{"id":5321,"date":"2024-01-01T08:44:51","date_gmt":"2024-01-01T13:44:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.snappa.com\/?p=5321"},"modified":"2025-01-02T10:51:58","modified_gmt":"2025-01-02T15:51:58","slug":"header-images","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/snappa.com\/blog\/header-images\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Design Perfect Header Images for Social Media"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

Let\u2019s face it: header images are crucial to social media success.<\/p>\r\n

Back in the good ol\u2019 days, brands only really needed to worry about one image on social media: their profile picture. Images were used in posts, but not often, and header images either didn\u2019t exist yet or weren\u2019t popular.<\/p>\r\n

We\u2019ve come a long way since then, and header images are now a must-have for all businesses and organizations using social media. Profiles look downright empty without them, and the last thing you want your audience to say when they visit your page is \u201cWow, they\u2019re not really trying all that hard.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Designing the perfect cover photos for social media isn\u2019t all that difficult with the right tools and ideas in place. In this post, we\u2019ll take you step-by-step through the process so that you can immediately give your profiles a visual and branding boost.<\/p>\r\n

Why Social Media Header Images Matter So Much<\/h2>\r\n

No matter what platform you\u2019re on, header images always stretch across your entire profile. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube all have the option to add cover images, and they\u2019re all immediately noticeable. As far as branding opportunities go, this is pretty much prime real estate.<\/p>\r\n\"snappa\r\n

Your header image, therefore, is key to making a strong first impression and helping solidify your brand identity<\/a>. A quality cover image will help you stand out, showcase your professional brand, and can even help new users know what you\u2019re all about. You can use the same cover photo across multiple platforms, but you should always make sure that the header image is fantastic.<\/p>\r\n

How to Design Perfect Social Media Header Images<\/h2>\r\n

Ready to create visually interesting, distinct, highly-branded social media header images that will make the right kind of impact on your target audience? Let\u2019s go step-by-step through the process.<\/p>\r\n

1. Look At Your Current Branding<\/h3>\r\n

Before you start designing a single cover image, you need to take a look at what you\u2019ve already got going on in your profile. Specifically, you want to check out your existing social media branding<\/a> and profile picture.<\/p>\r\n

Your profile picture, after all, is likely already up and running. In many cases, it will be your business\u2019s logo. If you\u2019re a solopreneur or a personal brand, you might choose instead to use a picture of yourself, and that\u2019s perfectly fine. The bottom line is to use an eye-catching, clear image that users can identify at a glance.<\/p>\r\n

Next, consider whether your profile picture aligns with your visual brand<\/a>. Does it take your specific brand design conventions into account? Does it feature your brand\u2019s colors? What about the overall mood? Does it reflect the brand experience you want your audience to have?<\/p>\r\n\"aligned\r\n

Whatever you\u2019re using for your profile picture, you want to look at everything from the color to the imagery to the style that you\u2019re using, because you\u2019ll want your header image to look great paired up with it. You\u2019re going for an overall cohesive look, so you\u2019ll want to take this into consideration.<\/p>\r\n

The bottom line is that you\u2019ll need your profile picture, header image, and brand aesthetics to all match. First, make sure your profile picture is properly branded. Then, select a header image that fits well into the overarching aesthetic.<\/p>\r\n

2. Consider What Would Make an Impression<\/h3>\r\n

Your header image, at first sight, may be even more noticeable than your profile picture. It\u2019s certainly larger than your profile picture and takes up much more real estate on your profile or page.<\/p>\r\n

Best practices dictate that you don\u2019t have to only stick to a logo. You have a decent amount of flexibility here, so use it to your advantage.<\/p>\r\n

With your header image, you\u2019ve got a window of opportunity to make a lasting impact on your visitors. Consider what you want your new header to stand for. What audience do you want to connect with the image, and what do you want them to take away from it?<\/p>\r\n\"kickboxing\r\n

Take a look at the above header image for Total Fitness Kickboxing in The Colony, Texas, for example. It accomplishes something very specific. A viewer\u2019s initial takeaway might be that this is just an eye-catching, high-resolution image of a woman practicing on a punching bag.<\/p>\r\n

There\u2019s an implication here, though, that women are welcome, that this is accessible and a safe environment where you can learn. She looks focused, calm, and absolutely zeroed in on her training, which communicates confidence and assurance.<\/p>\r\n

These aren\u2019t things that people will consciously notice, but it\u2019s all something that can register unconsciously, and since a large portion of kickboxing classes are now women, this is a good call.<\/p>\r\n

3. Choose A Strong, Clean Design<\/h3>\r\n

Some businesses will opt for graphic design-based header images while others will gravitate toward high-resolution images. Either option works well, but you need to make sure that the images and designs you\u2019re choosing have plenty of brand synergy.<\/p>\r\n

The image shouldn\u2019t be too overwhelming. Bright, bold, tightly-knit, tiny patterns filling a big block of space is too much. Opt for a simple design and include negative space so people can focus in on whatever you want to hold their attention.<\/p>\r\n

POPSUGAR Beauty\u2019s Pinterest header image, for example, pairs well with its logo while featuring fun, upbeat colors that grab your attention. The array of cosmetic products overlaid on a color gradient is eye-catching and playful at the same time.<\/p>\r\n\"popsugar\r\n

Your header image should also be interesting and worthy of snagging a viewer\u2019s attention. Striking a balance here can be difficult, but you can incorporate some contrasting colors and even layering tricks to draw the eye where you want it most. See here:<\/p>\r\n

\"design<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Here at Snappa, we make this part a little easier for you, even if you have zero design experience. We have templates designed specifically for social media header images, which you can customize completely as you see fit.<\/p>\r\n

4. Pepper In Text to Strengthen the Image<\/h3>\r\n

There are some cover images that can be plenty strong on their own with just the photograph itself. This is why we offer an extensive library of free stock photos<\/a> for our subscribers to use as they see fit.<\/p>\r\n

That being said, most header images do benefit from not only a logo added on, but some text overlay, too. Whether you want to promote your next sale, feature your business\u2019s tagline, or just add some context to the image, a few quick lines of text can take your image to the next level.<\/p>\r\n\"text\r\n

How to Get Your Header Image Sizing Right on Each Social Media Platform<\/h2>\r\n

Getting your header image sizing right is one of the most important factors to consider when building your social media marketing strategy<\/a>. As you begin designing your header image, you\u2019ll want to be sure you get the optimal size for each platform.<\/p>\r\n

Snappa makes it incredibly easy to get platform-optimized header images for YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, and a host of other social media networks. The templates can easily be adapted, or you can always create a custom-sized image.<\/p>\r\n

When you use the correct image dimensions as the foundation of your photograph or design, you\u2019ll be less likely to run into issues involving cropping, stretching, or distortion. All these quality issues can take away from your followers\u2019 experience with your brand.<\/p>\r\n

Additionally, take mobile-optimized images into consideration. Your mobile images on Facebook, for instance, will appear taller on your phone or tablet, and wide on your desktop.<\/p>\r\n\"wide\r\n

If you aren\u2019t considering blind spots for different devices, you could lose a key part of your image or have the photo look a little strange. Our templates<\/a> have you covered in that regard, showing you exactly what will be cropped where.<\/p>\r\n

Getting your social media header image sizes just right can be a bit of a daunting task, especially since every platform requires different image specs. Let\u2019s take a closer look at what those are.<\/p>\r\n

Facebook<\/h3>\r\n

Facebook features three different banner sizes, all of which have different dimensions based on where they appear. It\u2019s important to utilize the proper dimensions on each specific type of banner so you\u2019re getting the most out of your Facebook presence.<\/p>\r\n

The three banner sizes you\u2019ll use on Facebook are cover photos, event cover photos, and group cover photos. Here are the dimensions:<\/p>\r\n