How To Create A LinkedIn Banner In 4 Steps
Imagine you've just launched your freelance career as a LinkedIn content creator, and you're ready to hit the ground running. But when you log onto LinkedIn, you freeze. This isn't just another social media platform; it's a professional networking site, and first impressions matter. Within seconds, a random visitor has determined your credibility based on your profile, and the LinkedIn banner image is the first thing they see. Before you stress too much, this article will help you figure out how to create a LinkedIn banner that showcases your freelance business and interests so you can connect with your ideal audience.
Bluecast's AI content tool for LinkedIn will help you achieve this objective and get you back on track. Instead of starting from scratch, Bluecast will generate optimized LinkedIn posts targeted to your niche so you can fill your profile with relevant content to impress visitors and land more freelance jobs.
What is a LinkedIn Banner?
A LinkedIn banner is that big image that stretches across the top of your LinkedIn profile, right behind your profile picture. Think of it like your profile’s welcome mat. It’s one of the first things people see when they land on your page—so naturally, it’s a great place to make a strong first impression.
Most people stick with LinkedIn’s default blue background, but customizing it is a simple way to stand out in a sea of profiles. Whether job hunting, building your brand, or trying to attract clients, your banner can say a lot before someone scrolls down. You can use it to show off your industry, skills, motto, or even a sleek, professional vibe.
Boost Your LinkedIn Presence with a Custom Banner
With so many recruiters using LinkedIn (92% of them, according to Jobvite), having a polished profile matters. Add to that that over 180,000 people join LinkedIn daily, and it’s pretty straightforward: You’re not just throwing a profile together for fun; you're building a presence.
Whether you're a creative professional, a startup founder, or just someone who wants to be noticed, a custom LinkedIn banner is like a digital billboard. It can help boost your credibility, tell your story visually, and make people stop and look at your profile instead of scrolling past.
Related Reading
Why is a LinkedIn Banner Important?
Your LinkedIn banner is among the first things a profile viewer will see. It’s above your profile's name, headline, location, and other introduction details. If “a picture is worth a thousand words,” combining a professional profile photo and banner can impact a recruiter’s perception of you within seconds.
Your LinkedIn banner either makes a strong or weak first impression. You should put as much thought and effort into creating or selecting a LinkedIn banner photo as you do your profile photo.
Your LinkedIn Banner Shows Intention
What impression do you think a LinkedIn banner makes compared to a profile that settles for the default blue banner? When recruiters or employers view your profile and see a LinkedIn banner, they see a thoughtful and strategic LinkedIn profile.
Not every LinkedIn user will take the time to create or select a LinkedIn banner, so this is your chance to shine! Be intentional when designing or selecting a LinkedIn banner. This is prime real estate to showcase who you are, what you’re about, and why someone on LinkedIn should connect with or reach out to you.
Your LinkedIn Banner Solidifies Your Brand
Don’t overthink your LinkedIn banner. You can choose a free photo that represents your interests or location from any of these copyright-free websites:
- Unsplash
- Burst
- Pexels
Or you can get more strategic and design a photo that solidifies your brand. A branded LinkedIn banner could include your company’s logo and brand colors. Alternatively, it could be a photo of your unique workspace with a professional slogan (or work-related philosophy).
Your LinkedIn Banner Makes You Stand Out Quickly
Adding a LinkedIn banner is one of the quickest ways to make your LinkedIn profile stand out. Your career story and the value you offer employers are unique to you. Adding a visual element that represents what you do or who you serve will boost your profile.
Your LinkedIn banner could be a candid photo of you working, leading a meeting, or speaking publicly. You could also create a LinkedIn banner that promotes a cause that is important to you or portrays your career-related mission.
Streamlining LinkedIn Content Creation: How Bluecast Helps B2B Professionals Grow Their Audience and Drive Revenue
Bluecast empowers B2B professionals to amplify their LinkedIn presence through AI-powered content creation and management, helping them grow their audience and drive revenue without the typical content creation bottlenecks.
Whether you're repurposing existing content from various formats or crafting original posts that match successful writing styles, Bluecast's AI content tool for LinkedIn streamlines the entire process from ideation to scheduling.
Perfect for marketers, founders, and agencies looking to maintain a consistent, engaging LinkedIn presence that delivers business results. Get started with a 7-day free trial today, no credit card required.
How to Create a LinkedIn Banner in 4 Steps
.jpg)
1. Start with Your Message
First things first, what do you want your banner to say about you? Not necessarily in words, but in the vibe it gives off. Are you showing that you’re approachable? Creative? A team player? Maybe you want to show that your company values inclusivity or innovation.
Think of it like this, your banner sets the tone for everything else on your profile. A solo entrepreneur might use a clean image of their workspace, while a company might go with a collage of their team. The idea is to choose a visual theme that supports your professional message. The more intentional it feels, the more likely it is to connect.
2. Get Inspired by Good Design
Before you jump into designing, take a look around. Scroll through LinkedIn and check out profiles in your field. What catches your eye? Is it bold typography? Clean lines? Colorful illustrations? If you have access to a graphic designer, this is the time to loop them in.
Designing a banner is part branding, part storytelling. If you’re going solo, that’s fine—many beginner-friendly tools (like Canva or Adobe Express) offer pre-sized LinkedIn banner templates you can tweak to your heart’s content. Remember, even simple ideas can look amazing with the right design touches.
3. Choose Your Colors Wisely
Colors speak volumes. They instantly communicate mood, tone, and personality. If you’re part of a company, using your brand colors is an easy way to stay consistent and recognizable. But if you're an individual, you have a little more flexibility.
Want to appear calm and trustworthy? Blues work great. Want to show creativity and energy? Try orange or a splash of magenta. Avoid using colors that clash with your profile picture or text, you want everything to feel cohesive and easy on the eyes. If you're unsure what colors go well together, using a color wheel or browsing color palette sites can help spark ideas.
4. Bring It All Together in Your Design Tool
Now it’s time to build. With your message, design inspiration, and color palette in mind, head into your preferred design tool. Ensure your canvas is set to 1584 x 396 pixels (LinkedIn’s recommended size), and start laying things out. Remember that your profile photo overlaps part of the banner, usually on the bottom-left.
Keep key design elements (like text or logos) toward the center or right side. Use high-resolution images; blurry banners are a no-go. Once it’s ready, upload it to LinkedIn, preview it on desktop and mobile, and make sure nothing’s getting cropped awkwardly.
Related Reading
5 Tips for Designing an Effective LinkedIn Banner
1. Your LinkedIn Banner is Like a Visual Elevator Pitch
Your LinkedIn banner tells visitors who you are before they read your profile. The background of your LinkedIn banner shouldn't just be pretty, it should say something about who you are professionally. Think of it like a visual elevator pitch.
Whether it's a photo of you speaking at an event, a cityscape that ties into your work or a bold color scheme that reflects your brand, your image should give people an instant vibe check. When done right, it shows confidence and clarity, without needing a single word.
2. Don’t Get Cropped! Use the Right Dimensions for Your LinkedIn Banner
You don't want to spend time designing a banner only for LinkedIn to crop it weirdly. That's why it's super important to use the correct dimensions. The standard size is 1584 x 396 pixels, but at the very least, aim for 646 x 220 pixels, and don't go over 8MB
Stick with PNG, JPEG, or GIF formats for best results. And don't forget, LinkedIn tends to shift things depending on device size. So design with a little buffer around the edges, and be mindful of where your profile photo overlaps, usually toward the left-middle of the banner.
3. Make It Your Own: Skip the Generic Templates
Yes, templates can be a great starting point—but don't just slap your name onto something basic and call it a day. You want to customize your banner to reflect what makes you stand out.
A great banner on Instagram or Facebook might fall flat on LinkedIn. This platform is built for professionals, so your design should feel thoughtful, polished, and tailored to your industry or personal brand.
4. Keep It Clean and Simple
The golden rule is less is more. Throwing in all the superb icons, logos, and buzzwords is tempting, but a clean, minimal design usually makes a more substantial impact. Choose a subtle color palette, stick to one or two key visual elements, and avoid clutter.
Even a single logo or short tagline can elevate your profile. One more pro tip: Your profile picture sits in the middle of the banner, so don't hide essential design elements, plan your layout accordingly.
5. Make It Reflect Your Professionalism
Above all, your LinkedIn banner is an opportunity to show that you take your professional presence seriously. Whether job hunting, networking, or building a brand, that banner is your digital handshake. So make it look sharp, make it personal, and make it you.
Tools like Canva are helpful if you want to start with a template and customize it. You don't have to be a designer to make something great; you just have to be someone who knows what they want to say.
Related Reading
- How to See Your LinkedIn Profile as Others See It
- LinkedIn Promotion Announcement Examples
- Turn Off Looking for Job LinkedIn
- How To Add Resume To LinkedIn
- LinkedIn Resume
- Upload Resume To LinkedIn
- LinkedIn Open To Work
- Add Resume To LinkedIn
Get Started with a 7-day Free Trial Today - No Credit Card Required
Bluecast empowers B2B professionals to amplify their LinkedIn presence through AI-powered content creation and management, helping them grow their audience and drive revenue without the typical content creation bottlenecks.
Whether you're repurposing existing content from various formats or crafting original posts that match successful writing styles, Bluecast's AI content tool for LinkedIn streamlines the entire process from ideation to scheduling.
Perfect for marketers, founders, and agencies looking to maintain a consistent, engaging LinkedIn presence that delivers business results. Get started with a 7-day free trial today, no credit card required.