Header Image Tips For Each Social Media Platform
Your header image, or cover photo, is one of the most important things you will create for your social media profile. This is the section that will draw all of your profile visitors' attention immediately - so you want to make a positive impact.
To help you achieve this goal, we listed best practices and platform-specific tips you can use when creating headers.
Remember: each platform is different with different users, demographics, and styles. Therefore, what will work for one won't always work for the other. It's very important that you don't use the same image for every platform.
With that being said, let's get into the best practices that you should be using when creating each social media platform's header.
Best Practices for All Platforms
Branding: Don't make your logo the focal point, but definitely include it within your image. (Note: you can also further cement your branding by using your brand typography and colors).
High Quality: Prioritize the quality of the image over everything else. What does this mean? That if a really great image shows as grainy or blurry, either retake the image or use a different one.
Optimized for Display: A lot of platforms alternate their sizing for different devices. Make sure the image you choose looks great for desktop, mobile, and other available devices.
Relevant: The image should tell the viewer something about your business. For example, avoid sharing a cool photo of the sunset you took if your in the business of selling food.
Focal Points: Your image shouldn't be cluttered. If you look at an image and don't know where to focus on first, then chances are you have to do some editing.
Facebook-Specific Tips
Sizing
On computers, the image displays at 820px by 312px; on mobile, the image displays at 640px by 360px. Our recommendation: create an image that's focal point is at the center. This way, the quality won't be sacrificed if the sides or top and bottom are cropped out.
Image Ideas
Your Store: Do you have a visually pleasing store? Is it in an interesting location? Do you want visiting your store to be an experience your customers have? If you answered yes to any of these questions, showcasing your store on your Facebook header is a great idea.
Your Team: This is a great way to humanize your brand and show there are people behind the business.
Your Mission/Values: Example: Is your goal to uplift your community? Show off the community members you've helped!
Your Unique Qualities: Is there something about your business that sets you apart from others?
Your User-Generated Content: Your clients and customers would love to see that they are a part of your journey, just like you are a part of theirs.
Your Events: Have something coming up? Use your header to drive people to RSVP. Choosing to display events has the advantages of always keeping your page looking fresh and updated - but this also means that you have to keep up with the updates.
Your Products/Services: This can be a great way to increase sales if you direct visitors with a CTA. However, it's important to remember that these sort of images won't inspire loyalty and a feeling of community from new visitors.
What Not To Do
Use Too Much Text: You know the saying, "a picture is worth a thousand words." If you have something you want to tell your visitors, show and don't tell. Words don't attract as much attention on a cover photo as an image will.
Share An Image Any Business Can Share: If another Page can just as easily share the same image, don't use it. Anything you choose has to be unique - this means no stock photos! Ask yourself: what about this image is unique?
Twitter-Specific Tips
Sizing
Twitter's heading size is very short and narrow (especially on mobile) so it might be difficult to create an image for this platform - but it's still necessary. Similarly to Facebook, you will have to create an image that's focal point is at it's center, so that Twitter doesn't crop anything important. We recommend using a 1500px by 500px image.
Note: Your Twitter profile picture will cover the bottom left side of your header, so take this into consideration, as well.
Image Ideas
Taglines: A short sentence or two could really pop on on this type of header. Make sure the sentences are still relevant to your business.
Your Logo: Logos are often used as headers on Twitter. However, if you're already using your logo for your profile picture, make sure your header's logo is in a different color or has other factors that make it stand out (ex: perhaps it's dressed up for a holiday?)
A Collage: This will work if you still use white space to separate the images, and the central image is still the focal point.
Your Work: Your store will most likely not fit the Twitter header dimensions. However, you can still show what you do in your business.
Your Products: Are your products physical and aesthetically pleasing? Organize them, snap a picture, and use that as your header!
Your Events: You can also use your header to update your followers about your upcoming or even ongoing events.
What Not To Do
Have More Than One Focal Point: We've mentioned this before in previous blog posts, but Twitter is very minimalist. Too much going on in your header could really do you a disservice.
Have Your Profile Picture And Header Clash: Since they overlap each other, it could be visually unsettling if they don't work with each other. In other words, don't use two colors that look terrible together.
LinkedIn-Specific Tips
Sizing
The sizing of your cover photo for LinkedIn depends on whether you're using a personal or business account. To optimize for a personal page, use 1584px by 396px. To optimize for a business page, use 1400px by 425px.
Image Ideas
Your Product: Let your visitors know exactly what you offer - don't make them look for it!
Your Workspace: Show yourself at work, or your products being developed. This is a great way to show what you do, establish yourself as a professional, and humanize your brand.
Your Tools: You don't just have to share your products, you can also share what you use to create your amazing products, as well!
Your Qualifications: Did you win an award or accomplish something outstanding? LinkedIn users will definitely love to see.
Your Employees/Community: Your employees and community matter on LinkedIn, too!
Inspirational Quote: If there is a quote that you heard that instantly fills you with motivation - share this. Let it inspire other professionals, too.
What Not To Do
Use The Same Image You Used For Other Platforms: LinkedIn is very different from other platforms, because it's more about business than socialization. Therefore, create an image that will appeal to other professionals, rather than your community.
Choose A Photo Irrelevant To What Your Business Produces: On this platform, prioritize your professionalism over your relatability. While your image can share your mission/values, make sure it also shares what your business actually produces.
Be Abstract: Don't make your profile visitors think too much. Tell them exactly what your business is about through visually pleasing storytelling.
Be Emotionless: Although you need to present your profession, you also need to illicit an emotion from viewers. Does your image make them feel confident in your abilities? Does it motivate them to join you?
Use Too Much Text: Too much text can be overwhelming on LinkedIn, but you also shouldn't avoid it completely. Create a short sentence or tagline and add it to your image.
YouTube-Specific Tips
Sizing
YouTube's own recommended sizing is 2560px by 1440px - and we agree. This size will get you the best results. And the amazing part? Your profile picture won't cut off any section of your header on this platform. (However, you should still put the focal point at the center so resizing doesn't crop out anything critical).
Image Ideas
Show What Makes Your Business Special: What is your specialty? How does this separate you from similar businesses?
A Relevant Image And Text: Choose an eye-catching photo and use a few words to give it more context. (However, if you aren't design savvy - avoid text altogether.)
An Action Shot: YouTube is all about videos - meaning a photo that shows movement will fit perfectly. This can a well-taken screenshot from one of your videos.
An Item That Represents Your Business: A gamer would use a remote control; a restaurant would use a spatula; a social media marketer would use a laptop... etc.
Text: Text works on the YouTube platform because the users don't experience fatigue from reading because they are mainly consuming video content. Therefore, you can simply showcase your name and logo. However, it's still important that you don't write a paragraph for your header.
What Not To Do
Use Dull Colors: Video viewers on YouTube prefer bold colors that stand out.
Ignore Your Other Social Platforms: Use your YouTube header to drive traffic to your other social platforms. How can you do this? By including those icons and vanity handles on your header.
Complicate The Header: Keep it all simple. Don't overwhelm the viewer by having too much text, too much information, too many focal points... etc. Try to use 1 to 3 elements total.
Be Impersonal: YouTube is where you become the face of your brand. Your viewers want to see and hear from you. Personalize your header by either including a photo of yourself, including your name, including your uploading schedule, or including a quote from you.
Stray From Your Video Aesthetic: New visitors want to know what to expect from your videos. If there is a certain design you always use, keep a similar design for your header - or, at least, the same tone.
Thanks For Reading! Here’s A FREE Instagram Reels Content Guide
Thank you so much for reading our blog! We hope it can help you in your mission to optimize your social media profiles. If you are also hoping to broaden your reach and increase your engagement, we are happy to share our content guide for Instagram Reels! Although it’s mainly for the Instagram platform, you can also share the videos you create to any platform you want.
Enjoy!
