In my post on Facebook Timeline Cheat Sheet, I gave you a basic overview of the dimensions to create cover and profile images on Facebook. I also gave you some examples of ministries doing an outstanding job with their images.
For this post, I want to talk about the Do’s and Don’ts of Facebook Timeline. I must admit, when Timeline first hit the scenes I thought the cover image would provide huge advertising and promotional opportunity. Unfortunately, both of these are banned on Facebook. Here are some techniques you want to either consider implementing or standing clear away from adopting.
1) No Call to Action
This means, no contact information, no arrows point to the Like Button, no website or buy now verbiage.
HyperArts Blog: http://goo.gl/YI92o
2) Get Creative with Your Cover Image
So, you can’t advertise or provide contact information in your header but you certainly can get very creative with the images you use. Each fan page gets a photo album named “Cover Image.” Change your cover image regularly and use the description to add your call to action. It doesn’t have to always tie to branding. See the image below from Compassion International.
3) Add Milestones
One of the cool new features of Timeline is Milestones. You can add a milestone for each major event that occurred in the history of your organization.
This is what I created for The 700 Club. This gives you an opportunity to tell the story of your organization. Each update appears in your newsfeed so be careful. Uploading all the milestones at once could crowd your audiences newsfeed and you run the risk of them hiding your page updates.
4) Make good use of apps and thumbnails
Here you see that Entertainment Tonight has sweepstakes apps, online mobile app, live chat, videos, and even their Twitter and Pinterest app. The only app here that is unnecessary to me is the like app. You already know how many people like the page because it is listed right under the name. This is great real estate for another app.
5) Use the Pin & Highlight Feature
Pinning a post allows you to keep a post you would like to see on top for 7 days. After 7 days, the post returns to its place within the timeline. Highlighting allows you to spread a post out across the timeline so it is more noticeable than the other posts on the page. I typically use this feature right before a big even or if I want to bring more attention to a particular post.
Other tips include:
- Responding to wall posts and comments. Have an engagement strategy.
- @ tag those you are responding to on a particular post.
- Post photos and pictures. Even if they are not branded images, they generate interactions.
- Don’t overuse third party apps (we will discuss this in more detail in a later post)
Most importantly…have fun!






















