VKontakte new cover for group design. Cover for a VKontakte group Make a cover for a VKontakte group online

As you know, it’s not enough to create your own group on VK. You need to create an attractive visual design for it, fill it with exciting content, and attract new and interesting people to the group. An important element of the visual design of a VKontakte group is its cover - a rectangular image at the very top of the group page. The standard dimensions are 1590x400 pixels for group covers on VKontakte. And below we will look at how to make an image for communities with dimensions of 1590 by 400, and also give several examples of covers of this format in VK.

Characteristic features of covers for designing groups in VK

The cover for the VKontakte group implies two basic options for the sizes used:

Minimum – size 795x200 px;
Recommended 1590x400 px, allowing you to work with detailed images that are well suited for widescreen monitors.

Please note that for mobile devices (and according to statistics, the owners of such devices make up the majority of VK visitors), the visible cover area in VK 1590 by 400 is 1196 × 400 px. The left and right edges are cut off by 140 px due to pop-up icons of menus and messages, and on top 83 px is taken away by a strip displaying icons of the phone’s charge level, signal strength, received calls, SMS and other icons.

Displaying the cover on mobile devices

In addition to standard static pictures, about a year ago “dynamic covers” were introduced into the functionality of VK, changing and updating after a certain period of time. They can significantly enhance the visual appeal of the group, while their use requires the connection of a special script and hosting. It is recommended to entrust this matter to professionals.

How to create a suitable 1590x400 image for the VKontakte community

For a professional designer, creating a cover for a VK group will not be difficult. If you are not like that, then special graphic tools will help you create a cover for the vk.com public page. We recommend Canva, an online resource specifically designed for graphic design purposes. Its functionality provides convenient access to millions of photos, images and fonts, working with it is not complicated, which is why Canva is deservedly popular among both beginners and professionals.

Use Canva to create covers

One of the convenient features of this resource is a section dedicated specifically to creating pictures for groups on VKontakte. Here is a convenient list of tools that allows you to create a 1590x400 cover for the VK 2018 group.

The algorithm for working with a resource comes down to approximately the following:

Go to canva.com;
Click on “Create a cover for a VK group”;
Please indicate what purposes you use Canva for – commercial, educational, private, etc.;
Register on the resource (you can log in using your Google or Facebook account);
Next you will be taken to a special section of the site dedicated to creating a cover for a group on VK.

On the left you will see a control panel, which contains a set of tools for creating and editing an attractive cover for your group in VK. On the right is a field for creating an image of 1590×400 pixels.

Cover editing screen on Canva

There is a large selection of templates created by professional designers. You can choose any such template, and then further customize it to suit your needs by changing the color, adding text, adding new elements or changing the location of existing ones. To find the template you need, there is a search bar that allows you to search for a template by its name.

To upload your own images to the resource, there is a “Download” button. If you are uploading a logo, try to use a logo with a transparent background. To insert your image into the layout of the future VK cover in 2018, simply drag it with the mouse to the desired part of the image.

To upload files to the resource, use the “Downloads” button

If desired, the desired layout element can be edited. To do this, click on it with the mouse, and possible data for setting it up will be displayed at the top. You can change the text and font features, background, location and number of elements, and so on.

The settings line at the top appears when you click on the text in the cover

To save the result on your PC, click on “File” - “Download” at the top left.

You may also be interested in our material about.

When working with cover art in Canva, Adobe Photoshop and other similar tools, pay attention to the following:

Use the image only in the recommended (marked above) sizes;
For the cover, look for a high-quality photo;
Don't overload your images with visual elements;
The picture you choose must correspond to the focus of the group, its style and the chosen color scheme (if any);
Try to use original pictures that will highlight the unique character of your group;
Add an emotional component to the image - such pictures will not leave anyone indifferent.

How to upload a suitable picture to your group

To upload a cover to VK, go to the page of which you are the administrator. Click on the “Manage” button on the right, in the page that opens next to the “Community Cover” option, click on “Upload”, and upload the cover file to your group.

Click on “Download” to upload the cover to your group

Several examples of VK covers

We also offer you several examples of images that can be used as templates for your future group cover on social media. VK networks:

Conclusion

Above we discussed the creation of a memorable cover for the design of VK groups with dimensions of 1590x400. They also provided several options for images and explained how to draw a picture using the popular service “Canva”. When uploading created images to VKontakte, remember the restrictions imposed when viewing covers from mobile devices. This will help make viewing your group more comfortable for numerous “mobile” VK users.

Nowadays, only the laziest people don’t have a VKontakte group. But creating a group and organizing it correctly are two different things.

If you want people to be interested in you and follow you, you should take care of creating a cover for the VKontakte group. It is advisable to do this before you start driving traffic to your newly created social network page.

A trick that will help make the company’s image more complete: order a cover for a VK group and for a Facebook page of the same type. The sizes will differ, but it is better to make the design the same.

Making the cover for a VK group attractive and informative is important for several reasons:
This is a chance to make a first impression and get the visitor to subscribe to the page. There will be no second chance like this.
This is an opportunity to literally in a second, using an image, create the image the company needs in the visitor’s mind. Pictures are much faster and more accurate than text.
This is the right place to talk about the most important things. Is there a big event coming up, a major sale coming up, or a new direction opening? What is your business doing now? You can write information on the cover and convey it as quickly as possible to everyone who enters your group.

Before you start learning how to make a cover on top in a VK group, you should decide which path is closer to you:

1. Make a cover for a VKontakte group to order. The result of a good designer’s work will be excellent. But you will have to pay for quality, and you will also have to spend time and effort searching for a performer and interacting with him.

2. Figure out how to make a cover for a VKontakte group yourself. This option will probably be inferior in quality to the previous one, unless, of course, you are proficient in graphic editors at least at the advanced user level. On the other hand, it will give you new knowledge and skills and allow you to save on design.

If you choose the second path, the question arises of where to make the cover for the VK group. Welcome to Community Management. This function is in the first place in the drop-down list that opens when you click the button in the form of three dots. We've highlighted it in red:

The “Community Cover” option is the fourth item after the name, description and group type. VK offers two options: upload or delete the cover.

If you figure out on your own how to make a cover on VK in a group, you will find that the site itself tells users the answer to this question. The ideal image size for the cover is 1590×400 pixels, format – JPG, GIF or PNG.

All that remains is to make the design. To do this, you can use graphic editors such as Photoshop or CorelDRAW, or you can take advantage of the capabilities of simpler online services for working with images.

One of the most popular and intuitive online image and photo editors is www.canva.com. With its help, it will be easy to understand how to make a horizontal cover in a VK group.

The service allows you to use ready-made stylish fonts and options for placing text in pictures. Some templates are available for free, but some designs will require you to pay.
When the cover is ready, upload it to the VK group - and enjoy all the benefits of a beautifully designed community.

Today we figured out how to make a cover on VK in a group, and in the next issues we’ll talk about other marketing tools that will definitely come in handy for your business.

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Many community owners want to create a cover for a group on VK online. In our article we will try to understand all the nuances of the procedure and provide advice for users.

VK is a site that is constantly updated and improved. Group admins now have many tools to personalize their community. One of them is creating a cover for an online VK group.

But what is it? This is a special image placed in the group header. Why do you need a cover?

It allows you to improve the design.
It manages to give the page a special style.
You will love the new design.
The cover can tell about the theme of the community.
Groups with a beautiful design arouse the greatest interest among users.
People will be more willing to subscribe to the community.
It is possible to adapt the image to the full and mobile version of the site.
Creating a cover is quite easy, this procedure should not cause problems.

How to make a beautiful cover for a group in VK?

Labor costs for creation depend on your wishes. In general, group administrators have two options:

Take the finished picture and post it.
Create your own unique image.

Of course, the second method is much more complicated. To create a unique cover you will need to use a photo editor. You need to have at least minimal skills in working with programs like Photoshop to achieve the desired result.

Cover for VK group: size

Sizes may vary. For example, on a PC the cover is displayed at a resolution of 795x200 pixels. On smartphones it adapts to the device’s screen.

But it’s not always possible to find a picture with exactly this resolution! Don't worry, when you upload an image, the system will prompt you to crop it. Select the part you want, the edges will be automatically removed.

It's important to remember that cover art displays differently on mobile devices than on PCs. It is cropped at 83px at the top, this space is occupied by system icons. Also, on smartphones with a display width of up to 400px, the edges are cropped by 196px.

As a result, a small area will be invisible to mobile device users. It is better to leave it empty so that only the background of the image is at the edges, then the elements will not be cut off.

Program for creating a cover for a group on VK

Available ways to create a header for a group:

Download the finished image for the cover.
Do it through an online service.
Order from specialists.
Use photo editors and create your own.

The Internet is full of free pictures and templates in psd format. You can adapt them to your group and put them in the community header. This is the simplest option today.

You can use special programs - Adobe Photoshop, Pixelmator, etc. But you must be able to work with these applications; mastering them will take time.

How to make a cover for a group on VK in Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is the most popular image editing program. It allows you to quickly create a cover if you have certain skills. The main advantage of this method is that it is possible to develop a unique design.

Important! As a base, always select pictures that are larger than the recommended sizes. You will need to adjust the image to the desired resolution. But in the case of stretching, the quality of the picture deteriorates significantly, which is unacceptable.

Open Photoshop. In the menu, select the item to create a new file. To save it you need to set the following parameters:

Immediately indicate the file name.
Size – 1590x
The background is transparent.
Color mode – RGB 8-bit colors.
Resolution – 72 pixels per inch.

Now find a picture on the Internet, copy it and paste it into the program. To adapt the size you need:

Go to the “Editing” item.
Then to "Transformation".
Now select the “Scaling” section.
Hold Shift.
Use the left mouse button to capture a corner of the image.
Adapt the picture to fit the borders.
To confirm the action, press Enter.

You need to write the name of the community. To do this you need:

Select the option to create a new layer.
Click the button to add text.
Select an area for its placement.
Select size, color, font.
Enter the name of the community.
Open the styles panel.
Choose the appropriate one so that the text looks beautiful.

You've got a pretty simple cover. According to the instructions, almost any user can do it. Naturally, creating a header with many elements will take much more time.

Open from the File menu.
Select "Save for Web".
Specify the PNG-24 set.
Save the picture.

How to upload a finished image?

To upload a picture to the group you will need:

Enter the community.
Select an item to control from the menu.
Find an option with a community cover.
Select an item to download.
An add form will open.
You can select a picture in Explorer or drag it into the window.
Upload it to the site.
Confirm saving.

Go to the main community page and evaluate the result. If you followed the size recommendations, the picture will fit completely.

You learned how to create a cover for a group in VK. The process is not that complicated, just take into account all the tips provided.

Dynamic cover for VK group

Now it is possible to create a dynamic cover. The process of preparing it is much more complicated and you will have to spend much more time.

What is the difference between a dynamic header and a regular one? In it, images can be updated. The change frequency is configured separately during creation.

But why do you need a dynamic header? There are many options for using it:

You can display your CRM system.
I manage to create a timer.
Display the day of the week, date, time.
Show the names of the last people who joined.
Provide additional information.
Such covers are suitable for groups of companies.

It is possible to place various information in the header that can be obtained from VK or any other site. The options for using it depend only on your needs.

How it works?

The principle is quite simple:

A standard template is being prepared.
Zones for updated data are allocated in the right places.
For full operation you will need a special script.

Why do you need a script?

The script is used to receive data and display it in designated areas. That is, it downloads information from the source and transfers it to the cover, and is a connecting element.

The update frequency is adjusted based on your wishes. You can select the optimal value so that current information is displayed in the header.

Creating a dynamic cover with a script is more difficult than a regular one. Much more knowledge and specialized software will be required. Therefore, it is better to entrust this procedure to professionals. Then you can be sure of perfect functioning.

How to connect the script?

After completing the project, specialists will provide you with:

Design layout.
Sources in PSD format.
Script.
License key for binding.

Professionals involved in developing design for communities take on the main tasks. Due to this, it is possible to save time and not delve into all the nuances of creating such covers.

For the script to work, you will need to install it somewhere. There are several options:

On your home computer.
On the server of the company that was involved in the development.
To a remote server.

You can install the script on your PC. But the computer must work around the clock. If the device is turned off, the information in the header will no longer be updated. Therefore, few community owners use this method.

You can pay for hosting and install the script on a remote server. The cost of service starts from 80 rubles per month. But you need to choose reliable hosting that can ensure uninterrupted operation.

Many companies involved in community design offer to install the script on their server. The cost of the service is small, the subscription fee usually does not exceed 100 rubles per month. Also, company employees will support the functioning of the script.

Surely you have already appreciated the innovation of the VKontakte network - the cover of public pages and communities. A fairly large photo banner that opens in front of the user the moment he enters the group. What is it for? The banner attracts attention and allows you to briefly and clearly tell about the community, its interests, and features. Often this is the factor that attracts the user to subscribe to the public page and further view its posts in the news feed. But how to make a group cover on VK so that it is beautiful and attractive? We will give you the most useful recommendations.

Correct community header

Before you make the cover of a group on VK, you need to decide: what will it have to express? We will give you some relevant tips to achieve your goal:

Unusuality. The cover is what your current or future subscriber sees first. If it contains a unique feature, surprises with its design, includes an interesting play on words, an intriguing story, then everything indicated will only benefit you. Many people use such an interesting cover format for the VK group as a continuation of what is depicted on it in the attached inscription on the wall.
Trends. The banner must be modern. As a last resort - classic. But not a “accordion” - it contains elements of what was once relevant in the Internet environment. Therefore, it is worth thinking about framing it in the spirit of the latest events discussed, a recently released film, and adding the participation of heroes of memes that are popular today. It goes without saying that the covers in this case need to be updated periodically.
Use easy psychological techniques to help you pay attention. For example, an image of a person looking in a certain direction - where you have placed important information - is quite effective.

What should a hat not be like?

Let's look at how to make a group cover on VK so that it does not evoke negative emotions among community visitors:

Nobody likes spam banners - memes with requests to join a group. In the overwhelming majority of cases, even if the idea is presented in a rather original way, users ignore the calls.
If you want to indicate in the header a list of the services you provide, then the idea is obviously a failure. Maybe it’s worth hinting at them intriguingly with comics, collages, photographs?
Indicating a contact phone number in the banner, or even worse, a link to another site, is tantamount to handing out leaflets at the crossing. No one will retype the link from the image into the address bar. It is better to dedicate a separate post to your contacts, a section that will always be visible to users, from where it is convenient and easy to copy the necessary information.

What should a good cover look like?

So, when creating, photographing or searching for the right stock image, keep the following in mind:

The community hat should contain an unspoken call to a certain action, emotion.
The image must be relevant to your audience.
Choose pleasant, calm colors or, on the contrary, bright, acidic colors - it all depends on the specifics of the group.
Don’t ignore the font either: don’t settle for boring “Word” variations, but don’t go towards writing that, due to its quirkiness, can be difficult to make out.
Don’t forget about the semantic load and the correct hashtags.

Now let's look at more specific variations:

Using an image of a famous person advertising your community or product.
The consonance of the hat with high-profile events, holidays, activities, promotions - both general and related only to your group.
The content of an unspoken attractive call to switch to another resource (make sure that the transition is easy and understandable for the user).
Placement in the header of a special offer, the main news of the public.

About cover size

As you noticed, the banner parameters are not standard when compared with the usual avatars. In order for the image you choose to look good, the size of the VK group cover should be as close as possible to 1590 x 400 pixels. Such parameters for a banner can be set in advance when creating it in a graphic editor.

When creating a collage, you need to consider how the picture will be reflected on subscribers’ devices, so as not to place the necessary information in areas that will be hidden:

In a computer browser - 795 x 200 pixels. The image is not cropped, but only compressed.
As for mobile devices, the header is displayed slightly differently. It is trimmed according to the width of the device screen. For example, if the latter is 400 pixels, then your cover image will be trimmed by 146 pixels on each edge. Add more space allocated for system buttons. Because of it, the banner will become 80-140 pixels narrower on each edge.

Easy cover creation

Let's look at the easiest way to make a group cover in VK:

Take a photo that somehow resonates with your community's theme.
Find a suitable stock image in Google, Yandex.Images, and other resources. Beautiful covers for a group on VK can be found using a similar request.
If you think that the image is too detached, then you can fill it with new elements and text in such popular online editors as Fotor, Pablo or Canva.

Creation in Photoshop

The best program for VK group covers and for visual design in general remains Photoshop. However, you should turn to its help if you are a fairly confident user and know how to create high-quality collages, process photos, cut out objects, work with layers, correction and filters. Otherwise, you risk getting a low-quality cover with a bunch of mistakes, which will not please or attract your potential audience.

So, having entered the program, click on “File”, then “Create”. For the cover it is better to set the following parameters:

Size: 1590 x 400 pixels.
Resolution: 72 pixels in 1 inch.
Color mode: RGB (8 bit).

And then there is room for creativity: create layers from stock or personal images, cut out certain objects, add text, use filters and program tools. The main thing is to have a clear plan in your head for what you want to get in the end.

How to set the cover in a group on VK?

Let's first figure out how to generally change the banner in the community of which you are the administrator:

Under your group's avatar, on the right side of the page, click on the three dots "..."
A drop-down window will appear in front of you. In it, select "Community Management".
An administrator window will open. Find the "Settings" section and click on it.
You will immediately see the line “Community Cover”. That's what we need.
How to add a cover to a VK group? Just click on "Download".
You will see brief recommendations on the image format and size of the VK group cover.
It is worth choosing a high-quality, high-resolution photo.
Here, as when choosing an avatar, you have the opportunity to choose which area of the image to place on the cover: use the mouse to move the bounding rectangle to stop at the most successful area. By the way, the photo can be turned upside down.
Be sure to click on “Save and Continue” on the cover window. Don't rush to close the page!
In the settings window, do not forget to click on “Save”.

Now you can look at what happened!

Editing the cover

We have also prepared a number of tips in case you want to edit, change, or delete an image. To do this, you just need to hover your mouse (if you are an administrator) over the banner. Three schematic prompts will appear:

"Upload" - installing a new photo. You already know how to add a cover to a VK group.
"Edit" - rotate the image, change the area that will be visible in the banner.
"Delete" - remove the existing cover.

We analyzed the creation and publication of the cover in the VKontakte group from idea to concrete implementation. We hope that these recommendations will help you create a wonderful banner!

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The appearance of communities on social networks is very important. If the design doesn’t catch your eye at first glance, then visitors won’t even pay attention to it. This is why sometimes the most useful content does not find its audience. Today we’ll look at how to make a cover for a VKontakte group using online services or on a computer. When using this information, you not only transform your public page, but also attract new subscribers.

Image Options

The VK administration is constantly improving the appearance of its services, making it more beautiful and convenient for users. Thus, vertical avatars were replaced by horizontal background images in the community header. Moreover, now it is possible not only the classic static display, but the use of dynamic blocks with timers, exchange rates, CRM data and other modules.

For the two options, the size of the group cover in VK is the same. Minimum width and height 795 x 200 px. But the developers advise doubling the parameters of the source file - up to 1590 x 400 px. This allows the public to look equally good on a phone and a widescreen PC monitor.

When developing a design, you need to consider the location of the navigation buttons. The distance from the right edge is 66 px, the distance between them is 10 px, and the size of each is 157 px.

When searching for a picture, it is not necessary to maintain the specified proportions. It is important that the resolution is not less than specified. Below we describe how to adjust it to the required parameters.

Navigation elements should be positioned so that they are visible not only on the PC, but also on the phone. Therefore, let’s look at how to make a cover in a VK group for the mobile version. There are some size features:

196 px on each side simply goes beyond the limits of visibility.
The upper 83 px are occupied by service icons, where the clock, mobile operators and other information are displayed.
140 px on the sides are occupied by pop-up menu and message icons.

Only the 918 x 317 px area remains untouched. This is what you need to focus on.

The exact layout of all elements simplifies the work. But before approving the final version, it is better to publish the image and make sure that important parts are not overlapped by pop-up icons and panels. This helps make the community attractive to users of any device.

Choosing a background for the cover of a VK group

The background screen of your public page should be as consistent as possible with its content and inspire confidence among visitors. Good results are shown by the author's photographs. Pictures of machines in production, cakes in your kitchen or satisfied clients in a hairdressing salon “come in” better than hackneyed pictures from Yandex search. If there are no such materials, you can use a free stock photo database, for example, Unsplash. The service offers a huge selection. But key queries must be entered in English. A good Russian-language stock is Pixabay. But the number of freely available files is limited.

However, you don’t have to be a designer to do everything yourself. You just need to know the basic rules and techniques.

Not only the text reveals the theme. A suitable illustration does this itself. It is enough to bring to the fore a key event, event or person.

In recognizable niches, you can adhere to a minimalist strategy. The brand comes first. An abundance of inscriptions, on the contrary, can ruin everything. A fan interested in the logo begins to study the details himself.

People are also attracted to feelings and emotions. A couple in love in the background creates a calm atmosphere, and the bright red font conveys the necessary information.

With the help of a community cover on VK, you can stimulate people to take a targeted action. A pointer to the menu encourages visitors to explore sections of the public. And if you make an intriguing signature nearby, they begin to look for a mysterious solution and linger with you.

An arrow pointing to the subscribe button helps users stay with you further. However, you should not limit yourself to just visual highlighting. Already at the first stage of getting to know the audience, you can interest them with a benefit or bonus. A nice gift, a promise to solve a problem, or a catchy phrase stimulates action.

In this case, not only direct, but also indirect levers of influence on the target audience are suitable. Marketers' research on eye trails has shown that we tend to look where others are looking. This can also be used to our advantage to focus on the elements we need. Despite the bright, expressive image of the characters, we concentrate on the text even without direct reference to it.

The latest VK innovations – dynamic covers for the group – help make the page interactive. The community header contains blocks that change over time. These can be neutral elements: clocks, exchange rates, weather in the region. But most of all, photos of friends and acquaintances attract attention. The built-in modules “most active”, “best commentator” or “last subscriber” show the avatar of the distinguished person in the header. However, there are many possibilities. We'll talk about them in a separate article.

Color solutions play an important role. A correctly selected range of colors attracts the target audience just as well as a catchy slogan. This is actively used by marketers. Orange and yellow tones are characteristic of cheerful people. Green is associated with health, sustainability and money. Blue – symbolizes calm and reliability. It is preferable for the male half of the participants. Shades of red perfectly attract attention. Indispensable for promotions and sales. Using more than three colors will unfocus the eye. It is better to use color resonance, shades and halftones.

A current picture for the cover of a group on VK helps you get into trends. An upcoming event always attracts attention. Announce relevant events even if you are focused on a broader topic.

We design the community header

Professional web designers work in specialized applications: Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Creative Cloud and others. But they are quite complex for novice users. Despite the abundance of functions and capabilities, beginners rarely use them. Often, only the functions of cropping and transforming images, overlaying text and pictures on top of the background layer remain in demand. All the same things can be easily done without installing resource-intensive programs.

Let's look at how to create a cover for a VK group in the online graphic editor canva. To work on it, register by e-mail or using social network buttons.
After authorization, click on the top right “Use special sizes” and set the parameters 1590 x 400px. Select a background template from the gallery presented on the website or upload your photo. If necessary, stretch it to the required size using the “handles” in the corners. All that remains is to add navigation and labels. The application is shareware, so all modules with the appropriate mark can be used without restrictions. Add text, logo, pointers, arrows and other elements you like.

After the final formatting of each part, we save the results to the hard drive by clicking “download”. The main part of the work is ready. Now let's look at how to add a cover to a VK group.

Setting up a community header

The old version of public pages uses an avatar. It is made in the form of a vertically elongated block, which forms the right sidebar. When changing the design, this arrangement changes to horizontal. But there are no corresponding switches in the settings. The change occurs automatically.
Through the “actions” menu, go to options. We go to the appropriate section and see the download button:

Specify the path to the background image on your hard drive. It occupies the position we need at the top of the public.
After reading the article, even beginners have no problems with how to upload a cover in a VK group. In this case, you create the background yourself. And knowledge of marketing techniques allows you to adapt it to the seasons, social events and global trends, thereby attracting even more visitors.

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