Promoting your brand is easier with a sleek-looking and attractive LinkedIn banner. Plus, the banner also differs your profile from the crowd. Besides, creating a LinkedIn banner for your business page is a no-brainer anyway – everyone is about the brand image nowadays.
We’ve written a new LinkedIn Banner Size Guide. Take a look at our new article!
Below we will teach you how to do it and what to avoid when creating the banner.
LinkedIn Banner: a step-by-step guide to designing it
First of all, let’s discuss why you need to create an attractive LinkedIn banner and what is required to do so?
- It is vital for a defined web advertising strategy! But you need to know your target audience, the message you want to convey, your products, and your business goals.
- You will need high-quality visuals or images.
- A graphics software like Photoshop or Canva.
- Ensure that the color combination is as your company’s charter.
The Optimal Size of LinkedIn Banner
If you are unsure about the LinkedIn banner or cover photo, we are there for you. When it’s about choosing the appropriate LinkedIn banner, there are many opinions and choices among the users.
Most users prefer auto-generated pic, but you have the option to choose any other photo or one that is according to your industry.
Furthermore, you can also create a custom design for your LinkedIn cover photo. Regardless of your choice, ensure to use the best LinkedIn cover photo size for your page.
Additionally, the optimal LinkedIn banner is 1584 by 396 pixels, and the image format for the LinkedIn banner image should be: JPEG, GIF, or PNG, having a max size of 8 MB.
How to Design a LinkedIn Cover Page as per Your Target Market?
It’s straightforward. To do this, you need to think from your audience’s perspective; only then you can attract your network.
Similarly, you need to know to whom you want to address and how to do it.
In other words, your message needs to be on the point, clear and simple to understand at a glance. Here are a few things to understand:
Who you are: As LinkedIn is a business platform, so your personality and brand identity matters the most to other users. They don’t want to talk with a sales machine; instead, they need a professional to whom they can interrelate and discuss the issues.
What is your value proposition? Provide value to your audience and others on the network.
- Who does this value proposition benefit? Pen down details about your target market? The more information you can write, the better it will be.
- Do you know your target’s codes? Try to understand whether your audience includes marketing experts, what keywords attract them.
- Similarly, if your audience includes recruiters, observe what skills they want or need.
By answering these questions, you can easily craft the main points of your message.
LinkedIn Banner Examples
To further clarify the matter, below are excellent examples of a LinkedIn banner that you can use as an inspiration.
Let’s take a look:
Banner Example# 1: Simple But Awesome
One of my personal favorite people, the great Fabio Marrama, has awesome headshots images of himself talking about his content in a conference along with his unique hashtag.
Fabio LinkedIn Cover Photo
Banner Example #2: Perfect Personal Branding
Another well-known personality Tim Salau features a clear headshot and his personal brand, “Mr. Future of Work.” The cover is attractive and features a true image of what he loves doing (speaking & network building).
Furthermore, did you notice the image also contains a social proof with a well-crafted logo?
Tim Salau LinkedIn Cover Image
Banner Example #3: Vibrant Shades at its best
Sendlane, the famous brand, elegantly utilizes vibrant and bold pink colors in the cover image. Pink truly represents the brand, and such shades are not seen on LinkedIn. But the cover is well-designed and instantly grabs the user’s attraction.
Besides, their image and message say RETAIL without spelling the word!
Sendlane LinkedIn Cover Picture:
How to Make a Creative LinkedIn banner?
If you are thinking about what to include on your LinkedIn cover photo? And how to create the one? Below are the answers.
First, ensure that your LinkedIn cover image suits your brand and business. The more customized your carousel is, the better it represents your work, and the more it will impact your profile.
If you really stand out from the rest! Be original and be yourself.
Pro Tip: Never use ready-made templates or one-size-fits-all images that you see everywhere.
Changing your LinkedIn Cover Photo: Mistakes to Avoid!
- First of all, it’s important that you should use the recommended format. Furthermore, LinkedIn has clearly defined the banner size. So, you cannot go wrong with the size.
- We will also advise you to avoid last-minute adjustments or cropping that might “break” the finishing effects of the picture.
- Don’t waste words! Instead, save your words for other sections such as LinkedIn’s about me section, your articles, and others. The banner should include minimum words that deliver a powerful message.
To summarize, always use high-class content with a stunning image and minimal but relevant information that represents your business.
Apart from it, please don’t overload your banner as it can make things messy and complicated. Try to follow the evergreen rule; simplicity is the best policy.
Where to find images for a LinkedIn banner?
Not everyone can design the images like a pro. Some don’t have the required skills, while some have a limited budget.
So, we have some alternatives for you. Have a look:
You have two ways:
You can seek help from a professional designer if you need something specific.
Or you can use various websites and easily design a banner by yourself.
Let’s talk about the second option alternative below:
Usually, there are two common image types:
Vector images: These look like “virtual drawings,” and such photos are available on websites like Pixabay or Freepik. Both these sites are safe, and you can download thousands of free vectors from these sites.
Professional photos: For professional images, we recommend sites like Pixabay and Unsplash. Both have top-quality pictures, and you have plenty of options to get the right one for your business.
LinkedIn Background Banner: The Best Tools to Use.
After defining your target audience, your message, shades, and images that you want to use for your cover image, it’s time to design the banner.
Here you will need a creative tool to design a perfect LinkedIn banner that truly showcases you and your brand.
There are many tools and software that can help you, such as Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, or Canva. But our favorite is Canva. However, you can use the others as well.
Canva for LinkedIn banner:
In our opinion, Canva is the best option or tool to create the banner.
The tool is simple to use, even for beginners and for those who don’t have graphic designing skills. Moreover, Canva also shows you the perfect dimensions for your LinkedIn cover image right away.
How to change or customize your LinkedIn banner?
Follow these directions to change or upload a LinkedIn cover by using Canva.
- First, log in to your Canva account and click on the “create a design” option.
- Now, look for the “LinkedIn banner.”
- Next, drag and drop your picture and visuals.
- Add text (if needed).
- Then, you can change the design and colors and, in the end, save the image.
- Now go to your LinkedIn profile or page.
- Click on the banner image, and then again click on the “edit” button,
- Now just upload your created banner.
Manage the size of images
Here is a handy to compress and optimize the image’s size. Plus, you can also transform, convert and manage an image’s pixels. The IloveIMAGE is a free and user-friendly tool that can do all these tasks for you. Just add your photo and follow the directions.
FAQs
– First, understand your market, your message, and your brand’s identity.
– Then use the best techniques with well-defined, uncluttered visuals and simple to read message.
– Use the best tools to add an image and edit it by using graphics software.
– Always use the recommended size for a LinkedIn banner that is 1584 x 396 pixels.
– Ensure the quality is high.
– To use royalty-free pictures, you can use these websites: Unsplash or Pixabay.
– To adjust or modify a picture and its size, you can use IloveIMG or Adobe Photoshop.
– To fine-tune your image, use Canva.
The recommended LinkedIn cover size is 1584 x 396 pixels. Besides, ensure that the image is in Jpeg, GIF, or PNG format with a max size of 8 MB maximum.
Wrapping Things Up
We hope you will find this guide useful. Now that you understand the importance of your LinkedIn cover picture, the appropriate banner size, where to get royalty-free photos, and other vital info about the matter.
It’s time to update your LinkedIn page or profile!
