When individuals arrive at your LinkedIn profile, you have seconds to leave a lasting impression. Of course, most of us pay attention to their profile picture and headline (and for good reason), but one section gets neglected—the cover photo. It may be a minor detail, but it can subtly enhance your professional reputation if you do it correctly.
What is a LinkedIn Cover Photo?
Your LinkedIn cover image is that horizontal banner at the top of your page, directly behind your profile image. It’s somewhat like your virtual handshake, establishing the general tone of your page. Where your profile image is all about you as an individual, the cover image is an opportunity to be your brand, your field, or even your personality professionally. I recall having a generic cityscape once because I thought it was cool, but it was not saying anything about me. Once I changed it to something related to what I do in my professional sector, I began receiving substantive comments from recruiters and also from colleagues.
Why a Strong Visual Makes a Difference
A well-thought-out cover photo can catch someone’s eye in a split second. It demonstrates that you are paying attention to details, which can reflect some level of professionalism. This is particularly helpful if you’re in a competitive industry. I have had students who just inserted clean graphics with a discreet tagline, and then recruiters have afterwards informed them that the added shine made a significant difference immediately. It’s amusing how a minor tweak can make you appear far more purposeful about your career.
Brand Consistency
Your cover image must continue the remainder of your personal branding. If you’ve got a definite color scheme or appearance on your site, attempt to bring that through on your LinkedIn banner as well. One of the marketers I interviewed duplicated the identical colors and slogan on her email footer, LinkedIn banner, and even YouTube channel art. The unifying look caused her brand to be incredibly memorable, and she detailed that clients started to refer to those colors as “her signature style.”
Showing Off Your Professional Identity
The banner is also an area where you can expose what you do without needing to spell it out in your title. If you’re in tech, perhaps you’d display a tidy interface design.
If you’re an instructor, you can call out an experience teaching a workshop. Adding a short tagline like “Streamlining software development for businesses” can give visitors context the moment they click on your profile. Just make sure that whatever text you include is placed where it won’t get truncated by your profile picture or by LinkedIn’s layout on different devices. I mistakenly got that wrong once and my tagline was half-behind my face on the mobile version—big oops.
Ideas That Work Well
Good cover photos vary from simple city skylines (if you’re a consultant or B2B, in particular) to abstract designs if you prefer a modern, techie appearance. Others use a photo of a speaking engagement or conference if it’s visible and business-like.
I remember using a photo of myself speaking at a small local conference—it wasn’t the biggest stage, but it looked professional enough to send the message that I was involved in my field. The key is to find something that’s professional but doesn’t look stuffy, and eye-catching without being chaotic.
Adding Your Own Touch
You can totally infuse personality. If you’re a hiker, for instance, a nature photo you’ve taken yourself can bring warmth, particularly if your industry appreciates creativity or empathy. The key is that it contributes to your professional aspirations, not detracts from them. Try to find that ideal balance where people are like, “Okay, this person is professional about their business, but they’re sort of cool, too.”
Practical Design Recommendations
The suggested dimensions by LinkedIn are approximately 1584 x 396 pixels. Ensure the image is of high quality, as a pixelated banner will appear amateurish. Place the important things in the center-left area, so nothing critical gets obscured by your profile image or cut off on various screen sizes.
The last time I posted my own, I was trying to be a bit too smart with text placement and ended up with half the words chopped off on mobile. It was so embarrassing, so now I do a speedy phone-check before it goes out.
Color and Imagery
Color can convey some vibe right away. Blue will generally suggest professionalism and trust (common in tech or finance), whereas warmer colors like orange might be a bit more lively. If you already have specific colors for your website or business cards, carry them over here. Consistency is easier for people to remember. You can also weave in subtle icons or patterns that hint at what you do—like small bits of code or graphs if you’re in analytics.
Tools and Resources
You don’t need to be a design magician. My personal preference is Canva since it has a plethora of free templates that you can simply drag and drop. Adobe Express (formerly Spark) is another alternative with greater customization. Snappa and Visme also offer templates pre-sized for LinkedIn banners, which is a huge time-saver. Previously, I used to make it harder by designing from scratch.
Now, I would prefer to choose a pre-designed template and simply personalize it to suit my needs. Increase your engagement by aligning your visuals across your professional touchpoints.
Regular Updates and Seasonal Changes
Do not put up your banner and forget about it for two years. Updating it every 6 to 12 months will prevent your profile from stagnating, especially if you switch jobs, launch a new product, or have some milestone accomplishment.
I employed mine once to promote a large conference I was presenting at. Several individuals contacted me, stating they saw the banner and inquired about the conference, generating more networking than I anticipated.
Copyright Issues
Do not simply use the first image that appears when you search Google, please. Utilize free websites like Unsplash or Pexels, or stock photo databases for a fee to play safe. If you hire someone else to create your banner, double-check that you can use it. It’s the kind of detail that will save you an headache down the line.
Test and Ask for Feedback
Always check your profile on desktop and mobile to make sure everything appears as it should. I prefer to have a colleague or a friend glance over my banner and get a gut reaction. What looks perfect to you could be off-center to everyone else, or maybe the text blends too much with the background color. A sanity check is an easy way to catch those issues upfront.
Measuring the Impact
Monitor your profile views and connection requests after you’ve added a new banner. I’ve had one student change to a branded template with a brief tagline, and her views increased by about 35% within a few weeks. It’s not always so dramatic, but any increase in visibility has the potential to attract new opportunities.
Final Checklist
Ensure your banner is the correct size (1584 x 396), high-res, and not filled with random items. Coordinate it with your brand colors, put text down thoughtfully, check it on mobile twice, and make sure you’re using images you actually have permission to use. Don’t forget to keep it consistent with your other online channels, either. That consistency can quietly reinforce your brand in people’s heads.
FAQ
Can I use a picture of myself as the banner?
Yes, definitely, particularly if it’s a professional one—such as you giving a speech at a seminar or in your workplace. Just ensure that it doesn’t conflict with your primary profile photo.
How about motivational quotes?
If it suits your personal brand and doesn’t come off super cliché, go for it. Make sure it is short enough to be read.
Do freelancers need to have logos?
Sure, if you have a personal brand logo or name. It can add credibility. Just don’t make it so large it dominates everything else.
