Over the last couple of months Facebook has been rolling out Timelines for profiles, but now you can also upgrade your brand pages to the new look. Admittedly, at first I was even unsure about upgrading my personal profile but the new look is starting to grow on me.

The first thing that hits you when you arrive to a brand timeline is the cover photo at the top. You get a rush to your head at the thought of what you could do with this fine piece of digital real estate, but don’t be fooled, as Facebook has rules to squash your natural marketing instincts.

From Facebook’s FAQs about Cover Photos:

Cover images must be at least 399 pixels wide and must not contain:

• Price or purchase information, such as “40% off” or “Download it at our website”.
• Contact information, such as web address, email, mailing address or other information intended for your Page’s About section.
• References to user interface elements such as Like or Share, or any other Facebook site features.
• Calls to action, such as “Get it now” or “Tell your friends”.

So although you can’t use this space as a way to market or promote yourself in the traditional sense, it does open up a new dimension of marketing.

Here are my tips:

• Don’t sell, brand – This is your opportunity to help reinforce the image of your brand, literally.
• Keep your cover photo simple. A photo can say a thousand words so why clog it up with text?
• Maximise the space, don’t waste it – There’s no need to repeat your logo or band name in the Cover photo. Your page name is already displayed and your logo can be used as your profile photo.
• Depending your product or service, decide whether or not to use a good quality photograph or graphic for the Cover, or even a combination of the two. Coca Cola has achieved this.
• Brand with content – Use the timeline to your advantage, land mark content throughout your company’s history.
• Don’t wait – You have until the end of March before the big roll out. Upgrade, edit, and then publish.

Get creative with your page.