Live Cover on VKontakte: How to Make One + 22 Ideas

Contents:

• How Live Covers Are Displayed and Why They Are Good
• What Format Should a Live Cover Be
• Where and How to Enable Live Cover
• Moodboard for Inspiration: 10 Cover Options
• How to Learn More

Live covers are an effective way to attract attention to your VKontakte community and make it more memorable for users. These dynamic elements can include both videos and multi-image galleries, allowing you to create a unique atmosphere and highlight the individuality of your brand or project. Using live covers not only improves the visual perception of the page but also helps increase audience engagement, which is important for the development of your community.

Live covers are larger in size compared to standard ones, but they are only displayed on devices with smartphone operating systems. In this article, we will examine the benefits of live covers, as well as offer recommendations for their creation and ideas for use. Live covers attract user attention, creating an interactive and unique experience. Learn how to make your cover more attractive and effective.

• How Live Covers Work
• What format should the cover be?
• How to enable a Live Cover in a community
• What types of Live Covers are there - 10 options in different styles
• How to find out more

How Live Covers are displayed and why they are good

Live Covers are only available on smartphone screens, while desktop users see the standard static community header. If a community has a dynamic cover, the owner can also leave the static version, which will be displayed on desktops. Otherwise, you can disable the standard cover, in which case only the dynamic version will be visible on mobile devices, and only the group avatar will remain on desktops. This optimizes the community's presentation depending on the device used, improving the user experience.

Live covers are important, even if they are only visible on mobile devices. The majority of VKontakte users access the social network from smartphones. According to Mediascope research, in March 2022, the average time spent on VKontakte by mobile users was 44.2 minutes per day. For the most active age group (12 to 24 years old), this figure reaches 57.1 minutes per day. This indicates that mobile is becoming increasingly important for interaction with content, and Live covers can attract user attention, increasing engagement and interest in the account.

Static covers display poorly on smartphones, which reduces their appeal. In contrast, Live covers are significantly larger and better capture user attention. Static covers appear as a rectangle at the top of the screen, while live covers take up half the display, making them more visible and interactive. Using live covers can significantly improve user experience and increase audience engagement.

When you click on the cover, the image will increase in size.

Live covers attract attention thanks to their size and dynamism. They instantly engage followers as soon as they land on your page. Using live covers increases engagement and helps you stand out from static images. This is an effective tool for attracting and retaining an audience, which is especially important in the highly competitive digital space.

Animated covers are an effective tool for highlighting special offers and creating a unique community atmosphere. They help announce new tracks, showcase brand image, and drive sales. Using animation in covers attracts attention, increases engagement, and creates a memorable visual experience for users.

What format should a Live Cover be?

A Live Cover can be either a photo or a video. You can install a single file or create a series of five files. The format allows you to combine different types of content in one cover series, for example, combining two photos and three videos. Thus, if you plan to create a series, you do not need to limit yourself to images only.

We recommend using a slideshow for the cover, instead of dividing a series of images into individual carousel elements. This approach will create a more cohesive and attractive visual perception, and also improve the user experience. A slideshow provides a smooth transition between images, which helps retain visitor attention and makes the content more interactive. Using a slideshow can also improve page rankings in search engines, since good UX is an important factor for SEO.

Photos on the site automatically switch every 5-6 seconds. Unfortunately, it is not possible to set an individual display time for each image. Images can be displayed in two modes: with and without smooth zoom. You can enable or disable static display in the cover settings.

Videos may take longer to load. You can add videos up to 30 seconds long to the cover, with or without sound.

Requirements for a live cover on VKontakte include several key aspects. Firstly, the cover must be of high quality and meet the recommended dimensions to ensure optimal display on various devices. The recommended dimensions for a live cover are 1590 pixels wide by 400 pixels high.

Secondly, the cover content should be relevant and attractive to the target audience to attract user attention and increase engagement. It's important to keep in mind that visual elements should be harmoniously arranged so as not to disrupt the readability of the text and the overall composition.

Furthermore, avoid overly busy graphics. A simple and concise design will help convey the main message to the viewer. It's also recommended to use brand colors and fonts to ensure the cover matches the overall style of the page.

Remember to keep the cover updated: current images and information will help maintain user interest and drive follower growth. Ultimately, following these requirements will help you create an attractive and effective live cover for your VKontakte page.

• File resolution — 1080×1920;
• Video length — no more than 30 seconds;
• File size — up to 20 MB;
• H.264 video codec (video compression settings);
• AAC audio codec (audio compression settings).

Key objects and important information, such as promotional terms, product photos, and the brand logo, are recommended to be placed in the center of the cover. This area is displayed correctly on all mobile devices, ensuring maximum visibility. The bottom of the image or video merges with the avatar and community name, so placing important information below is inappropriate - users are unlikely to see this content. An optimal layout of elements on the cover increases the chances of attracting attention and improving the perception of your offer.

For the cover, we recommend placing the community's main offer directly on the image. This will attract attention and highlight the unique selling proposition (USP). Avoid overloading the cover with lengthy text; a few clear phrases are sufficient. Placing the text in the center of the image will ensure its correct display and maximum visibility.

Where and how to enable a live cover

Live covers are only available on smartphones, but they can be installed from both mobile devices and computers.

To change the cover on a computer, follow these steps: open the "Management" menu, go to the "Settings" section, then select "Cover".

To change the cover on your phone, follow these steps: open Settings, select the "Information" section. and go to the "Cover" item.

Live covers have two image display modes: with smooth zoom and static. To activate or deactivate the static mode, you can use the settings by clicking the "Show photos in motion" button.

Creating live covers for communities using mobile apps is a convenient and effective solution. This process is not only simple and quick, but also allows you to immediately evaluate the finished result on your smartphone. You can check how clearly all elements are visible and whether the brightness meets your expectations. Mobile apps offer a wide range of editing tools, making them ideal for creating attractive covers that will attract users' attention.

To create a cover, we recommend formatting the video in story format. You can use a ready-made story from your archive. This will allow you to create attractive and dynamic visual content that will attract the attention of your audience.

Photo editing and video editing apps play an important role in today's digital world. They allow users to create high-quality content that can be used on social networks, websites, and in personal projects. There are many programs and mobile apps that offer various features for processing images and videos.

Popular photo editing apps include Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, and free alternatives such as GIMP and Snapseed. These tools provide a wide range of capabilities, including color correction, cropping, adding filters and textures, and creating collages.

For video editing, programs such as Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, and more affordable options such as DaVinci Resolve and iMovie are widely used. They offer functionality for cutting, gluing, adding effects and music, which allows you to create professional videos.

Choosing the right application depends on the user's needs, skill level, and budget. A selection of high-quality photo and video editing software helps improve the visual perception of the content and attract the attention of the audience.

• InShot;
• VSCO;
• Mojo;
• Unfold;
• Meitu;
• CapCut.

Moodboard for inspiration: 10 cover options

Add unique shots and videos that will make you want to watch them again and again. Using original content will attract viewers' attention and increase engagement. Don't forget about quality and interesting stories that will hold your audience's attention and make your content more memorable.

Our community brings together people with common interests and goals. We strive to create a space for the exchange of knowledge and experience, where every member can make a contribution. Key features of our community include active interaction between members, regular events and discussions, and access to useful resources and materials. We maintain an atmosphere of friendliness and mutual support, which allows everyone to feel part of a unified whole. Join us to develop your skills and broaden your horizons in the company of like-minded people.

Create a community atmosphere with simple videos. Effective videos help establish connections between members and strengthen engagement. Use accessible tools to create short videos that reflect your community's values. Simplicity and sincerity of content promote engagement and build trust among members. Videos allow you to better convey ideas and inspire people to actively participate in the community.

Or using dynamic videos.

Present your products on the cover with high-quality photos. Use bright and attractive images to attract the attention of potential customers. Properly designed photos will help highlight the unique features of your products and increase interest in them. Don't forget the importance of high-quality content for improving your website's SEO position. Clear and professional images can significantly increase conversions and drive sales.

Or using video materials.

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How to learn more

• A live cover is just one way to make your community more visible and engaging. Skillbox Media has a comprehensive guide to designing groups on VKontakte.
• If you're promoting on VKontakte, read our guides: how to set up effective advertising in 60 minutes, how newsletters work on VKontakte, and whether it's possible to promote using hashtags.
• If you're just getting started with VKontakte, we have an introduction to SMM on this social network. In it, we cover the essentials about content, advertising, and promotion tools.
• To turn VKontakte into an effective sales tool, take the Skillbox course "Promotion on VKontakte." You'll learn how to design a community, write engaging posts, and launch targeted advertising.
• Skillbox also offers a course called "VKontakte Promotion Specialist" for those who want to become a sought-after specialist, find work, and promote their business on VKontakte.

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Skillbox Media offers a variety of resources for SMM specialists to help them improve their skills and performance. Our selection includes articles, videos, and practical guides covering current trends and methods in social media marketing. We strive to provide you with valuable knowledge and tools to help you effectively promote your brands and achieve your goals. Join our community and develop your SMM skills with Skillbox Media.

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