How to Create a LinkedIn Cover Photo

That blank banner at the top of your LinkedIn profile is one of the most underused pieces of digital real estate in the professional world. More than just a decorative background, your LinkedIn cover photo is a powerful branding tool that can catch attention, convey your value, and steer a visitor’s next move. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know, from the right dimensions to what you should feature, so you can transform that space from an afterthought into a strategic asset.

Why Your LinkedIn Cover Photo Matters More Than You Think

First impressions happen in seconds, and your LinkedIn profile is no exception. While your profile picture introduces who you are, your cover photo explains what you're about. Think of it as a billboard, it’s the largest visual element a visitor sees first, giving you an immediate chance to communicate your brand, your expertise, or your company's mission. A well-designed cover photo makes your profile look complete, professional, and intentional. Leaving it blank or using the generic default image suggests a lack of attention to detail - not the message you want to send to potential employers, clients, or partners.

For individuals, it's a chance to stand out from the crowd and state your unique value proposition. For companies, it’s an extension of your branding that can be used to announce products, promote company culture, or drive traffic to a specific campaign. It sets the tone for your entire profile.

The Technical Stuff: LinkedIn Cover Photo Size and Specs for 2024

Before you start designing, you need to know the basic rules. Using the wrong dimensions can result in your image looking pixelated, stretched, or awkwardly cropped. Let's get the technical details right from the start.

• Recommended Dimensions: 1584 x 396 pixels
• Aspect Ratio: 4:1
• Maximum File Size: 8 MB
• Accepted File Types: PNG, JPG, or GIF

Heads Up: Mind the Profile Picture Cutout!

Here’s the part that messes most people up. Your profile picture appears on top of your cover photo, but its position changes depending on whether someone is viewing your profile on a desktop or a mobile device.

• On Desktop: Your circular profile picture is positioned on the left side and cuts into the lower portion of your cover photo. Any text, logos, or important imagery placed in this bottom-left "no-go zone" will be blocked.
• On Mobile: Your profile picture is usually centered and placed lower down on the screen, often obscuring the center of the cover photo.

The key takeaway is to keep your most important visual elements and text toward the right and top of your banner image. This ensures your message is clear and visible across all devices.

What Should You Put in Your LinkedIn Cover Photo? Ideas & Examples

The best cover photo depends entirely on who you are and what your goals are. Here are some ideas broken down for both personal profiles and company pages.

For Personal Profiles (Job Seekers, Freelancers, Consultants)

Your personal banner should quickly communicate who you are and what you offer. It’s your chance to tell a visual story.

• Showcase Your Value Proposition: This is the most direct approach. Use bold text to state what you do and for whom. For example, "Empowering Early-Stage Startups with Scalable Go-to-Market Strategies." Add a relevant background image that reflects your field.
• Picture Yourself in Action: Are you a public speaker? Use a shot of you on stage. A developer? Show a clean, well-lit image of your workspace. A photographer? Feature your best shot. This visually validates your profession.
• Highlight Social Proof: If you've been featured in publications, won awards, or worked with well-known brands, show their logos. A simple line like "As Seen In:" followed by logos from Forbes, TechCrunch, or other industry leaders can build instant credibility.
• Promote Your "Thing": Are you a content creator, author, or podcast host? Use your banner to promote your latest book, YouTube channel, or newsletter. Include a call-to-action like "Subscribe to my weekly newsletter" and your website URL.
• Use a Brandscape: Choose a high-quality photo that reflects your personality or industry. For someone in finance, a picture of a city skyline might work. For someone in renewable energy, a wind farm could be powerful. Just make sure it’s high-resolution and on-brand.

For Company Pages

A company page cover photo should align with your broader marketing strategy. It’s valuable, flexible ad space.

• Solidify Brand Identity: The simplest and most effective option is to use a clean design featuring your logo, tagline, and brand colors. This builds instant recognition and consistency with your other marketing materials.
• Announce a Product Launch or Feature: Are you rolling out a new software update or launching a new product line? Your cover photo is the perfect place to build buzz. Use compelling visuals of the product and a short, punchy headline.
• Promote an Upcoming Event: Hosting a webinar, a live Q&A, or attending a major conference? Create a banner that includes the event title, date, key speakers, and a registration link or QR code.
• Showcase Your Team or Culture: Feature a high-quality photo of your team working collaboratively, volunteering, or at a company retreat. This humanizes your brand and can be a great tool for recruitment.
• Display Raving Customer Testimonials: Use a powerful quote from a happy customer alongside their headshot or company logo. Social proof is incredibly effective at building trust with potential new clients.
• Drive a Specific Call-to-Action (CTA): Encourage visitors to take action. Use your cover photo to say "Download Our 2024 Industry Report," "Now Hiring: Visit Our Careers Page," or "Get Your Free Trial."

A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Your LinkedIn Cover Photo

You don't need to be a professional designer to create an eye-catching cover photo. Free tools like Canva have made it easier than ever.

Step 1: Choose Your Creative Tool

There are many user-friendly options available:

• Canva: This is a favorite for non-designers. It's free, intuitive, and comes with hundreds of pre-sized LinkedIn cover photo templates that you can customize. They often have placeholder guides that show you where the profile picture will go.
• Adobe Express: A free Canva alternative with powerful design features and professionally designed templates that are simple to edit.
• Figma: A bit more advanced but incredibly powerful if you want full control. It's a free design tool where you can create your banner from scratch with precise control over every element.
• PowerPoint or Keynote: Believe it or not, these are decent options, too! You can set custom slide dimensions (use 1584 x 396 pixels) and then export your slide as a JPG or PNG.

Step 2: Start with the Right Dimensions and a Template

No matter which tool you choose, the first thing you need to do is set your canvas size to 1584 x 396 pixels. If you're using a tool like Canva, simply search for "LinkedIn Banner" and select a template. These templates are great because they often indicate the "safe zones" away from the profile picture cutout.

Step 3: Incorporate Your Branding

Consistency is everything. Use your brand’s official colors, fonts, and an official version of your logo. This immediately ties your LinkedIn profile to the rest of your brand presence, whether a personal brand or a corporate one.

Step 4: Keep Your Text Clear and Minimalist

Your banner isn't the place for a novel. Stick to one concise message. Use a bold, easy-to-read font that contrasts well with the background. Your H1 tag on a website is typically around 30-50 pixels, apply the same logic here to make sure your headline text is legible on any screen.

Step 5: Pick High-Quality, Relevant Imagery

Blurry or pixelated images scream unprofessionalism. Use high-resolution photos, whether they are original pictures or stock images. Sites like Unsplash, Pexels, and Pixabay offer stunning, free-to-use professional photos if you don’t have custom photography.

Step 6: Upload and Double-Check on Mobile

Once you’ve exported your finished design as a PNG or JPG, upload it to your LinkedIn profile. Before you hit "Save," don't forget to check how it looks on your phone. Open the LinkedIn app and go to your own profile. Does the centered profile picture cover up your CTA or tagline? If so, head back to your design tool and adjust accordingly, moving your key elements more to the right.

Common LinkedIn Cover Photo Mistakes to Avoid

• Keeping the Default Banner: Nothing says "I don't care about my LinkedIn presence" more than the boring, blue default banner. It's a missed opportunity.
• Overstuffing with Information: Too much text, too many images, too many logos. A cluttered banner overwhelms visitors and weakens your message. Pick one central idea and stick with it.
• Using a Salesy, Hard-Sell Design: LinkedIn is about building relationships, not aggressive sales pitches. A banner screaming "BUY NOW!" can be off-putting. Instead, focus on providing value or showing your professional identity.
• Getting Blocked by Your Profile Picture: This is the most common technical mistake. Always design with the profile picture cutout in mind. Keep your key content out of that bottom-left corner and a bit further from the center line.
• Designing for Desktop Only: The majority of LinkedIn users check the platform on their mobile devices. Always, always preview your design on mobile to make sure nothing important gets covered or awkwardly cropped.

Final Thoughts

Your LinkedIn cover photo is far more than just decoration, it's a dynamic and strategic tool for branding, marketing, and making a memorable first impression. By investing just a little time into creating a thoughtful, professional banner, you can turn your profile from a simple online resume into a powerful professional hub.

Crafting compelling visuals like your LinkedIn cover photo is just one piece of the puzzle to building a strong organic presence on social media. For us, the challenge was keeping that visual and strategic consistency alive across multiple platforms without spending hours jumping between different apps. Once we've planned out our content and visuals, we use Postbase to schedule everything across LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok and more from one clean, visual calendar, so we know our brand’s messaging is consistent everywhere, every time.