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Making an Interactive Facebook Cover

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Covers Go Interactive

Facebook does it again! Recent changes in how Facebook displays your images, including your cover when clicked on, has opened up a new opportunity to get even more creative with your personal profile page. Here Kzees will discuss just a few ways we can make our covers interactive instead of static. In the past when we clicked on a photo posted on facebook either in the news feed, on a person's wall or within an album facebook displayed the image in a pop up frame. I am sure your familiar with that. But now when doing this you not only see the image you clicked on but in addition a side bar loads showing you the comment section related to that photo. No more having to go back to the wall or do anything else to see comments. It's all right in front of you. With a bit of creative thinking this feature opens up a world of opportunities to make your cover and page itself more interactive with your viewers. Just How do We Do This? Well that's what this lens is about.

This idea was partly inspired by the onlne social network game hidden-chronicles where players look for hidden objects within a picture. Simply put this makes the image interactive where by the viewer is using the image in some kind of way to obtain information needed to perform some kind of input. The image is no longer static but become active in the process of causing an action.

In my example above I have taken a photo and using the editing steps I outline in my lens on making covers for facebook using GIMP. I added 10 hidden objects to the image and made my own game. I then uploaded the correctly sized image as my profile cover. I wanted my viewers to get active on my profile rather then just reading. Web analyst say that over the next few years static web-pages will be a thing of the past. The current trends indicate that we want content that has us doing things not just passively looking.
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How This Made My Cover INTERACTIVE

STEP ONE

The first thing you want to do is get the viewer to click on the cover image by creating a call to action icon. You could use just about any thing here from a custom design like I have done or a pre-made button or icon found on the web. Even just a simple text of "Click Here" will work. This is part of your cover image and is added while designing your cover. Kzees can even make a custom icon for you at very affordable prices. Just contact us for more information Here

By the way I went one step further with the call to action idea. I even made a coordinating icon that I uploaded as my main profile picture. I did this so this icon appears anytime I post or respond to anyones wall post and is seen on the news feed. Just a way to get anyone seeing my post to my profile.

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Answering our Call to Action

STEP TWO

So here is the meat and potatoes of the whole Idea. We answer our call to action using the comment section of the requested image. Here in my example I have given my viewers a hint as to what kind of objects they are looking for and even give instructions of what to do when they find them. I let them know by making a comment, that if they message me with the correct answers they will receive one free basic edit from kzees. They in-turn can leave comments and engage in iterative conversation about the photo.

Whats The BIG Deal about this?

So you're thinking to yourself, assuming you are still with me. What's the Big deal about this? People have always been able to comment on photos! Well, to answer lets say we want interaction on a particular photo and we post it as we usually do on the wall. That photo is only seen for short time period as it will move down in chronological order both on your timeline and your viewers wall and its viewable timeframe is limited to how often you or the viewers are posting. After awhile you have to go searching for it if you want to add comments to it. By using the image as a cover and creating a call to action it is always upfront and seen no matter how long ago you made it your cover. It's there and its comment section are there until you change it.

Creative Ideas

Lets talk about some creative ideas just for starters

  • Favorite Recipe
    Why not make a cover photo that features an image of that prize winning favorite recipe that everyone keeps asking you for. In the comment section you could list the ingredients and the preparation method. Your viewers could comment as well and maybe offer their experience with the recipe or how the altered it for their own preference. Leave it up for say a week and then maybe do a different one the next week. Would not be long before your friends would be anticipating the change and see what's cooking new this week.
  • Feature a Favorite Photo
    This could be anything from a favorite new born image, wedding image, or a family reunion. Us the opportunity to create a call to action where you will be creating lasting memories as your friends comment. Re-live the event each day you visit your profile.
  • Make your own PinIt Board
    This would take a bit of creative work but certainly could be done. Make your cover an image of a cork board and set a theme in the call to action ask viewers to attach a photo to there comment you then could take those photos crop them or cut them out in your favorite design software and then pin them to the cover image by updating the image periodically as you add items to it. Allot of work but completely doable.

So what do you think?

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Hey I really like this idea and want one of my own

where can i find out how to design a cover?

Your ready to dive in and give this a try for yourself. Let me warn you first. It takes a bit of work and some knowledge about design and web graphics would be helpful. But hey that's why I am here! follow the links below and I will help you step by step understand covers and timeline as well as show you how you can find free design software and just how to make a cover using GIMP.
Facebook Covers it's all about you
My lens that talks about what covers are and how to use them on your facebook timeline
Facebook Timeline Covers with GIMP
a step by step guide to making a cover using the online free design software GIMP

A Gift For You

To become a Facebook Fan of Kzees and get this free cover click HERE

WOW! this is a lot of work!

but I still want my own cover

Well like I said that's what I am here for. If you decided you want a cover and making one yourself is just not your thing. Kzees offers a full design service that includes custom covers. Our prices are reasonable and the quality is superb. Come like our fan page Kzees Visual Communications or visit our website here we will be more then happy to work with you and can provide FREE estimates.

Thanks for taking the time to read this lens please use the comment section to let us know you were here. A kindly like of this of this page would also be nice.

Guestbook Comments

I would love any feedback that you have about iterative Covers. Please feel free to leave a comment and if you have done a cover yourself post the link and let us all see your creative work.

  • just_Dawn Mar 23, 2012 @ 6:13 pm | delete
    I had no idea that this was even possible! Amazing! :)
  • FutzureEngineering Mar 12, 2012 @ 6:33 pm | delete
    Great lens!
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kzees

Hello, world! I'm Kyle from Kzees Visual Communications we are a Graphic Design firm located in Grand Haven, MI. and were here to share with you how w... more »

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