Choosing the right LinkedIn banner photo is an important part of creating an impactful personal brand on the platform. With over 722 million members, LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network and a critical tool for promoting your skills, experience, and career aspirations. An eye-catching yet professional banner photo can help you stand out from the crowd and leave a strong first impression on visitors to your profile.
Why does your LinkedIn banner matter?
Your LinkedIn banner appears front and center at the top of your profile page, so it will likely be the first thing people notice when visiting your profile. It serves as your chance to make a memorable visual introduction and convey your personal brand. Much like the cover photo on your Facebook profile, your LinkedIn banner lets you showcase your personality while still maintaining a professional appearance.
In particular, your banner photo gives you an opportunity to:
- Make your profile distinctive and memorable
- Convey your professional brand and areas of expertise
- Highlight your skills, experience, interests or achievements
- Showcase your personality and what motivates you
- Visually introduce yourself to your network connections
With a carefully chosen photo that aligns with your professional identity and aspirations, your banner can help you create a strong personal brand that leaves visitors with a positive lingering impression.
What makes a good LinkedIn banner?
So what exactly makes for an effective, engaging LinkedIn banner photo? Here are some key tips to keep in mind:
Reflect your personal brand
As mentioned above, your banner is valuable real estate for conveying your personal brand. Think about the image you want to project professionally, and choose a photo that brings those qualities to life.
For example, if you want to highlight creativity, you could feature an artsy abstract photo. If you want to emphasize leadership and people skills, a picture of you giving a presentation would be appropriate. Make sure the photo is clearly relevant to your professional identity.
Look professional, not casual
Always maintain a professional appearance with your LinkedIn photo. Avoid casual snapshots, party photos, or anything with distracting backgrounds. Aim for a picture where you look polished and put-together.
A professional headshot, an image of you giving a presentation, or a photo of you working are all safe options. Make sure your attire looks business formal in the photo as well.
Use high-quality images
Since your banner stretches across your entire profile, you’ll need a high-resolution image for it to look good. Pixelated, grainy photos will reflect poorly on your personal brand.
Ideally, your banner image should be sized to 1536×768 pixels, with a minimum size of 1192×220 pixels. Using professional photography rather than casual snapshots can help ensure you have a crisp, vibrant photo.
Include only you
LinkedIn recommends not including other people, text, or logos in your banner image. You want the focus to remain entirely on introducing your personal brand. Other elements can distract from that goal.
The one exception is if you want to include a photometric image or illustration that represents your brand instead of using a photo of yourself. Even then, keep additional text and details minimal.
Align with your industry
Tailor your photo backdrop and appearance to align with your target industry. Conservative fields like banking and law call for more traditional banners. Creative industries have more freedom to showcase personality.
Just take care that your photo background doesn’t appear too unprofessional. Aim for an interesting but subtle backdrop.
Reflect diversity
If representing marginalized or underrepresented groups in your industry, your photo can also highlight that diversity. This sends a positive message about inclusion and welcoming people from all backgrounds.
But be sure to avoid anything that could seem like a stereotype. The focus should remain on highlighting your skills and experiences.
Common LinkedIn banner examples
Looking for inspiration on which types of photos work well for LinkedIn banners? Here are some of the most popular and effective options:
Professional headshot
A close-up professional headshot showcases your face clearly and leaves a personal impression. Just be sure the quality and framing look polished.
Speaking at a conference
If public speaking is a key part of your work, feature a photo of you presenting on stage. This establishes your authority and thought leadership.
Working in your office
An image of you working conveys engagement and productivity. For remote workers, an at-home office setup also connects.
Industry scenes or objects
Incorporating relevant scenes and objects is a creative way to tie in your field. For example, a tech expert could include code screenshots.
Abstract backgrounds
Geometric shapes, colors, or blurred backgrounds direct focus toward your face in the banner.
Group conferences or events
Being part of a professional group photo implies your connectedness and engagement with your industry.
Key photo composition tips
Proper photo composition can take your banner image from good to great. Keep these photography best practices in mind:
Get eye-level
People appear more approachable and relatable when the camera is at eye level. Shooting from above or below can seem distant.
Use the rule of thirds
Position your head and eyes along imaginary lines that divide the photo into thirds vertically and horizontally. This creates an appealing off-center balance.
Focus on the eyes
Since your banner image is all about making personal connections, focus on drawing attention to your eyes. Have them be the sharpest part of the photo.
Minimize negative space
Try not to have excessive space above your head in the frame. The empty area is distracting. Move yourself higher in the composition.
Watch the background
Avoid backgrounds that are overly busy, cluttered, or bright. You want the emphasis on you. A blurred or neutral backdrop is best.
Check your lighting
Soft, even lighting that fills the face is ideal. Avoid shadows or harsh lighting coming from one side.
Tips for designing your banner
Along with choosing the right photo, you also need to design your LinkedIn banner effectively. Follow these best practices:
Echo your profile photo
Use a banner image that connects aesthetically with your profile picture. The two photos should look cohesive and work together to convey your personal brand.
Display your full name clearly
Include your full name on your banner so it’s immediately clear who the profile belongs to. Use a large, bold font in a color that contrasts well with the photo.
Add intro copy
A few sentences of headline copy introduced you and communicates what makes you unique. Focus on your value proposition.
Sell your brand, not your company
Your banner should promote you as an individual, not just your company. Feature your own name and brand messaging prominently.
Maintain white space
Don’t overcrowd your design. Leave ample white space around your profile photo and text to avoid looking cluttered.
Check for consistency
Keep your banner consistent with your profile across other platforms like your website and resume. The personal brand you convey should be unified.
Tools to create your LinkedIn banner
You don’t need fancy design skills to create an appealing, professional LinkedIn banner. Many user-friendly tools are available to customize awesome banners in minutes. Here are some top options:
LinkedIn Background + Banner Maker
LinkedIn’s built-in banner maker provides professionally designed templates you can customize with your own images and text. It’s simple and free to use.
Canva
Canva offers a huge selection of templates, photos, graphics, and design elements to design polished banners and other visual content.
Creative Market
This marketplace sells affordable banners, templates, illustrations, fonts, and more from independent creators. Purchasing gives you full rights to use and customize the assets commercially.
PicMonkey
PicMonkey is an intuitive online design platform with professional templates and easy image editing tools to create banners and graphics without technical skills.
Adobe Spark
Spark’s web and mobile apps let you design banners with custom text, images, colors, and fonts. The simple drag-and-drop interface is great for non-designers.
Snappa
Like other graphic design platforms, Snappa provides professionally designed templates to personalize with your own content. Change up fonts, colors, and images to create unique banners.
Common LinkedIn banner mistakes to avoid
While creating your LinkedIn banner, steer clear of these common pitfalls:
Pixelated, low-quality images
Blurry, pixelated photos look unprofessional. Always use high-resolution images.
Outdated headshots
Use recent photos that reflect what you currently look like to avoid confusing connections.
Casual photos
Beware of photos that are too informal. You want to appear professional.
Cluttered or busy photos
If there’s too much going on in the picture, it’s distracting. Choose clean, simple backgrounds.
Unrelated visuals
All visual elements should directly support your personal brand. Random graphics don’t work.
Styled like an ad
Don’t make your banner look like an ad or company promotion. Keep the focus on your individual profile.
Hard-to-read text
Make sure your name and any text is large and legible. Don’t pick colors that blend with the background.
Frequently asked questions
Does your LinkedIn banner have to be exactly 1584×396 pixels?
No, banners can be anywhere between 1191×220 pixels and 1584×396 pixels. However, 1584×396 is the recommended size for the highest visual quality.
Can you edit your banner on mobile?
Yes, LinkedIn’s mobile app and mobile website both allow you to upload and edit your profile banner photo.
Does your LinkedIn banner show up on mobile?
LinkedIn banners are fully visible across desktop and mobile. However, on mobile they appear below your profile photo and main details.
Do you have to show your face on a LinkedIn banner?
No, you can use an alternative image like a graphic or landscape as your banner background. But featuring your photo is recommended to make a personal connection.
How often should you change your LinkedIn banner image?
professionals recommend updating your LinkedIn banner every 6-12 months. The occasional refresh keeps your profile looking fresh and engaging.
Conclusion
Your LinkedIn banner is valuable personal branding real estate. Create a banner that makes a strong first impression and clearly conveys your professional identity. Choose a high-quality, polished photo that reflects your field and personality.
With a well-designed, effective banner that stays on-brand, you can elevate your LinkedIn profile and boost engagement with your connections.