LinkedIn Banner Ideas For Freelancers
If you’re a freelancer working online, you most likely have a LinkedIn account. If not, why not? If you do, then you should have a LinkedIn banner that reflects your personal brand and attracts the right kind of attention.
It’s tough out here on the internet for freelancers. The competition is fierce and A.I. is biting at our heels. That’s why it’s important to make a good first impression.
Your LinkedIn banner can do a lot to help with your freelance business. This is where you can give potential clients a glance at your brand. So if you want some ideas on how to create a good LinkedIn banner, you’re in the right place.
Ready for some inspiration? Okay, let’s jump right in.
What Is A LinkedIn Banner?
Also known as the header, your LinkedIn banner is the image that sits directly behind your profile picture on your profile page. When it comes to making a good first impression on your LinkedIn profile, your banner is just as important as your headline.
Why You Need A LinkedIn Banner
Technically, you don’t need a personalized banner behind your profile pic. Using the default LinkedIn header is fine if you don’t want to stand out and look professional.
However, if you want to take yourself seriously and land high-paying clients, then you should upload one to reflect this. For freelancers, the benefit of having a banner is that it gives you a chance to exhibit your relevant details at a glance.
In this post, we will look at some ideas to consider when creating your freelancer LinkedIn banner.
Keep It Professional
That cool photo of you on the beach in your hot swimsuit is fine for Facebook but for your LinkedIn banner. You need to be professional.
So what should you include in your image?
If you want to use a photo for your background image, make sure it reflects the industry you’re in. For example, you don’t want a picture of stock trading graphs if you’re a freelance writer. Maybe a picture of a laptop with a word editor open on it would look better and represent who you are. A picture of someone sitting at a desk working on a computer will also do.
Just remember to keep it professional and make sure to use royalty-free images or pictures that are in the public domain. You can find a large selection of free images on Pexels.com or Pixabay.
Keep It Simple
A common mistake that a lot of freelancers make is to overcomplicate things for no reason. I should know, I’m one of them.
When it comes to portraying yourself as a freelancer, simple is best. Don’t add too many elements to your image that will overwhelm the viewer. Try to limit the graphics so that the most important information is highlighted.
Your name, professional title and possibly two or three words about your relevant skills are enough. You want people to look at your banner just long enough to see who you are and what you do. The purpose of LinkedIn is for professional networking. It’s not an art gallery.
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Highlight Your Expertise
Speaking of professional titles, it’s a good idea to include your main skillset. What exactly do you do to help your clients?
This can either be your main headline, a list of the services you offer or a short description of your headline. For example, “Graphic Designer - Specialising In Web Design and UX/UI”, or “Digital Marketing - Brand Awareness - Social Media Management.”
It’s all about marketing yourself and letting potential clients know exactly what you can do for them.
Add A Call To Action
Sometimes visitors to your page might need a little nudge to get the collaboration ball rolling. You may want to include a call to action (CTA) in your LinkedIn banner.
When someone is viewing your profile and like what they see, they might want to look at some other freelance profiles before making a decision. So you need to prompt them to connect with you. An example might look like this: “Get in touch with me and let’s discuss the details of your project.”
If you do include a CTA, don’t be afraid to tell the client exactly what you would like them to do.
Add Your Contact Information
LinkedIn does allow you to make your contact information visible on your profile, but you can also include it in your banner. This is optional. You don’t need to put this info in your banner but it will save your visitor the time of looking for it in your profile.
It doesn’t have to be all your contacts. Remember, your LinkedIn banner is meant to be read quickly, so I would recommend including just your email and website, or phone number.
Where You Can Make A LinkedIn Banner
It may seem complicated to make your own LinkedIn banner, especially if you’re not a graphic designer. However, there are tools and apps available that you can use to bring out the artist in you that you never knew was there. One such tool is Canva.
Canva is a free online design resource that anyone can use. You can use it to create any kind of content a freelancer might need, including logo design and branding. All you have to do is set up a free account, choose a template and make yourself shine brighter than all the other freelancers on LinkedIn.
Keep in mind that the size of your banner should be 1584x396 pixels or it won’t be displayed properly. Once you’re happy with your design, download it to your device and then upload it to your LinkedIn profile.
In Conclusion
Your LinkedIn banner is a small, quick showcase for your personal brand. Use it to display who you are and what you can do for your clients. Remember to keep it simple and highlight your skills in a colourful, interesting way.
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Meet The Writer!
Greetings. My name is Edwin Kannemeyer (or just Ed or Edi). I’m a freelance writer, living the write-life to the fullest. Currently, I lay my pen down in the self-improvement niche, with a focus on working parents. Helping people work from home and live happy, fulfilling lives is my goal as a writer. I would love to hear from you, so get in touch with me on LinkedIn or edikannemeyer@gmail.com
