feel free to put any image on your Facebook cover, some decisions can have a detrimental effect on your page's performance. Here are some common mistakes and reasons why you should avoid them:
- Same cover photo for different purposes. Cover image sizes for Facebook events and Facebook groups are different, so you need to optimize them. Otherwise, inappropriate sizes and resolutions may not fit. And you also need original and recognizable pages, not templates that imitate each other.
- Too much text. A large amount of text creates information overload in the eyes of the audience. It is best to keep the number of words to a minimum so that the text stands out.
Also, try to avoid stretching the text all over the picture. - Too many details and clutter. According to the previous point, you do not need a randomly filled picture. To reduce the visual load on the visitor, you'd better get rid of everything that is not essential.
- Ignore page format. You need to remember the details of your Facebook template. The cover image will be partially cropped with your avatar and your name (desktop), or the edges will not be visible (mobile). Make sure the text is fully visible in both versions and that the cover does not repeat the image from 's avatar
- Template and forgettable images. In the absence of an original custom image, you have no chance of creating a powerful visual impact on visitors. People are browsing a huge amount of content these days, so it's important to grab their attention with something they haven't seen yet. A carefully crafted, unique cover will most effectively communicate who you are.
- No clearly defined brand.
This mistake is another way to make your page less memorable. The custom colors and brand logo contribute to the level of brand awareness. Make sure everything is subtle but unambiguous because users don't really like head-on content.
Perfect Facebook Cover Photo Examples
Many brands are already following the above guidelines. Here are some examples of great Facebook covers you can use.
The first is a graphic design tool that uses its cover image to encourage users to create posts with their hashtag. It combines mutually beneficial colors, elegant design and a clear brand logo. Active buttons with text attract the attention of visitors, but do not put pressure on them with an excess of information.
Next is a TV network that is promoting one of their most popular shows right now. This poster adds relevance to the page and can be used in other social media posts. networks to complement the entire marketing campaign. The colors are very bright and prominent, and there is no detail around the edges, which helps users concentrate better.
Finally, here is an example of how to arrange an image so that it displays correctly on all devices. The cover is right-aligned, which emphasizes the avatar on the left and balances the overall picture. The company specializes in retro style accessories, and the photo suits the concept and atmosphere of the brand.
How to Create a Facebook Cover Photo: A Step-by-Step Guide
Suppose you have an image that you want to crop according to Facebook's requirements. Here's what you need to do.
Step 1. Open the free online editor pixlr.com .
Step 2. Load the image into the workspace.
Step 3. Change the "Borders" box to "Output Size" and set the width and height to 820 and 360 respectively (this is the optimal image size for both desktop and mobile versions). Drag the cropping tool according to how you want to crop the image and hit enter.
Step 4. Go to "File" - "Save As.
.." and change the format to PNG. Save the image to your computer.
Step 5. Go to your Facebook page. Click "Add Cover" or "Change Cover" in the top left corner and select "Upload Photo".
Step 6. Click on the desired image and save the new cover. Ready!
Facebook cover video
Instead of a cover photo, Facebook business pages now have the ability to upload a video cover. The main purpose of this feature is to increase the number of interactions with users. The video format opens up a lot of possibilities for what a brand can share: provide useful information, showcase your product/services, show you behind the scenes, etc.
The Facebook cover video needs to be at least 820 x 312 px, but the recommended dimensions are 820 x 462 px. The resolution can be up to 1080p and the file size must be no larger than 1.75 GB in .mp4 or .mov format. Video length must be between 20 and 90 seconds.
Keep in mind that all videos play in a loop, which means that the video will play continuously until the user leaves the page.
Thus, you need to make sure that it starts and ends with a smooth loop, that is, the moment of merging the end of the video with its beginning passes naturally.
The video should not contain anything annoying or too bright, so as not to cause discomfort during repeated viewing. This can create the exact opposite effect of what you would like your cover to achieve. Instead, try to create balanced and engaging content without being too intrusive. Just like with images, brands can present and promote their products, add clickable buttons, add some text, and share their messages with the audience.
Examples of Facebook cover videos
Since the ability to add a cover video is a recent addition to Facebook, there aren't too many examples. Nevertheless, we have collected some of the most interesting ones that demonstrate the possibilities of this format.
This monthly magazine uses a cover format to draw attention to its upcoming issue. The video zooms in smoothly enough so that the text remains legible and all the colors used are pronounced.
At first glance, it doesn't look like a magazine cover at all, which encourages readers to take the extra time to look closely and figure out what it is.
The following example is an online training platform. The motivational component fits perfectly with the main message of the brand. You can also easily post the video to any other social network. networks. The animation is very simple and at the same time creative, it contains enough elements to keep users interested and make them take a closer look.
The most minimalistic example is a scalloped pattern and a clothing brand. This calm movement is exactly what we meant when we said "don't be too intrusive." It captures the essence of the brand and conveys the feeling that the customer will experience in the process of using their product.
Facebook brings user photos to life - DigitalJam
Social network Facebook has announced the launch of a new feature called "profile video". Thanks to her, it became possible to download a short video, lasting seven seconds, instead of a permanent picture for an avatar.
Look at the illustration below to see how this feature works.
iPhone users in California and the UK will be the first to be able to upload short video loops. In the near future, this feature is expected to be available to most Facebook users around the world. Facebook said that the video is one of the attempts to help people express their creativity as well as their individual qualities.
The video profile is only played when someone views the user's page. The video does not play, for example, when a person updates their status, which is displayed in your news feed. Instead, you'll see a thumbnail of the video that the user has chosen for their avatar. However, audio from the video will only be heard in full screen mode. It doesn't play when someone views your profile.
Facebook is also experimenting with setting a temporary version of the profile picture, which will change to the user's previous picture after a predetermined amount of time (this feature is useful if you want to set a specific picture when your favorite team makes the playoffs.
After set time, it is automatically replaced by the previous avatar).
Video Profile is the biggest update to Facebook since Timeline was launched. Although GIF files are not supported by the new feature, the video profile creates a similar aesthetic effect. For Harry Potter fans, the update will be a bit like the Daily Prophet ( Daily Prophet ), in which the pictures come to life as you read it.
Similar to Apple Live Photos, which brings the captured photos to life on newer iPhone 6S models, but the video profile does not support Live Photos (Facebook is expected to support Live Photos in the future). We can say that the video profile is a mirror image of the animated Snapchat profile.
Facebook users will also be able to upload as a video profile a selfie video taken with a phone up to 7 seconds long. At the moment, there are no restrictions on the size of the video - the recording will be automatically cropped to fit the square frame used to view the user's photos.
