My entire career wouldn’t be possible if it wasn’t for the gig economy. I work full-time from home, running my own business, selling writing services to clients all over the world. I’m far from the only one, and as the gig economy continues to thrive (which it will), we’re going to see the number of people making money online continue to skyrocket.
Plenty of sites and companies have caught on to this, and offer platforms and services that are designed to help independent creators find new ways to make money off of their work–even if they aren’t selling it directly to someone else.
Patreon is one of these sites, which allows account holders to offer paid subscriptions to interested users who love what they’re doing. Everyone from poets to video game streamers to nonprofit organizers have set up Patreons, allowing them to earn income from interested users without relying on intrusive ads.
To make the most of Patreon’s potential, your channel needs to look reputable and inviting. A crucial part of that is using a great cover photo that is sized correctly. In this post, we’re going to cover the ideal Patreon banner size and the best practices to follow.
The Best Patreon Banner Size
Your Patreon banner size–which is also sometimes called a cover photo–will be displayed at 1600 x 400 pixels at its largest, making this the best Patreon banner size.
Long and lean is key here, with the need to prioritize images that are wider than they are tall. According to Patreon, you can use images smaller than 1200 x 675 pixels, though they may become slightly pixelated.
Keep in mind that when you’re creating your banner, you want to prepare for the largest display size possible. If it looks great at 1600 x 400, it will look great on every display smaller than that too. And in order to prevent awkward cropping or image stretching, you want to design your banner with these dimensions in mind from the start.
Snappa can help you here, with the ability to create custom graphic sizes right from the get-go.
With Snappa’s easy design tools, you can make a Patreon banner in minutes by adding text, images, shapes, and more with just a few clicks!
And if you love the look of your new custom Patreon banner, you can use Snappa to resize it for other social media platforms. The correct Facebook cover photo size and YouTube banner size is built into the platform as well.
Why Patreon Banners Matter
Your Patreon banner will appear stretched across the top of your account’s profile. It’s often one of the first things that people will notice about your page, and it’s absolutely important to use the best Patreon banner size when you want to make a big impression.
Having a strong banner will make your Patreon account look more credible and established, which can help you convince potential contributors to become a patron. This can also help with brand awareness; even if you don’t consider yourself a business, you should consider branding. Branding makes you memorable and sets you apart, and will increase your likelihood of long-term success.
3 Incredible Patreon Cover Photos & What You Can Learn
Patreon was made for artists and creators, so you can get really creative here with your cover photo. As long as it uses the correct Patreon banner size, and represents who you are and what you do, you’ll be set.
Let’s take a look at 3 very different but equally strong Patreon cover photos and how you can emulate them with the right design tricks.
1. Smarter Every Day Patreon
If you aren’t exactly sure what you want your Patreon cover photo to look like, this is an excellent example. Layering easy-to-read text over a relevant background image can make for an effective banner.
The look is simple, but it’s clean and professional. And here’s the best part: this is easy to do with Snappa. Just choose a background photo from the built-in stock image library, and use the text tools to add a title on top!
2. Crime Junkie Podcast Patreon
This is another great example that is a bit more stylized. Adding a photo of yourself or your team, as shown in the example below, can add a personal touch to your banner and help you connect better with your patrons.
Notice how the Crime Junkie Podcast also uses their brand colors in their Patreon banner. Consistency in branding is key for a professional appearance.
3. Hoorae Patreon
Hoorae’s Patreon cover photo is visually striking. With large, bold text placed over a vibrant patterned background, they are sure to grab the attention of any viewer that visits their Patreon profile.
It’s a smart move to opt for a banner design layout like this. It’s simple enough to create, and it makes a big impact. Whether or not Patreon users decide to become a member, they’ll remember the name just by visiting their profile and viewing their cover photo.
Conclusion
Patreon is an exceptional platform, but just because there are so many enthusiastic patrons floating around, it doesn’t mean that you’re guaranteed to earn steady income.
Just like all other types of online businesses or income streams, you need to work hard to earn the payoff at the end of the month, and having a strong profile with the right Patreon banner size is a part of that.
Make sure to put a little extra work into creating a strong cover photo, and with an easy design tool like Snappa, you’ll be on your way to making a great first impression on new patrons quickly.
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