Your LinkedIn banner photo is one of the first things people will notice when they visit your profile. It occupies prime real estate at the top of your page, so it’s important to make a good first impression with an appropriate, professional banner image. But with so many options to choose from, how do you know what your LinkedIn banner should be?
A good LinkedIn banner effectively conveys who you are, what you do, and what you care about. It aligns with your personal brand and helps viewers quickly understand what you’re all about. In this article, we’ll explore tips for choosing the right LinkedIn banner and provide examples of effective banners for different professions.
Should you use a photo of yourself?
Using a photo of yourself as your LinkedIn banner is a common choice. It immediately puts a face to your name and gives your profile a personal touch. However, there are a few things to consider before making yourself the banner star:
- Is the photo high quality and professionally shot? Pixelated selfies may undermine your professional image.
- Does the photo only include your face/head? Images cropped too tightly can look awkward as a banner.
- Does the photo convey your professional strengths? You want to look friendly yet competent.
- Is your appearance consistent with your industry and target audience? More casual photos may be acceptable for creative fields.
Assuming you have an appropriate headshot that meets these criteria, featuring yourself in your banner can be an effective way to put a face to your name and stand out in search results. Just be sure the focus remains on your professional strengths rather than personal life.
When to use your company’s logo or products
If you want to emphasize your skills and contributions to a particular company, including your company’s logo or products in your banner image can make sense. This clearly communicates where you work and what you do.
This approach works best if you:
- Work for a well-known consumer brand.
- Are in a senior leadership role or are the face of the company.
- Want to highlight company achievements you’ve contributed to.
- Don’t have a headshot that conveys your professional capabilities.
However, some drawbacks to watch out for include:
- Appearing more like a corporate shill than thought leader.
- Having your individuality and personal brand overshadowed.
- Seeming inauthentic if you change jobs frequently.
So make sure your company’s imagery still includes your name and leaves some room to showcase your unique skills.
When to use abstract images or backgrounds
More conceptual banner photos featuring patterns, textures, shapes or designs can also work well for standing out while remaining professional. Consider an abstract image if you:
- Work in a creative industry where you want to showcase artistic flair.
- Don’t want the focus to be on your appearance or any one company.
- Want to convey attributes like leadership, innovation, growth, teamwork, etc.
- Feel most profile photos of yourself are unsuitable or unflattering.
The key is choosing imagery that aligns with your brand identity and resonates with your target audience. Stay away from stock art cliches or overly complicated designs that may confuse more than capture interest.
Ideal banner dimensions
LinkedIn displays banners differently on desktop and mobile, so you’ll need to design images that work across platforms. The recommended dimensions are:
- Desktop banner: 1584 x 396 pixels
- Mobile banner: 1128 x 376 pixels
Be sure to use high resolution images that won’t appear blurry or pixelated. JPG, PNG or GIF formats tend to work best.
Examples of effective LinkedIn banners
To get a better idea of how other professionals are leveraging their banner space, here are some examples of effective LinkedIn banners for different occupations:
Marketing professionals
Marketing pros often feature headshots and taglines playing up expertise in popular tactics like social media, SEO/SEM, email marketing, etc. Calls to action are also common:
Creative professionals
Designers, artists and other creatives showcase their signature style and skills through visuals and minimal text:
Technology professionals
For those in tech, abstract graphics representing data, coding and innovation are popular choices:
Sales professionals
Confident headshots and mentions of exceeding targets and sales awards help sales professionals stand out:
Executives and founders
Leadership is conveyed through minimalist styles focusing on accomplishments and vision:
Tips for creating an effective banner
No matter your industry or job level, keep these best practices in mind:
- Align imagery with your personal brand identity and professional strengths.
- Make sure text remains readable and messaging is clear.
- Use high quality, eye-catching photos that will leave a positive impression.
- Don’t make file sizes too large – stick to around 100-200 KB for fast loading.
- Design banners in the recommended dimensions for ideal display on desktop and mobile.
- Test how your banner looks before finalizing to ensure it’s conveying the right message.
- Keep your banner updated. Change it when you switch jobs or want to promote new skills.
Conclusion
Your LinkedIn banner is valuable profile real estate, so make sure you’re making the most of it. The right banner quickly tells visitors who you are, what you’re skilled at, and why they should connect with you.
Whether you feature a professional headshot, your company brand, or conceptual imagery, align it with the impression you want to make. Showcase your strengths while conveying authenticity.
With these tips and examples to guide your banner design, you can create a look that helps you stand out while representing your personal brand. Just keep it professional and on-brand for your industry, and update it if your career direction shifts. A banner that effectively advertises your abilities will serve your LinkedIn presence well.