Facebook cover photos can now include calls to action and URLs. Here are six ways that ShortStack has used this space now that Facebook has relaxed the rules. www.shortstack.com

1. 6 Ways to Take Advantage of
Facebook’s New
Cover Photo Rules

2. Facebook recently relaxed the rules about what admins
can and can’t put in cover photos.
The most important rule to remember: text can’t cover
more than 20 percent of the photo. Other than that
almost anything goes, including calls to action.
Here are six examples of creative ways to use cover
photos:

3. Facebook allows a business Page to have up to 12 custom apps installed.
Three of the installed apps can be "favorites" and appear to the right of the
profile picture below the cover photo. In this example, we use the cover photo
to highlight new apps and direct our fans to them.
#1: Direct fans to your top apps

4. #2: Ask your fans to "Like" you
"Ask and you shall receive!" This is true when it comes to Facebook. Try
using the cover photo to ask your fans to "Like" your business Page. Get
creative by having someone point to the "Like" button or mention what cool
perks your fans receive by "Liking" your Page.

5. #3: Direct fans to an offer
If one of your apps is a link to something you know your fans will like, use
your cover photo to display the offer and direct your fans to the app where
they can claim it. When we released a new eBook, Big Brand Facebook
Secrets for Small Businesses, we used our cover photo to direct fans
right to it. In the photo we feature our eBook with a call to action and an
arrow pointing to the top app where fans can get their free copy. Note: you
cannot have active links in a cover photo see keep links short.

6. #4: Provide a link to valuable information
The Facebook cover is the perfect place to lead people outside of Facebook for more
information. Just remember that you can't have active links in the cover photo so create a
landing Page or have a simple URL or Bit.ly link that users can re-type easily. In this
cover photo we directed people to our Twitter Page and invite them to follow us.

7. #5: Ask your fans to share your Page
When people log on to Facebook, they scroll through their News Feed and
visit their friends and favorite brands' Pages but they aren't necessarily
thinking about telling anyone about their favorite brands. Your cover photo
can be a great reminder for fans to pass on how cool you are. Let the
photo speak to your office culture and give your fans a reason to want to
tell their friends to "Like" you. For our “fun” cover photo we featured a still
shot from our Harlem Shake video with the call to action "ShortStack
Rocks! (pass it on)."

8. A Facebook Page is for offering resources, a place to talk about fun stuff,
show off your employees, etc. You rarely get into the nitty-gritty of business
and pitch your product because that's what a website is for. Try using your
cover photo to lead your fans back to your website to learn about your
product. We offer two months free when you sign up for any of our
annual plans and used our cover photo to tell people this and lead them to
our pricing page on our website.
#6: Send people to your website