10 LinkedIn Background Photo Ideas To Make Your Profile ...

Your LinkedIn background banner photo should reinforce who you are and visually support the written portions of your profile. BETAThisisaBETAexperience.Youmayopt-outby clickinghereMoreFromForbesNov13,2021,08:25pmESTHowLearningAndDevelopmentLeadersCanHelpCurbTheGreatResignationNov13,2021,10:00amEST5CluesYou’reProbablyNotUsingThisSoftSkillToYourAdvantageNov12,2021,04:48pmESTFreelancers,Here’sAnotherWayToGrowIncomeAndReputationNov12,2021,09:45amESTNetworkingForIntroverts:3TipsToHelpYouConnectWithConfidenceNov12,2021,06:00amESTGEGroomedInsidersForYears.AnOutsiderIsFinallyBreakingItApart.Nov11,2021,05:01pmESTWantToCraftAViralLinkedInPost?TheseInfluencersShowYouHow.Nov11,2021,02:23pmESTGratefulOrGrumbling?TheLife-ChangingPowerOfGratitudeNov11,2021,11:00amESTHearst’sMagazineWorkersFileChargesAgainstTheCompanyDemandingToRemainWorkingRemotelyNov11,2021,10:35amESTWantGreatLeadership?HereIsWhyAndHowToAvoidPerfectionismEditStoryJun17,2019,01:20amEDT|10LinkedInBackgroundPhotoIdeasToMakeYourProfileStandOutJosephLiuContributorOpinionsexpressedbyForbesContributorsaretheirown.CareersIwriteaboutcareerchange,personalbranding,andselfemployment.TweetThisYourLinkedInbackgroundbannerphotoshouldreinforcewhoyouareandvisuallysupportthewrittenportionsofyourprofile.YourLinkedInprofile’sbackgroundimageisyouropportunitytocreateapositivefirstimpressionthatmatters.SharetoFacebookSharetoTwitterSharetoLinkedin Browsingphotos BrookeCagle HavingasolidLinkedInprofileisonewaytoincreaseyourvisibilityandopenupmoreprofessionalopportunities foryourself.Peopleofteninvestmosttheireffortsintocapturingtheircareeraccomplishmentsinthe“Experience”section.Unfortunately,theprofilepictureandbackgroundheaderphotoareoftenanafterthought. However,notcarefullyconsideringtheimageryyoufeatureonyourLinkedInprofileisamistake,especiallysincetheseimagesarewhatprofilevisitorsseefirst,creatingthatimportantfirstimpressionofyourreputationandpersonalbrand. Thebackgroundbannerimage inparticularisnotsomethingallusersevenconsideradjusting.Someuserssimplyusethedefaultimageofthebluegradientwithdotsandlines,perhapsbecausetheydon’trealizeacustomimagecanbeuploaded,don’tgetaroundtoitorjustdon’tknowwhatimagewouldbegoodtouse. LinkedInBackgroundImage LinkedIn YourLinkedInbackgroundbannerphotoshouldreinforcewhoyouareandvisuallysupportthewrittenportionsofyourprofile.Thisimageshouldcommunicationyourvalue,skillsandprofessionalidentity.“Yourbackgroundimageisaperfectplacetohighlightsocialprooforachievements,”says ShashankShalabh,CEOofOmnidigit.“LinkedInisallaboutbranding.Withtherightmessaging,bothvisualandtext,youcancreateabetterimpression.” Withthisinmind,whatsortofbackgroundimagecanyouusethatdoesn’tcomeacrossasoverlypromotional,forcedorself-aggrandizing?Hereare10simpleideastohelpyouselectanimagethatreinforcesyourpersonalbrand...  1.WorkSpace Office JoJohnston,Pixabay Apictureofanofficespace,deskorworkenvironmentisasimplewaytoconnoteprofessionalism.“Acleanandsimplisticworkspacegivesoffaprofessional,butreservedandrespectfulvibe,”saysLizJeneault,VPofmarketingforFaveable.com.Ifyouchooseanimageofadesk,shesuggestsfeaturingobjectslikealaptop,mobiledevice,glasses,padsofpaper,pensorpaperclips,whichcanconveysophistication. AlexanderLowry,professoroffinanceatGordonCollegealsosuggestsfeaturingameetingspace,likeaboardroom,especiallyifyou’reacorporateexecutiveyourselforworkonissuesrelatedtocorporategovernance.  2.BenefitYourClientDesires Canoe FilipMroz,Unsplash Focusingontheendbenefityourclientorcustomerdesiresallowsyoutocommunicatethevalueyouofferwithout“overlypromotingyourspecificproductorservices,”saysMarshaKelly,PresidentofBest4Business.Sherecommendsyou“speakdirectlytopeople’semotionalbuyingimpulses.” Forexample,ifyouworkinthemedicalorinsurancemarkets,youcouldfeatureanimageofhealthypeopleengagedinenjoyableactivities.Ifyouworkinfinancialplanning,youcoulduseanimagethatconveysfinancialfreedom.  3.CityLandscape LosAngelesSkyline MartinAdams,Unsplash Ifyourworkisrelatedtoaspecificgeographicallocation,youcouldfeatureacityskylineorlandmark.“Thisisagreatwayofshowcasingtopotentialconnectionsthecityyou’rebasedin,”saysDeborahSweeney,CEOofMyCorporation.com. Youcouldalsouseanimageofaplacethatrelatestoyourpersonalhistory.“Sharingthecityyoulivein,whereyouwerebornoraplacewithspecialmeaningtoyouisvisuallyappealingandaddspersonalitytoanotherwiseprofessionallyfocusedpage,”saysAlexandraShadrow,CEOofRelovv.com. 4.Physicalarchitecture Building EmilZimmerman Showinganiceshotofthebuildingwhereyouworkconveysasenseofcredibilityandstatus,especiallyifyourorganizationhasastrongreputation.Ifyoudon’tprefertofeatureyouractualcompany,youcouldalsouseagenericimageofanofficelobby,buildingfacadeorcitydistrict. Theideaistofeatureanimagethatalignswithyoursector.Ifyouworkinthecorporateworld,considerusingamodernofficebuilding.Ifyouworkwithineducation,perhapsaschoolcampus. 5.PeopleYouServe Meeting ChristinaMorillo Showingapictureofyourclients,customers,communityoremployeesconnotestheimpactyou’rehavingonindividualsaroundyou.Featuringpeopleinyourimageis“idealforanyclient-facingprofessionalwhoneedstoshowaconnectionwiththoseinhis/herindustry,”saysJeffSteen,SocialMediaandMarketingSpecialistatFitSmallBusiness.com. Youdon’thavetonecessarilyincludetheactualindividualsyouserveifyou’reconcernedaboutconfidentiality.Instead,youcouldgrabastockimagethatfeaturespeoplewhoaregoodexamplesofthetypesofpeopleyouserveorpeopleinatypicalsettingwhereyoumeetyourclients. 6.CauseorMission Windenergy RawFilm,Unsplash Usinganimagethatrepresentstheimpactyou’retryingtocreateinyourcareercanelevateyourprofessionalimagebeyondyourbasicjobtitleorrole.StefaniaSigurdsonForbes,MarketingConsultantatGravityHubrecommendsusinganoutdoorphoto.“Havinganoutdoorphotowithmeaning,canbearefreshingchangetotheself-aggrandizementyoucanseeonLinkedIn,”shestates.“Showingthisgivesapeekatyourpersonalityandtheoutdoorshotgivespeopleabreakfrombeinginsidetheoffice.” Forexample,ifyouarepassionateaboutrenewableenergy,considerincludingapictureofawindturbine.Ifyouarepassionateaboutthearts,perhapssomesortofoutdoorinstallationthatfeaturesthestyleofartyouembrace. 7.ToolsOfTheTrade Camera WilliamBayreuther Featuringcommonobjectsusedininyourlineofworkisasimplewaytoconveyhowyouspendyourtime.“Apicturedepictingtheprimarytoolsofthepicturedperson'sprofessioncanoffsettheboring,plainbackgroundsseeninmostprofilephotos,”saysJeremyRose,directorofCertaHosting.  Forexample,aphotographercouldfeatureaclose-upimageofacamera.Acodercouldshowacomputerscreen.Acoffeeshopownercouldshowcoffeebeans.Usingtoolscan“reinforceyourprofessionandcapabilitieswithoutbeingoverlypromotional,vain,orself-aggrandising,”saysSammiCoppedge, PublicRelationsSpecialistatOneClickVentures.  8.YourProductOrService Cargoship&plane VanveenJF Youcouldfeatureanimageoftheactualproductorserviceyou’reoffering.Anentrepreneurcouldbetheproductyou’relaunching.“Ahigh-qualityphotoshowcasingyourproduct(s)directlyonyourprofilecaninstantlyintriguepotentialbuyers,partnersandinvestors,”saysAlexisDavis,founderofTheContentPlug. Ashopownercouldfeatureanimageofyourbest-sellingproduct.SomeonewhoworksinB2Bproductmanufacturingcouldfeatureaclose-upofthecomponentyousupplytocustomers. Ifyou’reinmoreofaserviceindustry,youcouldsimplyGooglethenameofyoursectortogenerateideasofwhichimagesareassociatedwithyoursector.Forexample,ifyouworkinlogistics,perhapsacargo shiporairplane.Ifyouworkinsocialservices,acommunityevent.Ifyou’reinvolvedinsupplyingsolarenergy,solarpanels. 9.YouDoingYourWork Writer J.KellyBrito Animagereallycanbeworthathousandwordswhenyoufeatureanimageofyoudoingyouractualwork.Whilethiscanriskcomingacrossasabitstagedandself-aggrandizing,atasteful,naturalimageofyouinactioncandemonstratetheimpactyou’rehaving. Ifyou’reacreatorlikeawriter,youcouldhavesomeonetakeanaturalshotofyoudraftingideasonpaperortypingonyourlaptop.Ifyou’reaspeaker,youcouldshowapictureofyouspeaking,anaudienceoramicrophone. 10.SolidColorOrAbstractTexture Abstractpattern FerdinandStöhr Ifallelsefails,youcouldsimplyuseacolorotherthantheLinkedIndefaultbluetogiveyourprofileamoreconsideredfeel.“EvenjustanothercolorcanhelpyoustandoutinaseaofLinkedInblue,”accordingtoDebraBoggs,Cofounder ofD&SProfessionalCoaching.“Chooseacolorthatmatchesyourpersonality,orifyou’reabusinessowner,chooseacolorthatmatchesyourbrandcolors.” Youcouldalsoconsidersomesortofabstracttexture.Boggsstates,“Whilephotosofthingslikelaptops,cupsofcoffeeandkeyboardscanlookoverusedandcliche,abstractimagesortexturescanmakeyourprofilestandoutwithoutlookinginauthentic.”Shesaysyoushouldchooseatexturethatinvokesafeelingyouwantyouraudiencetoassociatewithyou. WhereToFindPhotos Onceyoudecideonwhattypeofimageyouwanttofeatureasyourbackgroundimage,youneedtothenfindanactualphotoyouhavetherightstouse.SimplyusingaphotoyouquicklyfindusingGoogleImagesisn’tthebestwayforward becausethoseimagesaren’talwayslegaltoreuse. Ifyoudon’talreadyhaveaphotoyou’vetakenyourselforphotoyouhaveexplicitpermissiontouse,youcouldpurchaseaphotofromstockimagesiteslikeGettyorShutterstock.However,thistendstobequiteexpensive,andstagedstockimagescanoftenlookabitdatedorartificialthesedays. Instead,considerusingattribution-freeCC0CreativeCommonsimages.Theseimagesarefreeandlegalforyoutouse.PopularCC0sitesincludeUnsplashorPexelswhereimagestendtofeelmorecurrentandnatural.YoucanalsocreatecustombackgroundimagesonsiteslikeCanvaorVisme. Onceyou’vedecidedonwhatsortofphototouse,simplyfollowtheseLinkedIn’sinstructions toedityourbackgroundphotoonyourprofile. CustomizeYourBackgroundImageToStandOut YourLinkedInprofile’sbackgroundimageisyouropportunitytocreateapositivefirstimpressionthatmatters.Imagesareoftenmorepowerfulthanwordsalone.Takethetimetoselectathoughtfulbackgroundimagesoyoucanreinforceyourpersonalbrand,conveywhatmakesyouuniqueanddifferentiateyourselffromtheseaofotherprofessionalsoutthere.Afterall,wordsalonemaynotalwaysbeenoughtocapturethefullpictureofwhoyouareandwhatyoucanoffer toothers.  Followmeon Twitter or LinkedIn. Checkout my website. JosephLiuPrintReprints&Permissions