UPDATE: 5 Ways to Customize your Facebook Page for the Holidays

Note: This post has been updated to reflect Facebook layout changes as of September 2016. ‍

1. Cover Photo:

When a Facebook user lands on your business’s Facebook Page, the cover photo is the “main event.” It is a massive piece of Timeline real estate (828 x 315 pixels) that immediately changes the mood of a Facebook Page when it’s updated. To coordinate with the holiday season, design a cover photo--or multiple cover photos--and change them as each season or holiday passes. You can use a tool like Canva to make your cover photos representative of your brand, but altered to reflect the season. We recommend playing with fall and winter colors or adding traditional holiday images like leaves and snowflakes.

2. Profile Photo:

A lot of businesses have had the same profile photo of their logo since they created their Facebook Page, which is a shame because your profile photo is a major asset that can be used to complement your cover photo. Even if your brand is resistant to changing the profile photo to something other than the company logo, there are still ways to create a holiday-themed profile using the logo.Again, experiment with holiday-inspired colors, and if you can get more creative, integrate a prop into your logo design. For example, with ShortStack’s Facebook Page, depending on the holiday, we create an image of Jack (ShortStack’s company mascot and logo) in festive attire or holding a holiday-specific object.

‍The new size for profile photos, as of September 2016, is 180x180 (it appears at 160x160).

‍3. App Thumbnails:

Facebook app thumbnails are often the most neglected features on Facebook brand Pages. Thumbnails are located on the left side of the Timeline underneath the "About" section. There are three 111 x 74 pixels custom app thumbnails to work with to inspire the holiday mood on your Page.Make sure you're featuring your top three apps/campaigns at the top of the  section under "Home."

4. Photo Status Updates:

During your business’s holiday promotional period, be thoughtful about the content you post. Including great holiday-themed graphics will be key in attracting fans to your Facebook Page. Keep in mind: When you post a status update with a photo, the photo within the post will be featured on your Timeline at  470 pixels wide.

5. Facebook Advertisements:

If your business has yet to invest in Facebook advertising, this holiday season is the time do so. The best way to get your feet wet is to set a budget, create a few different ads, and then implement some A/B testing to see what works best. Make sure you're building the kinds of landing pages that are most likely to convert.Also, don’t forget about experimenting with paying for promoted posts, sponsored stories and Facebook Offers. These are all effective forms of Facebook advertising that should be experimented with throughout the season.Does your business plan to update your Facebook Page's design for the holiday season? If so, tweet us how at @shortstacklab.