Having an attractive and professional background picture on your LinkedIn profile can help you stand out and make a great first impression. With over 722 million members globally, LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking platform and an important tool for career development and business networking.
An eye-catching background photo allows you to showcase your personality while maintaining a polished look for potential employers and connections. However, finding the right LinkedIn background image that is both appealing and appropriate can be a challenge.
Why Should You Use a LinkedIn Background Photo?
Here are some of the key benefits of using a background image on your LinkedIn profile:
- Makes your profile look more complete and professional
- Allows you to showcase your personality and interests
- Can support your personal brand or industry
- Helps you stand out from the crowd
- Engages viewers and encourages profile visits
- Reinforces keywords or achievements in your headline
Essentially, the right background photo makes your profile pop and gives viewers more context about who you are as a professional or leader in your field. Given that LinkedIn is becoming increasingly visual, it’s important to take advantage of the background image space.
LinkedIn Background Photo Dimensions
To ensure your photo looks crisp and clear, it’s important to use an image with the correct dimensions. Here are the recommended dimensions for a LinkedIn background photo:
- Desktop: 1584 x 396 pixels
- Mobile app: 1128 x 376 pixels
Keep in mind the dimensions are rectangular. Landscape orientation works best for filling the background space appropriately. Also, the file size should be 8MB or less.
Where to Find Quality LinkedIn Background Images
Now that you know the ideal dimensions and file size, where can you find great LinkedIn background pictures to use? Here are some excellent resources:
Stock Photo Sites
Stock photo sites like Shutterstock, iStock, Adobe Stock, Getty Images, and Dreamstime offer a huge range of professional, high-quality photos. You can find images related to almost any industry, interest or concept. Make sure to filter search results based on dimensions for LinkedIn backgrounds. Stock photos usually cost between $5-$25 per image depending on size and resolution.
Design Marketplaces
Design marketplaces like Creative Market and Designs.ai offer curated LinkedIn background templates and images created specifically for professional branding on LinkedIn profiles. These visually appealing designs are affordable (usually under $20) and easy to customize.
LinkedIn Background Maker Tools
There are a number of free online tools like Visme, Canva, Pablo by Buffer, Slazzer, and BannerBear that let you easily create customized LinkedIn background images. They provide professionally designed templates that you can edit with your own photos, colors, text etc. The end results will be the perfect size for LinkedIn.
Original Photography
If you want a one-of-a-kind photo, consider using your own original photography for your LinkedIn background image. You can take a high-quality photo that aligns with your professional brand and then crop/edit it to the ideal dimensions. Just make sure to use a camera with at least 12+ megapixels resolution.
Hire a Designer
You can hire a graphic designer, photographer or agency to create a custom background image for you based on your brand style, industry and preferences. Although pricier, this option ensures you get a high-impact image tailored specifically for your profile.
What to Include in Your LinkedIn Background Photo
When selecting or creating your LinkedIn background image, consider including relevant:
- Industry imagery or symbols
- Brand colors or logos
- Interests related to your career
- Keywords or achievements
- Stylistic elements aligned with your brand identity
For example, a marketing professional could include a background with camera gear, a social media manager could include relevant platforms like Facebook and Twitter, and a salesperson could include a city skyline. Get creative but also strategic with the imagery.
Mistakes to Avoid with LinkedIn Backgrounds
While you want your background to make an impact, there are some mistakes to avoid:
- Blurry or pixelated images
- Unprofessional or inappropriate photos
- Outdated or irrelevant imagery
- Complex busy patterns that are distracting
- Text that is too small to read
- Anything that takes attention away from your profile content
Essentially, poor quality or unaligned backgrounds can damage your brand and get in the way of your profile being taken seriously. Keep it classy!
Tools to Edit LinkedIn Background Images
Once you’ve found the perfect base image, you may want to edit it to perfection for your LinkedIn profile. Here are some helpful photo editing tools:
| Tool | Platform | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Adobe Photoshop | Desktop | Paid subscription |
| Adobe Lightroom | Desktop | Paid subscription |
| GIMP | Desktop | Free |
| PicMonkey | Web + Mobile App | Freemium |
| Canva | Web + Mobile App | Freemium |
| Pixelmator | Desktop + Mobile App | Paid License Fee |
| Fotor | Web + Mobile App | Freemium |
| Snapseed | Mobile App | Free |
With these desktop and mobile apps, you can resize, crop, align, adjust colors, add text, apply filters, remove backgrounds, and more to optimize your selected image for your LinkedIn profile.
How to Add a Background Photo to Your LinkedIn Profile
Uploading your photo to your LinkedIn background is easy. Just follow these steps:
- Click on the “Me” icon at the top of your LinkedIn homepage and select “View profile”
- Click the pencil “Edit intro” button
- Click on the background photo box
- Upload your photo file from your computer
- Preview and adjust the photo positioning
- Click “Save” to apply the new background photo
Your new background should now be showing on your profile! You can always swap it out for a new or seasonal image anytime.
Conclusion
Adding an eye-catching yet professional background photo to your LinkedIn profile is a great way to elevate your brand and make your profile stand out from the crowd. With the right high-quality image cropped to the proper dimensions, you can reinforce your professional identity in a visually compelling way.
Some top places to source LinkedIn background images include stock photo sites, design marketplaces, online templates and original photography. Remember to use relevant industry and branding imagery and avoid mistakes like poor resolution. With the right background photo, you can make a stellar first impression and bring your LinkedIn profile to the next level.
Now that you know where to find quality background images and how to upload them properly, you’re ready to choose an impactful photo that represents your personal brand and interests. So take the time to find and optimize the perfect LinkedIn background photo today!
Here are some additional tips for creating a great LinkedIn profile:
Craft an Appealing Headline
Your headline (just under your name) has valuable real estate. Use keywords relevant to your industry and role to catch recruiter’s attention.
Showcase Achievements
In your summary and experience sections, highlight successes, awards, testimonials and specialized skills.
Customize Your LinkedIn URL
Create a unique URL like linkedin.com/in/yourname to establish your personal brand.
Optimize with Keywords
Include keywords recruiters may search for. Tools like LinkedIn Profile Optimizer can help.
Expand Your Network
Grow your connections with colleagues, clients, industry leaders and recruiters.
Engage With Content
Be active by sharing articles, commenting and posting to establish your professional voice.
Join Relevant Groups
Groups allow you to connect to professionals in your niche and share expertise.
Complete Your Profile
Add a profile photo, summary, experience, education, skills and accomplishments.
Customize Viewer Options
Select what viewers see first, like leading with your skills or background photo.
FAQs
Is a background photo necessary on LinkedIn?
It’s not absolutely necessary, but using a background photo is highly recommended. It makes your profile look more complete and engaging. A background photo is an opportunity to convey your professional brand.
What types of background images work best on LinkedIn?
Images related to your industry, achievements, skills, interests, company brand and location tend to work very well. Avoid overly personal photos.
Can I edit the background photo on my LinkedIn profile?
Yes, you can change your background photo at any time. Just upload a new image file and reposition or scale it as needed.
Is there a way to resize an image for the ideal LinkedIn dimensions?
Yes, many photo editing tools and apps allow you to crop and resize an image to work perfectly as a LinkedIn background. Some examples include PicMonkey, Canva, Adobe Photoshop and GIMP.
Do LinkedIn background photos appear in the mobile app too?
Yes, background images are visible on the LinkedIn mobile app as well the desktop version. Be sure to optimize using the recommended mobile dimensions.
Here are a few additional background photo tips:
- Choose images with brighter colors and contrast for maximum impact.
- Make sure any text is large enough to read and relevant to your personal brand.
- Consider changing your photo with the seasons or to promote current initiatives.
- Double check that images are not blurry or pixelated before uploading.
- Stay on the professional side – avoid images that are too silly or casual.
Investing a bit of time to select the perfect background image can really take your LinkedIn presence to the next level. So get creative and have fun showcasing your unique personal brand!
