Is Facebook allowing calls to action on Page cover images?

Tia Fisher examines how Facebook Pages appears to have quietly lifted restrictions on marketing in the cover image.

Without fanfare, it seems that Facebook may now be allowing calls to action on Facebook Page cover images.

Take a look at the Pages Terms. Up until today, the 17th December version of the platform prevented any kind of marketing in the cover image, and also – as with any promoted image – text was not allowed to comprise more than 20 % of the image area. (Here’s our coverage last month of the 20% ruling – not a lot of page owners were aware of this, it seems).

These were the restrictions up until March 20th:

1. images with more than 20% text;
2. price or purchase information, such as “40% off” or “Download it on socialmusic.com”;
3. contact information such as a website address, email, mailing address, or information that should go in your Page’s “About” section;
4. references to Facebook features or actions, such as “Like” or “Share” or an arrow pointing from the cover photo to any of these features; or
5. calls to action, such as “Get it now” or “Tell your friends.”

Now, although the 20% text rule is still in place and the date of the guidelines unchanged, it looks as though Page owners are free to invite visitors to click, buy, like, tell their friends, get money off or visit a brand website. (This guidelines page makes no mention of other restrictions either).

Thanks to @christuttle for his early heads-up on this.

Tia Fisher is the marketing manager and chief voice of the @eModeration Twitter account.

This article originally appeared on eModeration.