How to Create a Killer LinkedIn Background Photo

In this short guide you're going to learn how to create a killer LinkedIn Background photo (otherwise known as your banner) from scratch.

I'm also going to give you a template to make it really easy for you!

Your background photo is a very valuable piece of real estate on your profile. You can use it to create intrigue and lead the viewer on to take the next action you want them to take. This is because people are in autopilot mode when they're surfing the internet, and that includes when they're reading your profile Intro Section.

And most importantly you can use it to stand out and grab the viewer's attention before they click away from your profile because they either got bored or confused... you don't want that after having made all that effort to get them there in the first place!

If you want to know more about exactly how and why this works then click here to read more about your 'two brains'.

Unfortunately, most people overlook this opportunity and end up putting a very nice picture of a city skyline... or some lovely scenery in nature, or... even worse... a photo of them speaking at an event. 😬

I'm not saying those things aren't nice, I'm just saying they don't have the powerful, subconscious effect they could have if the image was more strategically focussed on the audience.

So why aren't more people doing this?

The reasons most people get this wrong are:

• They don't understand how people think when they read a profile

• They don't realise the value of this real estate

• They don't know how to create graphics with text

If this is you, don't despair! I'm going to give you a template and show you exactly how to edit it for your own brand and offer. Here's how, step by step:

Step 1: Get a Canva Account

Before you go any further, I suggest you do this from your desktop computer and not a mobile device as it's going to be hard to see the screenshots and make the necessary changes otherwise.

Canva is an absolute game-changer for 'solopreneurs' that don't have access to a good graphic designer. It's full of templates, stock images and graphics you can use and it's absolutely free. Although I would recommend upgrading to the paid version to unlock all the extra features, templates and graphics...

Click here to set up your account now. If you already have an account carry on to the next step.

Step 2: Open This Template and Make a Copy of It

Just click here to open the template

UPDATE: I created a new version of the template with several more options for you. I also recorded a quick video to help you edit your own background image that you can watch by clicking here.

Rename it to whatever you want by clicking on the file name in the top centre-right and then you can begin to edit it.

Step 3: Edit These Parts of The Template

Delete this text box and add your logo by clicking 'Uploads' on the left menu bar and then 'Upload files' then just click on the file once it's uploaded.

If you don't have a logo, you can also use Canva to create one! There are a bunch of logo templates in there already that you can use for this.

If you want to point the viewer to click on something use the arrow, but make sure it's pointing in the right direction! You can swivel it around by clicking on it and then dragging the rotation handle to wherever you want.

Then delete the text box next to the arrow.

Replace the text in the remaining 2 text boxes with whatever action you want your reader to take.

Here's mine as an example.

And finally, if you have brand colours and want to brand your image just click in an open space within the image and click the colour button to change the main colour.

When you do all of this, you're playing to the reader's 'autopilot' brain and taking it by the hand to take that next action you want it to take. This can make a HUGE difference when you get it right and your audience will be more likely to go on a journey with you.

Good luck creating your LinkedIn background photo. Let me know on LinkedIn when you do yours and I'll go take a look at it for you. 😉

And if you want some help with your profile, why not book a LinkedIn Profile Audit with me? I'll go through your profile in detail with you, pull it to pieces and help you put it back together again in a way that speaks to your audience and potential clients in such a way that they'll sit up and pay attention. Just scroll down and click the button if you're interested in that service. There is currently a 75% discount on it! 😁