What is a cover photo on LinkedIn?
A LinkedIn cover photo is a large, banner-style image that appears at the top of your company’s LinkedIn profile. It serves as the header image for your company page.
The cover photo is often the first thing people will see when visiting your LinkedIn company page, so it’s an important element to customize. It helps convey your company’s brand, products, services, culture, or mission.
Why should I add a cover photo?
Here are some of the key reasons to add a compelling cover photo to your LinkedIn company page:
- Make a strong first impression – The cover photo is one of the first things people notice on your company page. A relevant, high-quality photo can make a great visual introduction to your brand.
- Reinforce your brand – Use the cover image to visually communicate your company’s brand identity, industry, products, culture or other elements that are core to who you are.
- Showcase products or services – For product companies, featuring your offerings in the cover photo can help tell your brand story.
- Highlight your culture – Give people a feel for your company culture by using team photos or images that convey your values.
- Increase engagement – An eye-catching photo can help draw visitors in and get them to engage further with your content.
In short, the cover photo is valuable real estate to make an impact and communicate key elements of your brand and company.
What are the cover photo specifications?
If you want to upload a custom photo, be sure it meets LinkedIn’s recommended specifications:
- Minimum size: 1400 x 425 pixels
- Recommended size: 1584 x 396 pixels (this will display edge-to-edge on desktop)
- Maximum file size: 8MB
- Accepted formats: JPG, PNG, or GIF
Note that the photo will be displayed in a more horizontal, banner-style format. So you’ll want to select or crop your image to fit those proportions.
How do I add or change the cover photo?
Adding or changing your LinkedIn company page’s cover photo is easy – just follow these steps:
- Go to your Company Page and click “Edit Page” in the top right
- Click on the current cover photo or the “Change cover” link
- Upload a new photo from your computer or select a stock image
- Position or reposition the photo if needed
- Click “Save changes”
Once updated, the new cover photo will be live on your company page immediately.
Tips for choosing a great LinkedIn cover photo
Here are some tips to make sure your LinkedIn company page’s cover photo makes a great impression:
- Choose high quality images – Crisp, high-resolution photos will look best.
- Align with your brand – Pick imagery that reflects your company’s brand identity, industry, culture, etc.
- Incorporate your logo – Consider displaying your logo on the cover image.
- Use relevant text sparingly – A few choice words can work, but avoid cluttering the image.
- Feature people – Photos of employees or customers can create connection.
- Try different crops – Zoom in on a certain part of the image for a more focused look.
- Change it up – Consider updating the photo periodically to keep things fresh.
The cover image is valuable real estate, so take advantage by picking visuals that engage your audience and communicate who you are as a company.
Do’s and don’ts
Here are some additional do’s and don’ts to keep in mind:
Do:
- Use high-quality, eye-catching images
- Showcase your products or culture
- Align with your brand identity
- Change it periodically to stay fresh
Don’t:
- Use overly busy or confusing images
- Include too much text on the image
- Reuse the same image indefinitely
- Use distorted, blurry, or pixelated images
Sample LinkedIn cover photos
To get inspired, here are some examples of effective LinkedIn cover photos from various brands:
| Company | Cover Photo |
|---|---|
| Microsoft |  |
| Nike |  |
| Slack |  |
| Oracle |  |
As you can see, some focus on branding, others feature products, and others use imagery showcasing company culture and values. Find an approach that aligns with your brand identity and resonates with your target audience.
Tools to design cover photos
You don’t need fancy design skills to create an eye-catching LinkedIn cover photo. Here are a few easy tools you can use:
- Canva: Provides professional templates and easy-to-use design tools to create social media images. Has a library of free stock photos and icons.
- Adobe Spark: Enables you to search free images and create branded social graphics in minutes with drag-and-drop design.
- Snappa: Has a large library of templates, fonts, illustrations and stock photos to design cover photos.
- PicMonkey: Lets you easily crop, edit and add graphic elements to images for cover photos.
- Bannerbear: Generates customized cover photos by inputting your company name and selecting template, color and image preferences.
With the help of these intuitive graphic design tools, you can quickly create stunning cover photos that will make your LinkedIn company page stand out.
Conclusion
LinkedIn’s cover photo is a key element of your company presence on the platform. Take advantage of this visual real estate to make a strong first impression, convey your brand identity, and tell your company’s story in an eye-catching way.
With a professional, high-quality photo that aligns with your industry and culture, you can engage visitors right from the moment they land on your page. Pair it with compelling updates and content that brings your cover image to life.
So don’t leave your company page looking bland. Add a vibrant cover photo that creates impact and gives people a window into who you are as a business.
Frequently Asked Questions
What image formats does LinkedIn support for cover photos?
LinkedIn supports JPG, PNG or GIF file formats for cover photos. The maximum file size is 8MB.
What are the image dimensions for a LinkedIn cover photo?
The recommended dimensions are 1584 x 396 pixels. The minimum size is 1400 x 425 pixels.
Can I edit the cover photo after uploading?
Yes, you can reposition, zoom, and recrop the cover photo after uploading to get the placement exactly as you want before publishing.
How often should I change my LinkedIn cover photo?
It’s a good idea to update your cover photo every few months to keep your page looking fresh and reflect new products, initiatives or culture elements.
Does my logo have to be on the cover photo?
No, it’s optional to include your logo on the cover image. Some companies opt for just imagery while others overlay their logo. Test different approaches to see what resonates most.
Can I add text to my LinkedIn cover photo?
Yes, you can add a small amount of text to your cover photo if relevant. Be sure to keep text minimal and make sure it is legible on the banner image.
Who can see my LinkedIn company page cover photo?
Any visitor to your Company Page can see your cover photo. It’s public and part of your brand presence on LinkedIn.
