If you haven’t heard, Facebook is changing things up (again!).
Starting today January 15, both cover photos and any News Feed ads cannot contain more than 20% text. What does 20% look like? It could look like this (or a whole host of variations):
Facebook’s cover photo guidelines have always included things like no URL or no call to action as show below. But now they’re adding one more thing to the mix (see i):
i. images with more than 20% text
ii. price or purchase information, such as “40% off” or “Download it on socialmusic.com”;
iii. contact information such as a website address, email, mailing address, or information that should go in your Page’s “About” section;
iv. references to Facebook features or actions, such as “Like” or “Share” or an arrow pointing from the cover photo to any of these features; or
v. calls to action, such as “Get it now” or “Tell your friends.”
Why are they making this rule?
Well, I have Facebook’s answer and then I have my answer. 
Let’s hear it from Facebook first. This is what they’ve previously said about using text in images:
Facebook people react negatively to content that they perceive as inauthentic or impersonal. Since text is rare in photos from friends, text in brand photos triggers negative emotions in people. Instead of introducing text in your images, choose photos that send a message or tell a story on their own without words.
What I think? I doubt they’re going through all this hoopla to make better marketers out of everyone. I imagine that Facebook ads aren’t performing well enough for advertisers. So if more advertisers are forced to comply with something Facebook’s sees as best practice, then Facebook gets happy advertisers, who then want to spend more money.
While I agree that some images with a lot of text looks bad (and thus performs poorly), I think we at Burt’s do a good job with text in images. *sigh*
Of course, cover photos have nothing to do with paid advertising but the rule applies to those too. While I hate seeing cover photos crammed with marketing messages, I do think they can be done well with more than 20% text. Ah well.
With these changes, I wanted to answers some questions I thought you might have about the change…
Does this mean ALL my images can’t have more than 20% text?
This change does NOT affect any image that’s not in the cover photo or a News Feed ad (like a promoted post). So if you are just posting something on your Facebook timeline, then not to worry.
Does the 20% limit include the text of my blog name or logo?
Yep.
Can that 20% be spread out or does it all have to be in one spot?
It can be however you want it to be. All together, in bits and pieces, whatever floats your bloggy boat.
Can I just pretend Facebook didn’t announce this and leave things as is?
Facebook is promising to be more diligent with its enforcement by developing a grid-based overlay tool that can quickly review an image and determine whether it’s compliant. If you’re an advertiser, it sounds like you’ll be able to use the tool before you submit your ad.
Sure you COULD ignore it (and not doing it exactly by today probably won’t make Facebook come knocking at your door), but you do have to change your cover photo if it’s got more than 20% of text.
Is Facebook getting more annoying by the day?
Uh huh.
I will say that I hope we won’t see what I fear we’ll see: people cramming as much text in that 20% as they can. People already try to skirt around the rules as it is. Let’s not turn our cover photos into design nightmares, okay?
What do you think of the changes? Do you have to make any adjustments to your cover photo or News Feed ads?
Momcomm gives blogging chicks practical, can-do tips for writing, blogging and using social media (and sometimes a snarky rant).
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I'm a mom who loves marketing, photography and all things social media. I have two boys whose claim to fame is that they were born on the same day... three years apart.
Twitter: fromtracie
says:
I didn’t have a ton of text on my cover photo, but it was more than 20%.
Sigh.
I made changes this weekend, and it is now compliant with the new rules. As I don’t do sponsored posts for news feeds, it shouldn’t be much more of an issue for me. But it was annoying.
Tracie recently posted..Today’s Special Time Travel
I can obviously tell that my cover photo is more than 20% text, but is there some magic formula that will let me know when I’m over that 20%?! I don’t have a good eye for that kind of thing. I did terrible in geometry. lol I guess I need to contact the lady that did my blog design (she made the cover photo as well), and see if she can fix it? For reference, here’s my FB page – http://www.facebook.com/ThePracticallyGreenMom
Allie @ The Practically Green Mom recently posted..WOW Toys Giveaway {Snug as a Bug Giveaway Hop} #snugbug
Thank you for once again keeping us all on the up and up. I’m bummed because I will indeed have to remove my blog URL from my cover photo. It might not be a facebook game changer for personal users, but I believe it just might begin to become one for anyone with a blog/business page.
Missy recently posted..Chasing a Dream -Part One
Hey Missy! That URL rule has always been in effect but I don’t know how many people knew about it! I add my URL to the About description. It’s better than way anyway since you can actually click that link!
Twitter: AlisonSWLee
says:
My cover photo has always been just pictures, with really tiny text, and not even text of my blog name, so I’m safe for once!
Alison recently posted..Memories Captured – January Linkup
Twitter: chilihead
says:
Great article as always, Melissa. Thanks! (And thanks for linking to my article.) I’m going to share this around to help get the word out.
Does this include Cover Photos in Groups, specifically Closed Groups?
Lindsey recently posted..Snug as a Bug – GRAND PRIZE – 3 Winners #snugbug
Twitter: Jdhonestmom
says:
Frankly, this sucks. I am not a graphic designer and my FB blog page is my blog name in big letters, plus a little bar at the bottom that highlights my main blog topics. I have no idea what I’m going to do. *sigh*
JD Bailey @ Honest Mom recently posted..Enough with the homework. I want my kid to play and be a kid.
This is so annoying. I guess I get it for regular people pages, but for brand and website pages, who cares? Right now, my fb page had a headline but it’s way more than 20%. Grrrrr.
Erin Lane recently posted..Mama deserves a gold star! {Link up!}
I agree! At Burt’s pretty much ALL our cover photos go across the 20% rule. I understand the call to action and URL thing that was already in place, but 20% for the cover photo is just silly.
Twitter: a_lifeofourown
says:
I don’t have text in my cover photo (it’s not a very good one) but wow.. they really have rules about everything, don’t they? I was just thinking how annoying they are when I got to this part of your article
“Is Facebook getting more annoying by the day?” and I actually laughed out loud. I would’ve never known this without reading it here.
Venassa recently posted..I have a toddler, not a baby – 16 months old.
Twitter: hookdandhappy
says:
Thanks for the heads up. I see my button has my website on it, so I’ll change that.
In some ways I understand this, FB is a social network not an advertising network. But the constant rule changing… well, it is hard to keep up!
Carolyn Y recently posted..Friends Forever?
Twitter: JodiAman
says:
I am glad I am in compliance, no time to change it now…
Jodi @ Heal Now and Forever recently posted..Your Personal Invitation To Heal
I think it’s incredibly annoying. All the changes they seem to randomly throw out. Where did they come up w/20% specifically and why, does anyone know?
I post less and less on FB lately and am using G+ more and more. Marky Z and his wallet do realize that putting more and more hoops for people to jump thru will ultimately backfire and I really think FB will go the way of MySpace. Dead Air…
Ronni Keller recently posted..The Fairy Hobmother I Do Believe, I Do Believe, I Do!
When you show it that way, 20% really isn’t much at all! Ugh.
Shell recently posted..What to Do with a Bad Pitch
One thing I did when I personalized my page name was to actually use my web address instead of just the name. So my facebook page url is facebook.com/mybusiness.com
it’s just a tiny thing, but I was surprised they let me use it. lol
What the what?! I’m at breaking point with Facebook? What next, we have to stand on our heads while posting?
Carpool Goddess recently posted..The Decade Of Dressing Badly: Fashion Mistakes Of My Youth
Twitter: SaidKristin
says:
This is so dumb. Facebook’s explanation makes no sense to me. What in the Sam hell do they think gives them the right to tell people what to put in their cover photos? Why do they even care? Seriously… is Mark Zuckerberg the biggest control freak alive?
I’m fairly certain my cover photo has slightly more than 20% text. But I also think it looks fab and I *know* I paid my blog designer to create it for me not too long ago, so I’m not planning on changing it anytime soon. I’ve always played by Facebook’s rules, but now I’m ready to stick it to the man. Eff them.
Kristin @ What She Said recently posted..Selling the Sizzle
Twitter: amybhole
says:
I’m with you, Kristin. I always follow the rules, but this is just a pain in the butt. My text is part of the illustration (drawn in, not just a text overlay in a graphic), and I’m not going to hire an illustrator and change the whole thing. If Facebook wants to come after me, fine, I’ll change it then. But for now, I’m just going to live on the edge and be a rebel.
Amy B. recently posted..When You Were 18, What Had You Done With Your Life? That’s What I Thought…
It doesn’t really make a difference to me at all.
Forgetfulone recently posted..To My Teenage Self
Twitter: AlissaEnders
says:
Dear Facebook: Stop with the rules already. Love, The Internet
Alissa recently posted..A Life Well-Lived
Twitter: candilandco
says:
I don’t have text yet, I guess I am behind the times. I just need to learn how to make one, so I can change it easily. Have you done a post on that, timeline covers?
Candi recently posted..How to balance work and family
Twitter: pamelamkramer
says:
I fixed mine over the weekend. I agree! I don’t think their promoting posts are going that well at all. I’ve heard there is a tool coming out to help users figure out what text is compliant. Nothing but FUN!
@PamelaMKramer – A Renaissance Woman recently posted..Win a Prize! Freebie Friday Giveaway Link is Live
This is a nightmare. I work for a curriculum publisher. They create BOOKS. Books are full of …. words! Oh my. We have book covers — very tasteful — along the bottom of the cover image. There are words all over those books. You know, like the TITLES? The company name/logo is on top. Any creative ideas for book publishers? In desperation, I am thinking of going to a solid background with nothing on it. (Just kidding; sort of) Another question, does the avatar that overlaps the cover image factor into the 20%?
Jimmie recently posted..Homeschool Programming Curriculum
Twitter: newlyparents
says:
We make children’s name plaques so our products are essentially letters. Now our ads are being kicked back because of the 20% rule. So we can’t advertise a picture of our product because our product IS LETTERS!
So dumb.
JR recently posted..Pregnancy Dos and Don’ts – Humorous Tips