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Glossary – Living cover

Living cover

Nikiforov Alexander
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What is a live cover?

A live (or dynamic) cover is an extended header for a community that can include several images or video materials. Static images can be animated, adding visual appeal. Currently, this feature is available exclusively on the social network VKontakte. An example of this feature's use is the animation of Sberkot from Sber, which demonstrates various cute gestures and even dances.

A live cover is a tool available for the mobile application of the social network. Although it can also be added to a website, not all features will be available. On the web version, the cover will be slightly larger than the standard one, and several files can be placed in the header to create a carousel. However, it is worth noting that video or animation will not be displayed, and the image will not take up the entire screen as it does in the app.

Why is a live cover needed?

The cover is the first element that a visitor sees when entering a group. Even if they came to the community with the intention of unsubscribing, their attention will first be drawn to the cover. This makes it an ideal place to convey important information to visitors.

On a smartphone screen, a static cover may be hard to notice. Large images or slideshows attract more attention due to their size and the dynamics of the frames. For example, the static cover of the Pikabu community takes up less than one-third of the screen and cannot effectively capture the user's attention.

A live cover, in turn, occupies two-thirds of the screen in a minimized view. It displays part of the image and key information about the community. When clicking on the cover, the image expands to full screen, while the logo and buttons for quick access to actions remain at the bottom.

Goals of using a live cover

  • Advertising events or promotions. A live cover can be used to display a full-screen banner, allowing companies to inform about advantageous offers or upcoming events.
  • Increasing recognition. A large cover sets the atmosphere for the entire community and immerses visitors in the brand's world.
  • Inviting to the community. Users often enter a community to search for information but do not subscribe. A direct call to action can help convert such users into subscribers.
  • Informing about important moments. Live covers are often used to explain how to order a product or download an application, which significantly eases the workload of customer support.

What types of live covers are there?

Live covers can take various formats:

  • Video. The main difference between a live cover and a regular one is that instead of a static image, a vertical video can be used.
  • Image. A dynamic cover allows the addition of vertical photos that occupy a large part of the screen and attract attention.
  • Carousel. A live cover can be filled with several photos and videos (up to five), allowing for a quick presentation of the company's main advantages or current promotions.
  • Images in motion. This feature allows for the animation of static images, creating a zoom and approach effect.

All types of live covers share a common feature — dynamism. However, it is important to use this characteristic correctly: avoid overloading with text and small details that may be hard to perceive.

How to create and upload a dynamic cover on VK?

To create and upload a live cover, the following technical requirements must be considered:

  • Resolution: 1080x1920 pixels
  • Size: no more than 20 MB
  • Duration: up to 30 seconds
  • Video codec: H.264
  • Audio codec: AAC

It is also necessary to correctly calculate the visible areas so that the image or video is displayed correctly in both minimized and expanded views. The minimized cover is what the user sees when entering the community, while the expanded one is the part that opens after clicking on the minimized cover.

Creating live covers is conveniently done using mobile editors. This allows for a quick assessment of the final result: the arrangement of elements, readability of fonts, brightness, and other parameters.

Popular apps for editing VKontakte covers

  • Inshot
  • VSCO
  • Mojo
  • Unfold
  • Meitu
  • CapCut

Some applications, such as Canva, offer ready-made templates, where you just need to replace the background and arrange elements to your liking.

Adding a live cover

In the mobile application, you need to click on the gear icon in the top right corner, then select "Information" and go to the "Cover" section. Using the "Add cover" button, you can upload the necessary slides (maximum — 5 files). To animate a static image, you need to activate the "Show photos in motion" option.

On the group's website, the process is similar. In the main menu, select the "Management" section, then "Cover" and follow a similar algorithm. However, animation will only be displayed on mobile devices.