Most people treat their LinkedIn banner like an afterthought. They go to Unsplash, type in "office," and pick the first photo of a blurry keyboard or a marble tabletop with a succulent on it. It’s boring. It tells me nothing about you. Honestly, if you're using that generic blue constellation background that LinkedIn gives you by default, you’re basically telling recruiters you haven't logged in since 2018.
First impressions happen in about 50 milliseconds. That’s not a guess; that’s a study from Carleton University that researchers have been citing for years regarding web design. On a social platform, your banner takes up nearly a quarter of the screen on a desktop. It's the "billboard" of your professional brand. If you want good cover photos for linkedin, you have to stop thinking about what looks "pretty" and start thinking about what signals "competence."
The Psychology of Visual Proof
Why do we care? Because humans are hardwired to look for context. Your headshot shows who you are, but the cover photo shows what you do. If you’re a speaker, I want to see you with a microphone. If you’re a coder, maybe it’s a clean, complex setup or a snapshot of a GitHub contribution graph that looks like a forest.
One of the biggest mistakes is being too literal. A baker doesn't necessarily need a giant loaf of bread as their banner. Maybe it’s the textures of the flour, or a high-contrast shot of their kitchen at 4:00 AM. It’s about the vibe. The vibe translates to trust.
Why Your Current Banner is Probably Failing
Check your profile on mobile. Right now. Seriously, open the app. You’ll notice that your profile picture moves to the center or the left depending on the device, and it covers up a massive chunk of your banner.
People design these beautiful, elaborate banners on Canva with text on the left side, only to realize that their own face is now sitting directly on top of their job title. It looks messy. It looks amateur. Professionalism is often just the absence of sloppy mistakes. To get good cover photos for linkedin, you need to keep your "safe zone" in mind. The right third of the image is usually your safest bet for any text or critical visual elements.
Real Examples of What Actually Works
Let's look at some specifics.
Take a "Solution Architect." Most of them pick a picture of a bridge. Get it? Architecture? It’s a bit on the nose. A better approach? A high-resolution, stylized blueprint or a clean workspace that suggests organization and scale.
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- The "Social Proof" Banner: This is for the consultants and the speakers. You’re at a podium. The crowd is slightly out of focus. It shows you have authority without you having to type "I am an authority" in your bio.
- The "Benefit-Driven" Banner: Instead of a photo, use a solid color or a subtle gradient with one powerful sentence. "I help SaaS companies reduce churn by 20%." It’s bold. It’s a bit aggressive for some, but it works for sales roles.
- The "Local Legend" Banner: If your business is tied to a city—say, real estate in Chicago—use a stunning, original shot of the skyline. Not a stock photo. An original one. It grounds you in a physical place.
I’ve seen writers use a photo of a typewriter. It’s a cliché, sure, but if the lighting is moody and the edit is sharp, it works better than a white screen. The goal is to make the viewer feel something.
The Technical Stuff (That Everyone Ignores)
LinkedIn recommends an image size of 1584 x 396 pixels.
If you upload a square photo, LinkedIn is going to crop it, and it’s going to look like a pixelated mess. Use a PNG for anything with text. JPEGs tend to get "crunchy" around the edges of letters due to compression. If you're using a photograph with lots of detail, a high-quality JPEG is fine, but keep that file size under 8MB.
Good Cover Photos for LinkedIn: What to Avoid at All Costs
Stay away from "hustle culture" quotes. "Rise and grind" or "Success is a journey" written in a script font over a mountain range is... it's a lot. It feels a bit 2015.
Also, avoid group photos where it's hard to tell who you are. This is your profile, not your company's "About Us" page. If I see ten people in a banner, I’m confused. I'm already trying to figure out who you are from your headshot; don't make me do more detective work.
Another trap? Low resolution. If I see pixels, I assume you don't pay attention to detail. In a job market where everyone is "detail-oriented," a blurry banner is a glaring contradiction.
Does Your Banner Match Your Brand Color?
This is a subtle trick. If your headshot has you wearing a blue tie or a blue dress, try to have a touch of that same blue in your cover photo. It creates visual harmony. It feels "designed" rather than "thrown together."
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I once talked to a recruiter at a major tech firm who told me she spends about 4 seconds on a profile before deciding to read the "About" section. Those 4 seconds are entirely visual. If the banner is jarring or ugly, she’s already in a negative headspace before she reads a single word about your experience at Google or Meta.
How to Make One Without Being a Designer
You don't need Photoshop. You really don't.
Canva is the obvious choice, but it’s almost too popular. You run the risk of using a template that five other people in your "Suggested Connections" are also using.
- Try Adobe Express: They have slightly different templates that feel a bit more "pro."
- Use Figma: If you want total control, Figma is free and lets you set exact pixel dimensions.
- The "Photo Only" Route: Go to a site like Pexels or Unsplash, but go to page 20. Don't pick the top result. Look for textures, patterns, or landscapes that reflect your "work mood."
If you're a therapist, maybe it's a calm, out-of-focus forest. If you're a data analyst, maybe it's a macro shot of fiber optic cables. It's about metaphor.
A Note on Company Banners
If your company provides a banner, should you use it?
Maybe. If you’re in sales or HR, yes, usually. It shows you’re a team player and part of a unified brand. But if you’re looking to build a "personal brand" or you’re a freelancer, using a corporate banner makes you look like an employee, not an expert. Think about what you want your next step to be.
The "Text or No Text" Debate
This is a big one.
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Some people love putting their email and phone number right in the banner. Personally? I think it’s a bit cluttered. LinkedIn already has a "Contact Info" button. However, putting your "Primary Service" in the banner can be a game-changer.
"Fractional CFO for Series A Startups."
That’s clear. That’s direct. If I’m a founder looking for a CFO, I know I’m in the right place within a second. No scrolling required.
But if you add text, keep it short. Three to five words. Use a sans-serif font like Montserrat or Open Sans. They're readable. They're clean. Avoid anything that looks like it belongs on a wedding invitation.
Measuring Success (Yes, You Can)
You can't "A/B test" a LinkedIn banner easily, but you can track your "Profile Views." Change your banner, wait two weeks, and see if the number of people viewing your profile or the quality of your connection requests changes.
When your profile looks "finished," people treat you differently. They reach out with more intent. It’s the difference between walking into a store with cardboard boxes everywhere versus one with a beautiful window display.
Actionable Steps to Fix Your Banner Today
Don't spend three hours on this. Just don't.
- Audit your current look: Open your profile on your phone and your laptop. If your headshot is covering your name or a key part of the image, it’s time for a change.
- Pick a "Vibe": Are you the "Reliable Professional" (clean lines, blueprints, cityscapes) or the "Creative Visionary" (abstract colors, textures, workspace shots)?
- Find an original image: If you can take a high-quality photo of your own desk or a project you finished, use that. Originality beats stock every time.
- Test the "Safe Zone": Move all your important elements to the far right.
- Upload and Refresh: It takes two minutes to upload. If you hate it, change it back.
A good LinkedIn cover photo isn't about being an artist. It’s about being intentional. It’s about signaling to the world that you understand how you are perceived and that you care enough to manage it. Go look at your profile. Is it saying what you want it to say? If not, change the billboard.