How to create a VIDEO cover 'image' on your Facebook page!

So I was wandering around Facebook today when I stumbled across a story in my news feed about a Medieval festival/ battle reenactment event that takes place fairly close to where we live. It's a really neat place - an entire farm given over to a permanent medieval and fantasy world with full-scale buildings, taverns, market squares, Viking halls, Elven structures, castles, a pirate ship in a lake, etc. They hold events throughout the year but the highlight is a week-long event that features daily activities, loads of live music, shops, craftsmen workshops, and a final mega-battle that occurs in all neighborhoods simultaneously. Not your average Renaissance Fair!

Anyway, today is opening day for the week-long event so I clicked on the page to see some photos. LOOK WHAT THEY DID WITH THEIR COVER 'IMAGE!' (Seriously, click the link and turn on the sound:) https://www.facebook.com/bicolline/

Holy cow, that's cool! (Geek alert... on several levels, actually...)

So naturally, I wanted to try it out myself. Here's how I did it:

This is the top of my Facebook Page. Normally, to change the Cover Image, I click the camera icon in the top left of the cover image (it's kind of hard to see here because it's a white watermark). Camera = still photo, though, and that's not what we want.

Step One: Instead, click the little 'Edit' button on the bottom right.

Step Two: Now you'll have the option to change the quote text, but notice how that camera icon has changed? It's a video camera now! Click it!

Step Three: A drop-down menu will appear that allows you to 'Choose from videos' or 'Upload photo/ video.'

You're done! Give it a try and comment below with your Facebook Page link so we can see what awesome, creative videos you use for your cover! Or - drop your link on my Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/teachingwise

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A quick note on video size...

Now here's the thing - Facebook has a limit to the size of file you can put here. Obviously, it also matters what size the video is in terms of length by height (just like a square photo will be stretched if you put it as your cover image, the same is true of a video). Stretchy is bad. No stretch.

Here are the dimensions you want for a clear video:

- 20 and 90 seconds

- 820 x 462 pixels (this is length by height)

You can trim the time length and set the pixel size in whatever program you use to create videos. I love Camtasia (and I use it to create all my video lectures for the totally-online AP Music Theory course I teach). To set the pixel size: (1) Click File -> Project Settings (2) Input the pixel dimensions listed above. That's it!

Camtasia is a paid product, though, and there are lots of free options for software out there. On your smartphone, try apps like FLMX or Splice (from the GoPro people). iMovie on a Mac can do this, as can Windows Movie Maker. Use what is easiest for you!

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