LinkedIn banner: a few steps to create the best coverage

If you want to have the best LinkedIn banner and stand out on the network, this is the place! 😜 In this article, you’ll find several key points:

• How to build your LinkedIn cover photo: LinkedIn banner size, colors, logo.
• Important points to highlight on your banner to triple your visibility on LinkedIn and find customers!
• How to catch the eye with expert tips.
• Tools that let you create a banner quickly, without graphic skills.
• A tutorial video to guide you from A to Z. 🥰
• Follow our tips to customize a beautiful profile photo to match your LinkedIn banner!

Hang on, this article is about to take off! (Reading time: about 4 minutes)

Why use a LinkedIn banner?

First, it’s important to lay the groundwork, what are you going to need to make the most beautiful LinkedIn cover photo ? 😍

Here are a few golden rules to remember for your future LinkedIn cover photo: ⬇️

• 🟣 A defined web marketing strategy ⭢ What’s your target audience? Your message? Your products? Your values?
• 🔵 Quality visuals or/and images.
• 🟣 Banner creation software: Photoshop or Canva, for example.
• 🔵 A color palette ⭢ Carefully selected to match your corporate identity.
• 🟣 The size of your LinkedIn cover: 1584 × 396 pixels (optimal dimensions).
• 🔵 LinkedIn banner format: 8 MB maximum. ( JPEG, GIF or PNG format).

How do I create my LinkedIn cover photo to match my target audience?

It’s very simple and almost looks like the Facebook cover image. 😊 Just put yourself in the shoes of a LinkedIn user you’d like to attract to the network.

So you need to know who you’re talking to and how you’re going to do it. Your message needs to be clear and understood at a glance. 👀

1️⃣ Who are you?

LinkedIn is a professional social network . On your LinkedIn profile page, you’ll give a first impression of who you are. Users want to see your personality, your « identity » first and foremost. They want to talk to a human being, with whom they can exchange ideas and discuss solutions.

2️⃣ What is your value proposition?

Highlight what you provide to others on the network (expertise, advice). How do you add value for other users?

Make a note of both pieces of information on a draft. ✍

3️⃣ Who does this value proposition benefit?

Write down your main target – the more details, the better!

4️⃣ What are your target audience’s codes on the network?

Observe them. If they’re marketing experts, what keywords speak to them? If they’re recruiters, what skills are they looking for?

Make a note of this information too, as it will help you draw the main thrust of your message. 📩

To show you some examples of existing models, I’ve selected banners that are quite different in terms of their distinct target. 🎯

Shall we take a closer look? 🧐

LinkedIn banner in human resources

At EY , we’re serious about recruitment. 🤓 And it shows right away on their LinkedIn-ready banner. They recruit senior profiles, with plenty of professional experience on their CVs, in general, profiles come complete with tie, suit and leather briefcase. 💼

As a result, the banner totally reflects the company’s values and target audience. It’s sober, and highlights the company’s ambition « to change the world ». 🌎

You can also see the company colors: yellow and black. 🖤

LinkedIn banner in marketing

It’s not just recruitment that deserves its own section, so I’ll quickly show you another example. ✌️

At Waalaxy, we’re branded in the product’s colors! 👽

What’s more, these colors are dynamic and in keeping with the graphic charter. 🌈 By reading the text, you understand what we do and our value proposition, it’s quick and efficient.

Original LinkedIn banner

You’re probably wondering: What should I put on my LinkedIn cover? What LinkedIn cover photo can I create with my own little fingers? 🧚‍♀️

Tailor your LinkedIn cover image to your industry. The more personalized your banner and the more it showcases your work, the more it will enhance your LinkedIn profile, your brand image. ✨

Stand out from the crowd! Be different. Be yourself. 😉

Consider adding a LinkedIn carousel to attract visitors to your LinkedIn profile! 🎠

Which photo should I use as my LinkedIn background?

First of all, you must always respect the format. The banner size/image dimensions are defined for a reason. Avoid last-minute cropping, which will break the image’s intended effect.

Secondly, don’t write pamphlets! There are other sections on your LinkedIn account for this purpose (about us, articles, posts).

Finally, don’t put in too much information: keep it clean and pleasing to the eye.

Let’s take the example of a freelancer who wants to stand out from other graphic designers by showcasing his creations. 🤩

His colors are flashy, but remain harmonious and consistent! ✨

Especially if you work in the aesthetic as designers, for example.

You need to show that you have taste. Don’t put everything on, it’s essential. 💯

Visuals for your LinkedIn cover photo

Not everyone has the skills or the budget to create visuals. 🙈 So I’ve found you some cool alternatives.

You have two options:

• 🥇 You can ask a professional for a quote if you want something very specific, which you’ll decline for the company’s social networks.
• 🥈 You can go to specialized sites and easily create a banner yourself.

We look at the second option together. 🤗

There are two types of images:

• Vectors, rather like virtual drawings: you can download them for free from Pixabay or Freepix, which are safe websites where you can find thousands of free vectors.

• Professional photos: Pixabay and Unsplash offer good-quality images, but beware of copyright issues. (You can then easily resize them).

Essential tools for your banner layout

Once you’ve defined your target and your message, and found the colors and images that match the added value you want to convey, you’re ready! 👏

You’ll need a design tool to perfect your banner: Photoshop, Illustrator or Canva depending on your affinities. 😄

How to make a LinkedIn banner with Canva in 8 steps?

In our house, Canva is king. 👑 We love using the tool and recommend it, especially if you’re not skilled in graphic design, it’s super easy to use.

It lets you create super cool visuals for your social networks with customization. Pretty cool, huh 😱?

It gives you the ideal size for your image right away, for all the different sizes of visuals (Facebook networks, Instagram, LinkedIn…). It’s super handy, so you don’t get it wrong. ✅

To create a banner, follow the steps below:

1. Go to Canva: click on «create a design».
2. Then go to «LinkedIn banner».
3. Drag and drop selected images and visuals.
4. Add text (adapted to your graphic charter).
5. Then manage the layout and colors, and save.
6. Go to LinkedIn.
7. Click on the cover image, then on «modify»,
8. Then simply upload the image you’ve just created.

What image size for LinkedIn?

Here’s a pretty cool tool for compressing, transforming, converting and managing pixel size: IloveIMAGE. 💕

It’s free and very easy to use to change the size of the image you’re going to use. Just add a photo of your choice and follow the steps. 👇

Now you’ve got all the tools you need to create an incredible cover image! 🗝️

How do I change my LinkedIn banner?

Changing your LinkedIn banner is super easy! 😅

• Now that you have your cover image, go to your LinkedIn profile and, in the banner section, click on the little pen at the top to change it.

• Then click on “Modify photo” to upload the image you’ve created!
• Finally, make adjustments if necessary, and click “Use” to update the cover image.

And that’s it, your new personalized banner will be added to your LinkedIn profile. 🌠

Pretty easy, right? 🙏

How about a recap?

We’re coming to the end of this article, and you’ve seen how important it is to have a good LinkedIn banner to be able to attract 🧲 your prospects or simply give credibility to your personal branding.

Key points 🔑 not to forget are:

• Get the right image dimensions for your LinkedIn profile photos and covers.
• The banner must serve to benefit your business.
• Your message must be easily readable by your target audience.
• You can easily create banners with free software.
• Keep your corporate colors, which you can easily apply to all your social networks.

FAQ article summary

What image should I put on LinkedIn?

If you didn’t know, LinkedIn is a trust-based platform ❤️.

What does this mean? If you interact with your audience, publish regularly, keep in touch with your targets, express yourself on your preferred subject in short, if you have visibility, people are much more likely to trust you.

On LinkedIn, there are no barriers to getting in touch with someone. As a result, when you buy a product, you can turn directly to the decision-maker. That’s why the platform is so powerful.

It’s quite simple 🙂 when you start selling on LinkedIn, you’ll need a little patience to build a community. Having an optimized profile is your first gateway to thousands or millions of customers.

Having an optimized personal profile means: ⬇️

• Have a professional profile image.
• An effective cover photo representing your business (you need to pay attention ⚡ to every detail down to the choice of fonts, logos and recommended dimensions).
• A complete summary about yourself (use emojis, make it attractive).
• Punch up your title.
• Showcase your interests.
• Completing your experience and volunteer activities.

And of course, that’s just the beginning, as you’ll be building that confidence by teaching your expertise.

How to make a good LinkedIn banner?

• Define your target, your message and your «personal touch».
• Use the right techniques: clear, uncluttered visuals, a message that’s easy to understand at a glance!
• Use the right tools to add an illustration image and make a montage: Pixabay, Canva, IloveIMG.
• Make sure you have the optimum size for your visual, What size? 1584 × 396 pixels.
• Make sure your image resolution is top-notch!

What tools do I need to create my LinkedIn banner?

• To collect royalty-free images: Unsplash.
• To collect royalty-free visuals: Pixabay, Freepix.
• To adjust image sizes: IloveIMG.
• To create a montage: Canva.

This is an important part of your visual identity. Now you know how to go about creating a LinkedIn banner. 🎉