The LinkedIn carousel refers to the scrolling banner ads that appear at the top of the LinkedIn homepage and on other high visibility areas of the platform. Knowing the dimensions and specifications of the LinkedIn carousel ads is important for marketers looking to advertise on LinkedIn. The size of the carousel images impacts their visibility, engagement and overall effectiveness. In this article, we will provide a quick answer to the question “What is the size of LinkedIn carousel in pixels?”. We will also explore the carousel ad format in more detail, optimal image sizes and resolutions, tips for designing effective carousel ads and more.
Quick Answer
The recommended image size for LinkedIn carousel ads is 1200 x 627 pixels. This is the optimum size for the carousel banner to display properly across desktop and mobile. The image should be high resolution, at least 72 PPI. JPEG, PNG, and GIF formats are accepted.
Overview of LinkedIn Carousel Ads
LinkedIn carousel ads, also known as Hero banners or LinkedIn Elevate, are premium advertisement units that provide high visibility and engagement on the platform. They appear at the top of the LinkedIn homepage, above the feed, and on other high traffic pages.
Some key features of LinkedIn carousel ads:
- Scroll horizontally, displaying between 2 to 10 images
- Images auto-rotate, with each displayed for 7 seconds by default
- Support both desktop and mobile formats
- Clickable hotspots can be added to the images
- Link to external landing pages or LinkedIn pages
- Video carousels are also available
Carousel ads have a number of benefits that make them effective ad units on LinkedIn:
- Guaranteed exposure on LinkedIn’s most premium ad space
- Higher click through rates compared to Sponsored Content
- Visually impactful with large images
- Tell a story and showcase multiple products/services
- Optimized for engagement on both desktop and mobile
Now that we’ve covered the key features and benefits of LinkedIn carousel ads, let’s take a deeper look at the recommended image sizes.
Optimal LinkedIn Carousel Image Sizes
The image dimensions required for LinkedIn carousel ads are:
- Desktop: 1200 x 627 pixels
- Mobile: 620 x 313 pixels
To ensure your ad displays properly across platforms, create the carousel images at the desktop size of 1200 x 627 px. LinkedIn will automatically scale the images down for mobile.
Here are some additional tips for preparing carousel images:
- Use high resolution images, at least 72 PPI
- JPG, PNG, and GIF formats are supported
- Keep file size under 2MB
- Include only important text and minimal overlay
- Ensure any text is readable at the small mobile size
- Add hotspots for optimal clickability
Designing images in the recommended 1200 x 627 px desktop size will provide high visual impact while also adapting well to mobile screens.
Image Resolution
In addition to the image dimensions, it’s important to use high resolution images for optimal quality and clarity. The recommended minimum resolution for LinkedIn carousel ads is 72 PPI (pixels per inch).
Higher resolution images will look crisper on high-pixel density screens like Retina displays. Aim for resolutions of 150 PPI to 300 PPI if possible.
Using high quality, high resolution images will maximize the visual impact and effectiveness of your LinkedIn carousel ads.
Design Tips
Here are some best practices to design eye-catching, effective carousel ads for LinkedIn:
Keep text minimal
Avoid overloading the images with too much text. Include just the most important headlines, slogans or calls-to-action. The images should draw attention on their own and text should complement them.
Highlight one key message per image
Each image should focus on one key message, product, service or idea. Don’t try to cram too many different messages into one image.
Use hotspots for CTAs
Add clickable hotspot buttons over the key areas you want users to click. This could include a CTA button for “Learn More” or hotspots over a product image.
Tell a story
Use the images to tell a cohesive story across the carousel. There should be a natural narrative flow between images.
Optimize images for mobile
Ensure any text is readable and design elements remain clear even when scaled down for mobile. Keep text and overlay simple.
Choose relevant images
Select images that resonate with your target LinkedIn audience. Photos should feel professional, trustworthy and relevant to business users.
Image Recommendations by Ad Objective
The optimal images to include may vary based on your ad campaign goals:
Brand Awareness Campaign
For brand awareness campaigns, include a mix of branded images, product/service images, customer images and lifestyle imagery relating to your brand. Images should build an emotional connection with the brand.
Lead Generation Campaign
Lead gen campaigns perform best with clear calls-to-action, gated content offers and lead gen forms. Include images that convey the value proposition of your gated offer.
Traffic Campaign
Traffic campaigns aim to drive clicks to your site, so images should showcase your products or services and use bold CTAs to compel clicks.
Align the image content with your ad objectives for maximum impact.
Do’s and Don’ts
Here are some key do’s and don’ts to keep in mind when designing LinkedIn carousel images:
Do:
- Use high quality, high resolution images
- Keep images clean and uncluttered
- Ensure images are relevant to a B2B audience
- Use minimal but impactful text overlay
- Include hotspots for optimal clicks
Don’t:
- Use low resolution, pixelated images
- Overload images with too much text
- Use overly promotional or gimmicky images
- Use inappropriate or irrelevant images
- Use condensed text that’s hard to read
Stick to these guidelines and best practices to create compelling, effective LinkedIn carousel ads. Well-designed images can capture attention in the crowded feed and drive high engagement on your campaigns.
Tools To Create Carousel Images
Here are some helpful tools for creating great LinkedIn carousel ads:
Adobe Photoshop
The industry standard for image editing and graphic design. Use Photoshop to touch up images, add overlays and text, optimize resolution and more.
Adobe Illustrator
Illustrator enables you to create original branded graphics, logos and illustrations to use in your carousel images.
Canva
Canva is a user-friendly graphic design platform with templates for social media ads, banners and more. Easy to use even without design experience.
Creative Market
Discover unique stock photos and illustrations for your carousel images on Creative Market.
Bannerbear
Bannerbear has a template specifically for generating LinkedIn carousel ads in the right size.
With these powerful design tools, you can create stunning, professional images tailored for LinkedIn carousel ads.
Image Examples
Here are some examples of effective LinkedIn carousel ad images:
| ✓ Clear value proposition | ✓ Minimal, readable text |
| ✓ Hotspot CTAs | ✓ Professional, relevant image |
| ✓ Tells a story across images | ✓ Clean, simple design |
| ✓ Branding is recognizable | ✓ Focused message |
These examples demonstrate best practices for LinkedIn carousel ads: value-focused messaging, minimal text, strategic use of hotspots, visual storytelling and flawless design. Follow these principles as you create your own high-converting carousel images.
Using Video Carousels
In addition to image carousels, LinkedIn also supports carousel ads with auto-playing videos. This enables advertisers to showcase product demos, customer testimonials and brand stories using video.
Some tips for video carousels:
- Optimal video size is 600 x 503 pixels
- Landscape orientation works best
- Under 30 seconds is recommended
- Include a compelling first frame as the thumbnail
- Closed captions are mandatory
Well-produced brand videos can capture attention in the LinkedIn feed. Use video carousels to display your best video content.
Conclusion
To summarize, the optimal LinkedIn carousel image size is 1200 x 627 pixels for desktop. This ensures the images display properly across platforms. Use high resolution images (at least 72 PPI) and minimal text overlay to maximize visibility and engagement. Follow best practices like showcasing a single product or message per image and telling a cohesive story across the carousel. With compelling, well-designed images tailored for the LinkedIn audience, carousel ads can deliver outstanding results. Video carousels are also available to showcase brand videos in the feed. Use these recommendations to create high-impact LinkedIn carousel ads.
