Facebook Platform Guide

Getting Started With Facebook

Want to learn how to use your Facebook? We've put together a collection of tips and more explaining everything you need to know.

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Where To Start With Facebook

Facebook's advanced advertising platform allows for highly targeted and effective marketing campaigns, with robust data analytics to optimize performance. Brands can precisely target an enormous global user base of over 2 billion active monthly users based on demographics, interests, behaviors, and locations.

Facebook's features like Groups, Events, and Pages enable brands to build and foster engaged communities around their products and services. This fosters brand loyalty and meaningful connections using a wide range of content formats including text, photos, videos, live streams, and stories, allowing brands to tailor their content to audience preferences.

In summary, Facebook's unmatched user base, advanced advertising capabilities, community-building tools, content versatility, cross-platform integration, and ecommerce features make it a uniquely powerful and essential platform for brands to build their online presence and engage with customers.

Facebook Platform Image Sizes

The most common and recommended image sizes for Facebook are:

Facebook Cover Photo

• Recommended size: 851 x 315 pixels
Displays at 820 x 312 pixels on desktop, 640 x 360 pixels on mobile

Facebook Profile Picture

• Recommended size: 170 x 170 pixels
Displays as a circle at 128 x 128 pixels on mobile

Facebook Post Images

• Recommended size: 1200 x 630 pixels (1.91:1 aspect ratio)
Minimum size: 600 x 315 pixels

Facebook Event Cover Photo

• Recommended size: 1920 x 1005 pixels (1.91:1 aspect ratio)

Facebook Group Cover Photo

• Recommended size: 1640 x 856 pixels (1.91:1 aspect ratio)

In-Feed Shared Post Video

• Recommended size: 1200 x 630 pixels (1.91:1 aspect ratio)
• Minimum size: 600 x 315 pixels
• File type: MP4 or MOV recommended
• Maximum file size: 4GB
• Video length: Up to 240 minutes, but shorter videos (15-60 seconds) tend to perform better

Facebook Cover Video

• Recommended size: 820 x 312 pixels (2.7:1 aspect ratio)
• Displays at 820 x 312 pixels on desktop, 640 x 360 pixels on mobile
• File type: MP4 or MOV recommended
• Maximum file size: 4GB
• Video length: Up to 90 seconds

The key is to use high-quality images and videos that adhere to Facebook's recommended dimensions to ensure your content displays properly across desktop and mobile. Properly sized images and videos will look sharp and professional on the platform.

When To Share On Facebook

The best times for brands to post on Facebook are:

• Mondays through Fridays from 9 AM to 2 PM, with peak engagement times on Mondays at 10 AM, Tuesdays at 9 AM, and Fridays at 10 AM
• Weekday mornings and early afternoons tend to have the highest engagement, as Facebook's largest user demographic of 25 - 34-year-olds often check the platform at the start of their workdays
• Weekends, especially Sundays, have the lowest engagement rates for brands
• Posting consistently on weekdays between 9 AM and 11 AM is a good strategy, as these times show solid engagement across the board
• Avoid posting between 12 AM and 5 AM when most users are sleeping

Best Times To Share On Facebook For SaaS Brands

The best approach is to experiment with posting at different times and days, analyze your brand's Facebook Insights to identify patterns and optimize your posting schedule accordingly. Consistency in posting frequency and quality content are also key factors in building an engaged following on Facebook.

Facebook Platform Advertising Capabilities

Facebook offers a powerful and sophisticated advertising platform with the following key capabilities starting with ad formats such as:

• Images: single image ads that can be used to promote products, services, or brand awareness. Recommended size is 1200 x 628 pixels
• Videos: video ads that can range from 1 second to 240 minutes in length. Recommended size is 1080 x 1080 pixels
• Carousels: ads that showcase 2-10 images or videos that users can scroll through. Recommended size is 1080 x 1080 pixels
• Collections: ads that display a cover image/video followed by a collection of product images. Allows users to browse products in an immersive full-screen experience
• Stories: ads that appear in the Facebook and Instagram Stories feeds. Recommended size is 1080 x 1920 pixels
• Messenger: ads that appear in the Messenger inbox or the Messenger home tab. Can be image, video, or carousel format
• Instant Experience: Full-screen, mobile-optimized ads that load quickly and allow for immersive brand experiences
• Leads: Ads that allow users to easily submit their contact information without having to leave Facebook

Facebook Advertising Targeting Options

• Demographics: location, age, gender, languages
• Interests: hobbies like travel, fitness, cooking etc
• Behaviors: shopping habits, device usage, travel preferences, etc
• Engagements: interacted with your Facebook page or posts
• Custom: users based on your customer data like email lists, website visitors, app users, etc
• Lookalike: new people who are similar to your best customers
• Life Events: Target users celebrating milestones like weddings, birthdays, engagements, etc
• Exclusions: Exclude audiences who have already converted or seen too many of your ads
• Device Targeting: Target users based on the device they use (mobile, desktop, tablet)
• Video Views: Target users who have watched a certain percentage of your videos
• Wi-Fi Targeting: Target users only when they are connected to Wi-Fi
• Engaged Shoppers: Target users who have shown interest in similar products
• Travelers: Target users who have recently traveled or are planning trips

The best ad format and targeting depends on the campaign objective, target audience, and creative assets available. Brands often test a variety of ad formats to see what resonates most with their audience.

Facebook Platform Best Practices

Here are some of the best practices for brands using Facebook:

Set Up Your Page Properly

• Choose a recognizable profile picture like your logo
• Use an eye-catching cover photo that represents your brand
• Fill out all the basic information like business name, category, contact info, hours, etc
• Add a brief, keyword-rich bio to help people find you in search
• Include a call-to-action button like "Shop Now" or "Learn More"

Post Engaging Content Consistently

• Share a variety of content like photos, videos, links, polls, and questions
• Post at optimal times when your audience is most active
• Use relevant hashtags so people can discover your content
• Run contests and giveaways to boost engagement
• Respond to comments and messages to build relationships

The keys are to create a professional, informative page, consistently share engaging content, leverage Facebook's powerful advertising tools, and continuously analyze and optimize your strategy. With the right approach, your Facebook business page can be a valuable asset for connecting with customers and driving business results.

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