How to Create Images for LinkedIn Posts

A great LinkedIn post is half visual, half text - and visuals do the heavy lifting of stopping the scroll. Getting your images right can be the difference between a post that gets ignored and one that sparks conversation and builds your brand. This guide will walk you through exactly how to create compelling, professional images for your LinkedIn posts, covering everything from design principles to practical tools and actionable strategies.

Why Visuals Are a Game-Changer on LinkedIn

In a sea of text-heavy updates, resumes, and articles, a striking image acts as a visual anchor. It’s not just about making your feed prettier, it’s about strategic communication. Posts with images receive significantly more engagement - meaning more comments, shares, and visibility. A well-designed visual clarifies your message instantly, makes complex information digestible, and reinforces your brand identity with every post.

Think of it this way: the text in your post tells the story, but the image gets people to notice the story in the first place.

Before You Design: The LinkedIn Image Spec Cheat Sheet

Creating beautiful images is pointless if they get cropped awkwardly by LinkedIn’s feed. Using the right dimensions is the first and most important step. Here are the latest specs to keep handy.

• Shared Image or Carousel Post (Recommended):
  • Square: 1200 x 1200 pixels
  • Portrait: 1080 x 1350 pixels (This format takes up more vertical space on mobile feeds, which is a great way to capture attention).
• LinkedIn Shared Link Image (Preview): 1200 x 627 pixels. When you paste a URL into a new post, LinkedIn automatically pulls an image. You can - and should - upload a custom image with these dimensions to control the narrative.
• Company Page Banner Image: 1128 x 191 pixels. This is the wide banner at the top of your company page, a key piece of branding real estate.
• Personal Profile Background Photo: 1584 x 396 pixels. Similar to the company banner, this is your personal billboard. Use it to showcase what you do, whom you serve, or your brand’s tagline.

A quick tip: Always prioritize the mobile view. The vast majority of LinkedIn users are browsing on their phones. Keep text large enough to be legible on a small screen and avoid cluttering the edges of your design where they might be cut off.

Types of Images That Connect with a Professional Audience

Not all images are created equal. A generic stock photo won’t perform nearly as well as an image that adds unique value or shows a human side to your brand. Here are some of the most effective types of images to use on LinkedIn.

1. Data Visualizations &, Infographics

LinkedIn is a platform for professionals who appreciate data-driven insights. Turn a boring statistic or a key finding from a report into a simple, branded chart, graph, or mini-infographic. This positions you as an expert and provides genuine value to your audience. The key is to keep it simple: focus on one main data point per visual to avoid overwhelming your viewer.

2. Quote Cards &, Text Overlays

Got a powerful takeaway from a podcast, a memorable line from a team meeting, or an inspiring quote? Put it on a branded background. Quote cards are perfect for creating scannable, shareable content. Using your brand fonts and colors makes them instantly recognizable as yours as they get shared across the platform.

Example: Post an image with the text, "Your calendar is not your to-do list. It's a plan for getting your most important work done." Then, use the caption to elaborate on this productivity tip.

3. Behind-the-Scenes Photos

People connect with people, not just logos. Behind-the-scenes content humanizes your brand. Share photos of your team working on a new project, setting up for an event, or even just having a coffee break. These glimpses into your company culture build trust and make your brand more relatable and authentic.

4. User-Generated Content and Spotlights

Showcasing your customers or community members is a powerful form of social proof. Share a photo of a customer using your product, highlight a testimonial (with their permission, of course!), or celebrate a community member's achievement. This makes your audience feel seen and valued, strengthening your community bonds.

Example: If you run a SaaS company, share a screenshot of a user's glowing comment on a feedback board (with name blurred or with permission) and thank them for their input in your post copy.

5. Event Photos &, Announcements

Hosting a webinar, attending a conference, or celebrating a company milestone? Visuals are non-negotiable. Create a clean, branded graphic to announce an upcoming event. During and after the event, share photos of your team, the speakers, or attendees to create a sense of community and an element of FOMO (fear of missing out) for the next one.

6. Question Graphics

Sometimes the best way to start a conversation is simply to ask a question. Create a simple graphic with a thought-provoking question related to your industry. For example, a marketing agency might post an image that asks, "What's the one marketing metric you *actually* care about?" The strong visual stops the scroll, and the question invites immediate engagement in the comments.

Your Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Great LinkedIn Image

Ready to get started? Here’s a simple process you can follow for every post.

Step 1: Define the Goal and Message

Before you even open a design tool, ask yourself: What is the single most important message of this post? Are you trying to educate, inspire, announce something, or drive traffic to a blog post? Your visual should directly support that one goal. A cluttered image with competing messages will confuse your audience.

Step 2: Choose Your Design Tool

You don't need to be a professional graphic designer to create stunning visuals. There are plenty of user-friendly tools available:

• Canva: The gold standard for social media marketers. It has thousands of templates, a vast library of stock elements, and an incredibly intuitive drag-and-drop interface. You can set up a "Brand Kit" with your logos, fonts, and color palette to ensure consistency.
• Figma: While it has a steeper learning curve, Figma is a powerful free tool that gives you pixel-perfect control over your designs. It's especially useful for creating custom templates and collaborating with a team.
• Adobe Express: A fantastic alternative to Canva from the creators of Photoshop. It offers beautiful templates and slick design functionalities, making it easy to create professional-looking graphics quickly.
• Stock Photo sites (Unsplash, Pexels): When you need a high-quality photo as a starting point, these free resources are invaluable. Just be sure to choose images that look authentic and not like cheesy, overly-staged stock photos.

Step 3: Design with Your Brand Guidelines

Consistency is what transforms random posts into a recognizable brand. Stick to your branding rules on every single graphic.

• Colors: Use your established brand palette. Usually, this means one or two primary colors and a neutral color for backgrounds.
• Fonts: Stick to your brand fonts. A good rule of thumb is to use one display font for headings and a clean, legible font for any body text.
• Logo: Place your logo subtly but consistently on every image. A small logo in a corner is all you need - it's a signature, not the main event.

Step 4: Keep It Simple and Clean

The best digital designs are often the simplest. Embrace white space (or negative space) to give your elements room to breathe. Don’t cram too much text or too many design elements onto one image. Remember the one-message-per-post rule. Is the key takeaway immediately obvious within 3 seconds? If not, simplify.

Step 5: Write Awesome Alt Text

Alternative Text (Alt text) is a description of your image that serves two purposes:

1. It makes your content accessible to an audience using screen readers.
2. It gives search engine algorithms context for what your image is about, which can improve your content’s visibility.

Don’t skip this step! Write a clear, descriptive sentence that explains what's happening in the image. For example, instead of "graphic," write "A pie chart showing that 75% of marketers prioritize content consistency in their social media strategy."

Final Thoughts

Creating standout images for LinkedIn isn't about having enterprise-level design skills, it's about clarity, consistency, and a little bit of creativity. By using the right dimensions, choosing proven formats, and staying true to your brand, you can produce visuals that stop the scroll and turn passive viewers into an engaged community.

Once you’ve designed your stunning new graphics, planning and scheduling your posts is the final piece of the puzzle. When we built Postbase, we specifically focused on making that process visual and intuitive. With our content calendar, you can see your entire schedule at a glance, drag and drop your beautifully crafted images to reschedule them, and feel confident knowing everything will publish reliably, every single time.