Make a beautiful cover for a group on VK. New cover format for VKontakte communities, design and content

Attention: I am writing an article because I am tired of questions about how to create a VKontakte cover. I freaked out.

Hello everyone, it’s like I’m back from a holiday of laziness and I’ll finally write something useful. Today we will look at covers on social networks and a popular question for me - how to make a cover in a group or public on VKontakte. If anything, this is not a cover, but just a pinned post.

Now almost every social network has acquired this cover, otherwise called page cover. This has become fashionable, probably now it is some kind of standard of individualization for users of social networks, because people like to do something creative and special to stand out from the crowd of other users.

From philosophy to action, let’s immediately start with the main thing, for which you have all gathered here, so to speak.

How to make a cover on VKontakte public page

This is what the cover looks like in my public page. I drew it myself and cut it later. People have written to me many times and asked how to do this, so I am writing now so that they can now find and read it, and then make themselves the same creative cover. Covers can be made both in public and in groups.

The size of the cover image is no larger than 380px by 251px. (I think). You can do more, but it may shrink crookedly. It is worth noting that you can attach not only pictures to the cover, but also audio recordings, a map, documents, surveys and graffiti.

Algorithm for creating a VKontakte cover:

Okay, maybe just not everyone is a VKontakte guru (sarcasm) like me. If you helped, please like and tell your friends:3

Here are the exact measurements to improve the group design.

And now the second part of our post - an analytical review of all covers on social networks and an opinion about them. At the end there is a useful bonus and postscript.

facebook

As we know or guess, the first in this matter were Facebook with its Timeline. It’s somehow easier to make covers there, maybe even the Internet is already overflowing with posts of 20 creative Facebook covers and the like. Then they will make the same post about VKontakte, if there are creative people there, of course: 3

Here are the dimensions if you want to make a cover.

Google Plus

Covers have also recently appeared on Google+. I like them because they can be moved, it’s useful, believe me. There are also default covers, which is also good for those who are extremely lazy and too lazy to look for a cover and get creative. There are more important things to do than a cover for a social network, yes, yes.

Cover size 940px by 180px.

My [email protected]

Cover size 790px by 210px

Bonus.

It is logical that there is a service that would collect covers for social networks. I will share the most popular sites with covers for facebook and Google+

http://freeprofilecover.com/ru/

http://freecoverdesign.com/

http://www.addcovers.com/

http://covertimeline.com/

http://cower.me/facebook-timeline-covers/categories/

http://99covers.com/

P.S.

Of course, you need covers. I'm not against them, but only for them. They allow, as I already said, to be creative and show your individuality or something. For companies with a brand book to show everyone their brand, which is even very respectable.

By the way, for 1000 rubles I can draw you some beautiful cover, please contact: 3

Now you have learned how to make a cover on VKontakte. We learned about the existence of other social networks and the availability of their covers with dimensions. We even found out where to get covers for social networks. Thank me with likes and retweets. Thank you.

With the advent of the social network VKontakte, entrepreneurs began to actively launch businesses on the Internet and look for new sources of income - groups and public pages became a tool for earning money. The cover of a VKontakte group is not just a beautiful picture - it is a business card for your clients. The better you package your community, the greater the chance that they will order from you and not from your competitors.

Clothing store cover designed in our graphic design studio

The cover of the VKontakte group is a small part of the required design and, if you are just trying yourself as an online businessman, this is the cheapest packaging option. Ideally, a VKontakte group or public page should contain: a catchy advertising banner (it opens the menu), a cover, a menu (navigation or wiki landing), beautifully designed products and photo album covers, as well as branded posts. All this creates the face of your business and affects how customers perceive you.

What to place on the cover of a VKontakte group:

When designing the cover of a VKontakte group, consider the mobile version. If the design is heavily cropped, important points will be hidden (contacts, services, logo, etc.), you will lose some customers. From PCs and laptops, the cover is displayed in full, but from mobile devices it is cropped on the left and right by 197 px and darkened on top by 83 px.

Don't overload the band cover with information. It should be easy but informative!

Where can I order a cover design?

You can order the design of a VKontakte group cover from a designer on a freelance exchange, find an artist on social networks, or search for a web studio’s website on the Internet.

Each of these methods has its own characteristics. You will save money on the freelance exchange, but in most cases you will find a novice or student designer. Experienced, selected designers work for the web studio, but the studio will also receive its own benefit from the order. It’s easier to place an order through VKontakte groups - you immediately see the designer’s work and compare the prices of several artists.

On the service market, prices for designing a VKontakte cover range from 500 to 3,500 rubles. and it's not just like that. Beginners work cheaper, but their level is not high; studios are intermediaries and work with a markup; and successful popular designers work for themselves.

How to set the cover to a group?

In your group, in the upper right corner of the screen under the “avatar” there are three dots “…”, click on them and in the window that appears, select the “Community Management” section, in it under the information about the group you will see the inscription: “Community cover” and actions "Download" and "Delete". Add a cover and return to the main page to look at the result.

When the cover is installed, you can replace it at any time by simply hovering over it with the mouse cursor and selecting the “Load, edit or delete cover” action. You can find out more about how to put a cover in a group in our video:

Examples of our work on the design of “what was then” groups

VKontakte developers have expanded the design capabilities of groups and communities. Now, along with the usual avatar, you can add a cover. It has a number of advantages - the ability to add control buttons, write text, etc. And they allow you to publish and update data online.

Now I will show you how to activate this feature in the community and add a cover photo to the group.

How to enable cover art in a group?

To do this, you need to go to the desired community, open the menu and select the item.

On the "Settings" tab, find the block "Community Cover". To add it, you need to click on the “Download” link.

First we need to prepare a picture. Recommended dimensions 1590 x 400 pixels. Make it in any graphic editor (see).

Select and add the prepared file. Select the area on the preview screen that you want to use. Then click "Save and Continue".

We will receive a message indicating that the cover has been successfully uploaded. An additional “Delete” link will appear in case we decide to roll back the changes.

Viewing and setting the cover in the VKontakte group

Let's go back to the community home page. A header with a picture appears here, which we added in the previous step. If you hover your mouse over it, three control buttons will appear in the upper right corner.

1. Editing;
2. Delete.

All is ready.

Conclusion

Now you have learned about another tool that will help.

Questions?

In contact with

Greetings, friends! In this article we will talk about a recent innovation on VKontakte: covers in communities. This article will be of interest to group administrators, novice web designers, and entrepreneurs promoting their business on this social network. And web designer Lyudmila Puchenkova will tell us about the intricacies of cover design.

A little background

On April 1, the social network VKontakte began global testing of the so-called new design. At the same time, a customizable header was announced. At RIF+KIB (http://2016.russianinternetforum.ru/), representatives of VKontakte said that this will be a block that can become a showcase for an online store on VKontakte, and in the cinema group it will be possible to post a video there. Month after month passed. On August 17, VKontakte transferred all users to a new design, but there was still no header. Many began to redesign their communities with a new design, and then on October 31, 2016, VKonakte finally launched headers.

New VK cover design

What do we end up with: now in all communities - groups, publics, events - you can set a wide image:

Characteristics and size of the VKontakte group cover:

• size: 795x200 px and 1590x400 px for high definition screens;
• format: JPG, GIF, PNG;
• loading: from community management, administrator rights required;
• recommendations from VK: place important information closer to the center for mobile devices.

This is what the design looks like in the mobile version of VKontakte

In addition, there have been other changes in communities. They touch on the key points of commercial groups, and this can and should be used when creating cover design.

Location of CTA buttons

1. CTA buttons (“write a message”, “subscribe”, “join a group” and so on) are lined up under the lower right edge of the cover, one after another.
2. Communities now have miniatures.
3. Tabs have been added: the first one is the pinned entry (if it is in the community), followed by the “community information” tab (now it is available to users). The third tab contains a menu for groups and events. This tab is not available in the public page. The menu is now also permanently available to users.

VKontakte cover design

Let's look at what data we need to place on the cover:

1. Name of the business (or its direction).
2. City, address (if the project is regional).
3. Phone number for quick ordering (with area code).
4. Unique Selling Proposition (what makes you different from others).
5. Appeal (corresponding to your conversion path).

Visually long horizontal cover for better perception can be divided into several parts.

2 piece design example

For example, into 2 parts:

On the first part, we place a catchy photo that reflects the direction of the project; we position the photo so that the movement of the user’s gaze leads the user to the second part of the cover, where we place the USP and the benefits of subscribing. Add a call to action.

The cover is easier to understand when divided into 3 parts, linked together by style, each of which makes up a complete block:

3 piece design example

Perhaps, similar to Facebook covers, only the center of the cover will be visible in mobile applications. And that's where I put the company name or logo, city, address and phone number. On the left I place the USP of the project or the benefits of subscription. On the right is the interest of the project’s target audience and/or appeal.

How to post a cover of a VKontakte community

Now let's figure out how to install the cover in your community.

• Go to community management (administrator rights required).
• You are in settings. Find the “community cover” item, click “download”.
• In the window that opens, click “select file.”

Loading the community cover

• Go to the folder with the photo you prepared in advance, select it. If a photo is selected in a custom size, it will be cropped at an aspect ratio of 1:3.975.

Select the desired image

• Click "save and continue."

Save the result

Done, your cover has been successfully installed in the group.

Cover set

Removing a cover

Please note that a full-fledged avatar, if it was previously displayed in your group, disappears from visibility when you install the cover. Its function is to become a miniature that represents your group in the list of all user groups (its size is 200x200 px) and is present on the wall next to the name of the community (its size is 100x100 px). The most logical thing to do here is to place the logo on a contrasting background.

Changing the community thumbnail

To change the thumbnail, you need to move the cursor to its display under the cover and select the “update photo” item. Upload a photo, set the visible area and save the changes.

The cover in the mobile version of VK is cut off at the edges (on IOS it doesn’t exist at all yet), it’s better to place the main information in the center, and it’s also a good idea to use a pinned banner describing the essence of your offer.

• Third-party advertising is prohibited on the cover, do not neglect this VK rule, so as not to lose the function of adding covers to your community or not to get banned;
• when creating a document, use the sRGB mode to correctly display the colors of your cover in web space;
• do not use bright colors, gradients, small patterns (remember that VKontakte compresses images, red, orange, pure white are especially affected);
• save the cover using the “save for WEB” function in PNG format, it is the most resistant to compression;
• To speed up loading, you can drag the cover directly from the folder onto the cover upload window.

Move the selected image

Here are the main points that you should study if you want to design your VKontakte group in a new design.

Happy ideas everyone!

In we will talk about why the community needs quotation books, what they are and how to make them.

In order for the VK public page to make a special impression on the visitor and emphasize the atmosphere, the creators of the social network introduced a useful graphic addition - a header. It can be customized as a background or logo, or you can go further and use this space to benefit the visitor. After all, people are greeted by their clothes.

In this article:
How to make a hat for a VK group

In addition, this space can become a place for you to embody flights of fantasy and self-expression. Like a canvas for an artist! Take advantage of this tool and convey the essence of your group in creative ways.

Based on simple step-by-step instructions from this article, you will learn how to make a hat for a VK group using popular programs and services. Including customization of paid and free, interactive and minimalist covers.

What is the size of pictures and avatar in the vk group

Avatar. The avatar size must be at least 200×200 px and no more than 7000×7000 px. The published image is compressed to 200×500 px. To maintain high quality, the developers suggest choosing a multi-pixel avatar scale.

A cap. Minimum cover size 795×200 px. The creators' recommendation will help you avoid low-quality images - use 1590×400 px.

The dimensions of the mobile version of vk are different from the PC version. In order for you to know “how and where” to place important elements on the header, you need to understand the intricacies. Let's define them:

• At the top, the phone information panel is 80 px.
• Left and right are trimmed by 195 px.
• Pop-up add-ons the settings take up 140 px.

The remainder of the visible area is 920×320 px. Therefore, it is in this radius that it is appropriate to place important information.

Following the advice of the developers, the cover of your community will look beautiful and accessible to users on narrow-format and wide-screen devices.

How to Make a Band Cover in Paint 3D

Creating a header for a VK group is as easy as shelling pears in Paint 3D, which is available on every PC.

Step 1. Launch the program and “ Create" project.

Step 2. Go to the “ tab Menu" Click " Insert" Determine the required image.

Step 3. Select " Trim" Be prepared for the fact that when you add a picture, Paint may cut it down to a size that is convenient for it without you.

Point 4. The original image size was 5848x3899 px, which gives a lot of room for creativity. To crop, drag the white dots to select a rectangular area. In Paint 3D the dimensions are 3550×900 px. are similar to 1590x400 px., so select them and click " Ready».

Step 6. Go to “ Menu" Choose a section " Save as" and click on " Image" When you give a name to the picture, click " Save».

Voila, the hat is ready and you can fill it. Paint 3D also has other capabilities - from banal effects and stickers, to two- and three-dimensional shapes and 3D models, which will be a good addition.

How to make a band cover in Photoshop

If you have Photoshop, then this is one of the best options for creating an original header. Since it is he who, if he has the basic skills to use, will help turn your imagination into creativity.

Step 1. After opening the program, click " File" And " Create…».

Step 2. After setting the file to the desired size (1590x400 px.), click " OK».

Step 3. Now we need to open the image we want to work with. " File" And " Place…».

Step 4. Insert the added image into the work area and stretch it by the cubes to the desired view. To avoid distorting the proportions, hold down the “Shift” key and only then stretch.

Step 5. You should end up with something like this. And then confirm the action by clicking on the checkbox.

Step 6. Go to " File", click " Save for Web and Devices..."or the key combination Alt+Shift+Ctrl+S.

If necessary, the hat can be modified with extravagant additions.

But what if you are a connoisseur of minimalism? By approaching the preparation of the cover with special attention, it can be designed in such a way that it will not need effects or additions, but will speak for itself, what the group is about or what the call is about.

How to create a cover for a group on VK online

To create an elegant cover, you don't always need to download all kinds of programs.
There is a convenient and multifunctional online service canva.com. Its wide range of advantages helps you painlessly make a hat for a VK group online in a few minutes.

1. Register first. Select 1 of 5 registration topics. Depending on your choice, the service will provide you with current templates. Further registration is very simple and consists of 3 options:

2. Select a template And Adding your team- you can skip it as you can do it later. And since VK is not yet in the templates on the page “ I want to create...» press « More types of designs».

3. Click " "and indicate the already familiar dimensions of the VK header.

4. After moving to the “ downloads", click " " Select the desired picture.

5. Afterwards, click on the downloaded image and it will appear in compressed form on the working field. Using black dots, stretch it to the desired size.

6. Filling. Canva offers a large set of features that will add a special twist to your cover:

• Elements is a collection of colorful additions.
• Text is a huge selection of fonts, but not the entire range works on the Russian keyboard.
• Background - gives you the opportunity not to use your own picture, choosing one of the proposed backgrounds or filling it with the color you like.

After these 7 steps, a free online cover created for the VK community is already subject to publication.

Canva helps create a beautiful header for a VK group, which has a very simple interface. Even a child can figure it out. And having understood all the intricacies and capabilities of the service, you can get a very original and stylish hat for your group.

How to make an interactive header in a VK group

Interactive cover - reproduction of various information in real time.

Thanks to the wide selection of existing online designers, creating such a cover is a piece of cake. They can satisfy the user with convenient and unexpected options - from the simplest weather mechanism, to the activity of participants and exchange rates, which certainly makes the cover unique.

They are mostly used in an environment of online sales and services. Here are some examples:

Remember that such a cover force is not suitable for all public pages. Each has its own content, its own audience and, accordingly, will have its own original standard of harmony. Perhaps just a weather widget with date and time is suitable for your community.

Creating an interactive cover for a VK group

Let's choose one of the best online designers vkfiller.ru, on which we will set up an interactive cover.

Step 1. Click “Try for free”.

Stage 2. Go through authorization by clicking “ Login using VKontakte" If you opened the site in the same browser as the contact, but you are asked to log in instead of “ Allow", check the site address so as not to fall for phishing and not to leak your account.

Step 4. Go to the “Dynamic Cover” section. Select the group in which you want to configure it. Click the checkbox to the left of the name, then click “Create/Edit”.

Step 5. Go to "Change Background". The finished header can be immediately dragged into the work area, but we will upload it via “Select file”. By selecting a pre-designed cover in Canva.

Stage 6. Now we go directly to “Adding a widget”.

Stage 7. When creating an article, the Vkfiller designer offers 17 different widgets to choose from. Let’s focus on the 3 simplest ones that fit harmoniously into our version “date and time” and “weather (icon)”. And also the exchange rate, let it be.

In the “Widget Settings” section you can modify it in every possible way.

Stage 8. A little lower is the cover refresh rate setting.

Price of one update = 0.003 rub. By setting the update frequency to every minute, per day it will come out = 4.32 rubles, and for 31 days = 133.92 rubles. If such an impressive amount does not hit your pocket, then you can safely bet.

The result is such uncomplicated beauty. Although, as they say: “to your taste.”

The choice of widgets is indeed abundant, but look for the golden mean of the appropriateness of certain additions. When you decide to add something, ask yourself, “Will this addition ruin the elegance of the cover?” and “Is there a need for it at all?”

How to create a cover for a VK group online for free

It happens that the author does not have time for services and programs and just needs to crop the finished image in order to publish it immediately. In this case, there is a quick solution - you can create a cover for the VK community in the group itself.

This is done in just 5 basic steps.

Step 1. Go to the " Control».

Step 2: Click " Download».

Step 3: Click " Select a file».

Step 4. Determine the required picture so that the sum of its width and height is no more than 14 thousand. px.

Step 5. Set your preferred angle and click " ».

This type of cover is quite worthy of an artist’s brush.

Conclusion

There is more than one, or even five programs and online services that make it easy to create a beautiful header for a VK group. And is it necessary to download heavy programs like Photoshop? Depends on your preferences. Choose which of the above methods can simplify your task, rather than complicate and confuse it.

If you doubt that you can handle creating the cover yourself, then this can be solved. You can self-study through free web courses or simply ask a web designer for advice. In general, you will be able to make a hat for a VK group.

And remember: your choice of header should depend on the content and audience, and not on your personal taste preferences.