LinkedIn Profile Background Image: Going Beyond "Blue"
Walt Goshert
B2B High-Ticket Professional Services Advisors: Stop Chasing Clients. ATTRACT.
It's the New Reality of The Modern Buyer.
When potential clients first learn your name...
- From a phone call or email outreach
- You meet at a networking event
- You drop-in on their business
- Or someone mentions you as a referral...
Nearly every one of these potential clients is gonna check you out online.
Yep, they're gonna Google your name...
And almost always your LinkedIn Profile will show up as one of the top (or often only) result.
Then when they click over to check you out on LinkedIn...
The clock is ticking... fast.
You got 3 short seconds to grab their attention.
About 75% of people are visually dominant when processing information.
So, if your LinkedIn Background Image isn't dialed in...
BOOM- they're out!
Yep, you only get ONE shot to make a great first impression on LinkedIn.
And for most people who hit your LinkedIn Profile, your Background Image is the "smiling face" of your Profile. It's the first visual impression they see of your Profile.
What's more, your LinkedIn Profile is mostly text-based. (Although LinkedIn is making changes to add visual impact to your Profile... more in upcoming articles)
LinkedIn offers you limited ability to add visual elements.
So the Background Image is your opportunity to add some visual impact to your Profile.
Go ahead... do a search on your competition.
Check out other commercial insurance and risk advisors to discover what NOT to do on your Background Image.
You’ll find about half of them use the LinkedIn default blue image.
Many use the agency or corporate banner, or some sort of stock photo of their city or location.
Very few have an image that instantly connects with their “Perfect Fit” Potential Client.
Your LinkedIn Profile Background Image
It's your opportunity to INSTANTLY separate yourself from your competition- 99% of the other Commercial Insurance and Risk Advisors.
Your Background Image must capture your Personal Brand:
- WHO You Serve
- WHAT You Do
- And possibly a “soft”, sub-conscious, Call To Action
Also, your Background Image must position you as THE Authority, The “Go-To” Advisor in your specialty area of risk management/insurance.
Consider using a photo of you speaking to a group or meeting with a client.
Add a text headline to "call out" the pain/problem you solve, or the specific solution you offer to your Target Market.
Add images of Awards you've received to add credibility.
How to Create Your LinkedIn Profile Background Image
The LinkedIn Profile Background Image dimensions are 1584 X 396 pixels.
Keep in mind, on desktop your Headshot Photo is shown on the left; on Mobile, it’s placed in the center of your Background Image.
So, avoid these two areas if you plan to use text in your Background Image.
You can create your Background Image using online graphic design tools such as Canva or Pic Monkey.
Or hire someone on Fiverr to do it for you.
Keep in mind, the purpose of your LinkedIn Profile Background Image.
What do you want your Background Image to do...
- Serve as an extension of your agency/company/corporate brand?
- Establish your own Personal Brand and Expert Positioning?
- Plant the seed of a Call To Action?
Now you know why and what you need to do to position yourself in the top 1% of commercial insurance advisors on LinkedIn...
Start working on your Background Image.
Tomorrow...The "Digital Handshake" Element of Your LinkedIn Profile.
Does your LinkedIn Profile pass the 3 Second test?
Find out...