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17 eye-catching LinkedIn banner ideas to showcase your brand and personality
Updated: 7/10/2025
Why your LinkedIn banner matters (even if recruiters might not see it)
It’s prime real estate to show off your personality and spark conversations.
Sure, not every recruiter views your full profile banner—especially if they use LinkedIn Recruiter, which hides it by default. But many hiring managers and peers still click through, and that’s when your banner can offer an instant sense of your values, style, and interests. Even if it doesn’t land you a job directly, it can break the ice, prompt DMs, or reinforce your professional brand at a glance.
So skip the default blue swirl. Try one of these ideas to make your profile more memorable.
1. City skyline: anchor your professional story to your location
Use your city’s skyline to highlight where you’re based (or what inspires you).
A skyline doesn’t just look sharp—it can signal local expertise, build trust for location-based businesses, or simply start a friendly conversation about where you live. A recruiter hiring in Vancouver might feel an instant connection seeing a photo of the city on your profile, like Mia, a recruiter, does with her Vancouver backdrop.
Even if your city isn’t tied to your work, it’s still a personal touch that says more than a bland abstract graphic ever could.
2. Local landmarks or natural scenery: showcase what makes your place unique
Highlight landmarks or landscapes that tell a story about you or your city.
Elsie, an Associate Director at Siege Media, uses the La Jolla coastline to nod to her San Diego roots. Similarly, Briana at Grammarly features the Golden Gate Bridge, anchoring her professional life in San Francisco.
Whether it’s a mountain you climb on weekends or a monument tied to local pride, it gives your banner a sense of place that’s uniquely yours.
3. An inspirational quote or mantra
Share a guiding principle that reveals your mindset.
Your favorite quote or a short personal motto can say a lot about your values. Brené Brown’s “There is no innovation and creativity without failure. Period.” is a classic that resonates with risk-takers and creatives.
Rachael at Zapier took a simpler approach: she chose an anonymous quote and displayed it literally in lights, merging personality and design flair. Just make sure it’s authentic to you—not a stale cliché that everyone’s seen.
4. A glimpse into your daily work
Showcase the tools of your trade or snapshots of your day-to-day.
Lindsey, an editor, uses a banner of pen, paper, and coffee—classic creative vibes—presented in clean black and white. Claire, a nurse, highlights her passion by featuring a photo of healthcare professionals caring for children.
This type of banner grounds your profile in what you actually do, building credibility at a glance.
5. Graphs, charts, or data visualizations
Perfect for sales, marketing, or data roles—turn your banner into proof of results.
Paulie, a CMO at AG1, uses a timeline that visually breaks down product milestones. It’s not just pretty; it instantly conveys achievement, growth, and strategic vision.
Graphs don’t have to be literal data either. Trend lines, icons, or infographics tied to your industry all send a powerful, data-driven signal.
6. Your team or clients
Add a human element by showing your coworkers, team retreats, or customers.
If you work in people-focused roles like HR or customer success, a group shot signals collaboration. Shane from Zapier features a full team photo from a retreat—instantly suggesting approachability and a people-first mindset.
It can even be an illustration of people working together if you don’t have a good group photo.
7. Your personal hobbies or interests
Reveal what you’re passionate about outside of work—it makes you relatable.
Russell, a data analyst at Microsoft, features car racing. It’s personal, energetic, and invites easy small talk that goes beyond “what do you do?”
Your LinkedIn is still professional, but showing a hobby reminds viewers you’re a whole person, not just a list of skills.
8. Your workspace
Highlight your desk setup or creative studio to show how (and where) you work.
Ashley, a freelance content specialist, uses a neat desk photo with her name and job title layered on top—instantly doubling as a mini portfolio. The consistent color scheme also strengthens her personal brand.
9. Your product or creations
If you build it, show it off—right on your banner.
Tom Shapiro highlights his book. Jennifer Hood’s banner proudly displays bold type from her design studio. If you’re a copywriter, include brand logos you’ve written for. Designers can showcase recent projects; photographers can use their own shots; SaaS pros might even add product screenshots.
10. Minimalist icons that reflect your work
Small icons pack a quick punch and make your expertise instantly clear.
Sean from Zapier uses envelope, thought bubble, and paper airplane icons—an immediate nod to email marketing. Jed, a designer, created playful illustrations that double as a mini portfolio.
It’s a smart, subtle way to visualize your work without crowding the image.
11. You in action
Go behind the scenes to show yourself actually doing the work.
Lauren Soulek, a broadcast journalist, features herself shooting B-roll on a farm. It’s dynamic, authentic, and lets visitors picture exactly what you do day-to-day.
12. A personal belief or cause you support
Your values matter—especially to future employers who share them.
Kristina, SVP of Engineering at Afresh, features a banner supporting equality. Josh, an attorney, chose imagery tied to public education—hinting at the types of law firms he prefers working with.
LinkedIn even offers pre-made banners for causes like Black Lives Matter or LGBTQ+ rights if you want an easy starting point.
13. Your company’s logo or mission statement
Reinforce your professional alignment or promote your business directly.
Tori, a recruiter at Zapier, has a Zapier-themed banner that makes her outreach immediately transparent. Andrew at Siege Media does the same—his banner spells out exactly what his agency offers, blending branding with clarity.
14. A clean solid color or gradient
Sometimes simplicity stands out the most.
Lane at Zapier uses a solid orange (matching company colors), while Will Harris, a content marketer, picked a sleek ombré. This approach draws eyes to your profile photo and headline without overwhelming them.
15. Social proof, like speaking gigs or press mentions
A photo of you speaking at a conference or a media shoutout proves your expertise.
Kaitlin, founder of Well Said Studio, does just this—pairing her speaking photo with a large follower count to reinforce her authority.
16. Testimonials or client logos
Why just say you’re good when you can show others endorsing you?
Rob Hoffman, CEO at Contact Studios, features a banner with client logos. It’s subtle social proof that speeds up trust, especially with prospects skimming your profile.