Choosing the right background color for your LinkedIn profile is an important part of making a good first impression and standing out from the crowd. Your profile background is often the first thing people notice when visiting your page, so you want to select a color that aligns with your personal brand and the image you want to project professionally.
In this article, we’ll explore some of the best practices for choosing LinkedIn background colors. We’ll look at factors like color psychology, industry norms, personal branding, and accessibility issues. We’ll also provide specific color recommendations with examples to help guide your decision. A well-chosen background color can help your profile make the right impression.
The Importance of Your LinkedIn Profile Background
Your LinkedIn profile background color sets the tone for your entire profile. It’s one of the first things viewers notice, so make sure you choose wisely.
Some key reasons why your background color matters:
- Makes a strong first impression – The background color is one of the first things people see when visiting your profile. You want to make sure it aligns with the professional brand you want to convey.
- Conveys your personality – The colors you choose say something about you. Warm tones may come across as friendly and inviting while cool tones can seem more serious.
- Helps you stand out – With a sea of white and blue LinkedIn backgrounds, choosing a distinctive color can help differentiate your profile.
- Reinforces your professional brand – Your background color should match the image, industry and tone you want to set for your career.
- Looks professional – While creativity is good, you still want to choose a polished, professional color that makes the right impression.
In summary, your background color has a big impact. You want it to grab attention while reinforcing your professionalism. Think carefully about the impression you want to make.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a LinkedIn Background Color
Several important factors go into selecting the right LinkedIn background color for your personal brand. Consider the following elements:
Color Psychology
Color psychology suggests different hues evoke different feelings and associations. When choosing a background color, consider the impression you want to make.
- Blues are seen as trustworthy, calm and confident.
- Greens are associated with harmony, growth and stability.
- Yellows convey optimism, creativity and youth.
- Oranges signify energy, enthusiasm and socialness.
- Reds represent power, excitement and boldness.
- Purples are seen as sophisticated, wise and mystical.
Think about the personality traits and impressions you want to convey, and choose colors that align. For most professional purposes, muted, darker tones tend to work best.
Industry Norms
Look at profiles of professionals in your industry to see common color choices. For example, creatives often use bold colors while finance professionals tend to stick to conservative hues like blue, black or grey. Avoid anything that seems distractingly out of sync with your field.
Personal Branding
Your background color should complement your overall personal branding for a cohesive, professional look. If you have a company color palette or consistent visual style across your website, business cards etc., incorporate matching colors.
Accessibility
Keep accessibility in mind. Colors that are too bright could be visually jarring. Dark text on a light background is easiest to read. Also ensure your profile image stands out clearly against the background.
LinkedIn’s Guidelines
Finally, check LinkedIn’s profile guidelines. They require background colors to be appropriate for a professional community. Avoid anything offensive, overly bright or distracting.
Background Color Suggestions for LinkedIn Profiles
Based on the factors above, here are some specific background colors that tend to work well for LinkedIn profiles:
Professional Blues
Shades of blue are classic, professional options. Blue inspires trust and confidence. Different shades can give off different vibes:
- Navy blue – Authoritative yet approachable
- Royal blue – Traditional and reliable
- Sky blue – Calming and insightful
- Turquoise – Relatable and friendly
- Blue-grey – Stable and dependable
For most industries, some shade of blue is a safe, standard choice.
Cool Grays or Blacks
For a more serious, elegant tone, consider a dark gray or black background. This conveys professionalism and authority. Add some texture for visual interest. Just ensure your profile photo stands out well against the dark color.
Earthy Greens and Browns
For a natural, grounded vibe, go for an earthy green or brown hue. Greens and browns give off a stable, harmony-centered impression. Ideal for fields like gardening, conservation, real estate or counseling.
Bold Red or Orange (Sparingly)
Use bright, warm colors like red and orange sparingly. They can come across as loud or aggressive. However, for creative fields like marketing or design, an energetic red or orange may help you stand out while conveying passion.
Your Company Colors
Incorporate colors from your company or brand’s official color palette. This helps reinforce where you work and aligns your professional presence. Just be sure the colors are suitable for LinkedIn’s professional context.
Tips for Using Your Chosen LinkedIn Background Color
Once you’ve picked your background color, here are some tips for implementation:
- Add texture or a subtle pattern for visual interest. Solid blocks of color can be dull.
- Make sure your profile photo stands out clearly against the background. Add a border if needed.
- Use a coordinating color for your headline text to make it pop.
- Pick 1-2 accent colors to complement your main background color.
- Make sure text contrasts well with the background. Dark text on light works best.
- Preview on both desktop and mobile to ensure it looks good.
- Ask others for feedback before finalizing to get an outside opinion.
Proper usage of your color can enhance its impact. Apply it thoughtfully for maximum effectiveness.
Examples of Effective LinkedIn Background Colors
Here are some examples of LinkedIn profiles with background colors that fit their professional persona well:
Calming Blue-Green for Health/Wellness Coach
This soft, tranquil blue-green reflects the coach’s focus on relaxation and mindfulness. It evokes a sense of harmony.
Powerful Red for Marketing Expert
The bright, eye-catching red conveys the marketer’s bold, passionate approach. It cuts through the LinkedIn sea of blue.
Professional Grey for Attorney
The serious medium grey projects competence and authority – perfect for a legal professional seeking trust.
Earthy Green for Gardening Business Owner
The muted green aligns beautifully with this landscaper’s earthy, nature-focused business.
Common LinkedIn Background Color Mistakes to Avoid
While choosing the right background color can elevate your profile, the wrong color can diminish your professionalism. Here are some mistakes to avoid:
- Too bright or neon – Loud, distracting colors undermine your expertise.
- Childish colors – Stick to sophisticated hues, avoid immature purple, pink etc.
- Hard to read – Don’t use a color that makes your text difficult to decipher.
- Too many colors – Stick to 1 or 2 colors max to avoid looking chaotic.
- Unprofessional themes – No inappropriate images or unbusinesslike colors.
- Clashing colors – Make sure your background complements your photo and headline.
- Dated color combos – Some color pairings can seem outdated, like olive green and maroon.
- Bland and boring – A lifeless white or beige background won’t make you stand out.
Keep these missteps in mind. A polished, professional color can make all the difference.
Tools to Preview and Choose a LinkedIn Background
Here are some useful tools for experimenting with different LinkedIn background colors:
LinkedIn Background Color Generator
This tool by Officevibe lets you input a color and instantly generates a custom LinkedIn background image in that hue. Easy way to preview options.
Coolors Color Palette Generator
Create color palette ideas you can sample for your profile. Generates coordinated color schemes for inspiration.
Canva Color Palette Generator
Canva’s tool helps build color palettes you can use across your LinkedIn presence. Provides named color codes for easy implementation.
Adobe Color CC
Adobe’s advanced color wheel tool assists with exploring color combinations. Lets you create, customize and export color schemes.
Pictaculous Color Palette Generator
Upload any photo and Pictaculous will extract a five-color palette from the image. Gives you a tailored set of hues to work from.
0to255 Color Picker
Handy tool for finding darker and lighter shades of any color. Just input a hex code and shift the range for variations.
These resources make it easy to experiment with different hues and palettes for your profile’s background color.
Conclusion
Your LinkedIn profile’s background color can make a strong first impression on visitors. Select a color that complements your professional brand and industry. Consider color psychology, branding, accessibility and LinkedIn’s guidelines. Blues, grays and earth tones are safe options, but use colors strategically to convey your strengths and personality. Avoid rookie mistakes like neon hues or clashing colors. With the right background, your profile will stand out while conveying your ideal image. Use the tools provided above to explore colors and create the perfect profile backdrop.