Your 2025 Guide To The Perfect Social Media Cover Photo

Learn how to create the perfect cover photo for Facebook, LinkedIn, and X. Get tips, dimensions, and real-life design ideas to make your profile stand out.

As the main image on your social media profile, your cover photo plays a huge role in shaping how people see your brand. It gives potential customers their very first impression of who you are, what you stand for, and what they can expect from you. 

In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about choosing and designing a great social media cover photo. You’ll learn why cover photos matter, when to update them, what sizes to use on different platforms, and common mistakes to avoid, plus plenty of practical tips to make yours stand out.

What is a cover photo?

A cover photo is a graphic found at the top of social media sites, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and X. Separate from the smaller profile picture, which often features a brand’s logo, this background or banner image gives you the opportunity to visually connect with your audience as soon as they land on your profile. 

For example, a makeup brand that uses its logo for its profile picture might choose a cover image in a complementary color scheme. Their cover photo could advertise an event it’s hosting in the hope of encouraging customers to attend. Or, like with the ColourPop example below, the brand could creatively highlight some of its products in the cover photo. 

Why use a cover photo?

Cover photos offer more than just a splash of color at the top of your profile. They’re a powerful way to showcase your brand, personality, or latest promotion at a glance.

Here are some of the benefits of being strategic with your brand’s cover photo:

Enhance first impressions

Your cover photo is one of the first things people see when they land on your profile, so it’s prime real estate for making a great first impression. A bold, well-designed cover photo instantly sets the tone for who you are and what you’re all about.

Increase brand recognition

A social media banner is a supplementary feature that works in concert with your logo, brand colors, and other visual elements associated with your business. Together, they tell your company’s story and help audiences recognize what defines you. 

Showcase products, promotions, or milestones

The perfect cover photo can also enhance your product strategy by showcasing what you offer and encouraging people to explore your company further. If you’re launching a new product, service, or promotion, you can use text in your cover photo to deliver that information.

Communicate seasonal themes

Got a holiday sale coming up? Launching something new in spring? Just feeling those cozy autumn vibes? Update your cover photo to reflect it. Following sales and seasonality in your cover photo keeps your profile fresh and gives followers a visual cue that something is going on for a limited time. 

Facebook cover photo best practices

Where do Facebook cover photos appear?

The Facebook cover photo appears at the top of your Facebook business page and spans the entire width. Brands can use a Facebook cover photo to showcase their personality, products, services, or promotions. 

Facebook cover photo size and dimensions

The recommended dimensions for Facebook cover photos are 820 pixels wide by 312 pixels tall on desktop, and 640 pixels wide by 360 pixels tall on mobile. Since Facebook crops and scales the image depending on the device, be careful to keep important text and visuals centered.

For best results, upload your cover photo as a high-quality JPG or PNG file of less than 100 kilobytes. Those specs will make sure it loads quickly and looks sharp. If you’re using a logo or text, a PNG might give you a crisper finish. Always preview your cover on both desktop and mobile before hitting Publish to make sure everything looks just right.

Cool Facebook cover photo ideas

Here are some cover photo ideas for your Facebook business page. 

Photo quotes

A bold, inspiring quote can stop the scroll and connect with people instantly. Relevant quotes are a great way to show what your brand stands for. Pair some meaningful words with a beautiful background image, and you’ve got a simple, powerful photo.

Brand imagery

Want people to know exactly what you do? Use your Facebook profile to showcase your product, service, or team in action. 

Hommey uses stylized brand graphics to give shoppers a clue about what they can expect from the brand. 

Awara Sleep does things a bit differently. It uses high-quality imagery in its Facebook page cover photo to show its products in action. 

Seasonal themes

Update your cover photo with the seasons to show your page is active and up to date. 

This cover photo for Sand Cloud reflects everything good about summer: sunshine, beach life, and friends. Plus, the company incorporates minimal text into the image to drive home its brand aesthetic.

Similarly, Kinfield has updated its Facebook cover photo to reflect the time of year. It’s very clear the photo is set in summer, and the brand leverages lifestyle product photography to show how its products fit into customers’ lives.

LinkedIn cover photo best practices

Where do LinkedIn cover photos appear?

Often called the “background photo,” LinkedIn’s cover photo appears at the top of the profile behind the profile picture on both a personal page and a company page. Since brands use LinkedIn to spotlight industry news and market their accomplishments, the cover photo is a good place to highlight a guiding principle that aligns with your brand. 

LinkedIn cover photo size and dimensions

The recommended dimensions for a LinkedIn cover photo are 1584 pixels wide by 396 pixels tall, with a 4:1 aspect ratio.

That said, LinkedIn can be a bit picky when it comes to how your image displays across different devices. Parts of your image might get cropped on mobile or hidden behind your LinkedIn profile picture on desktop. To avoid anything important getting cut off, keep your key text or visuals centered and away from the edges.

For best quality, upload a high-resolution JPG or PNG file under 8MB. 

Professional LinkedIn cover photo ideas

Get your creative juices flowing with these examples of great LinkedIn cover photos. 

Professional quotes

A short, impactful quote can go a long way in communicating your values, mindset, or approach to work. Think about something that reflects your industry or your philosophy. That might be a quote from a well-known figure in your field or a line that inspires the way you do business. 

Industry-specific graphics

Use your cover photo to subtly reference your industry. For example, a tech consultant might include a clean layout with abstract tech icons, while a real estate agent might use an aerial cityscape or a tasteful property image. You can also include icons, charts, or branded visuals that reflect your skills, the tools you use, or the services you offer.

ROOM uses stylized imagery of its workplace booths. 

X cover photo best practices

Where do X cover photos appear?

Known as the “header image” on X, the cover photo appears at the top of the page, spanning the width of the profile. You can use X’s header images to reflect the personality of an individual account, promote a campaign, or display branding elements.

X cover photo size and dimensions

The recommended dimensions for an X cover photo are 1500 pixels wide by 500 pixels tall. 

One thing to watch out for is the profile picture overlap. On both desktop and mobile, your profile photo will sit somewhere near the bottom left of your header image, which means anything important should be placed toward the center or right-hand side.

Use a high-resolution JPG or PNG of less than five megabytes for best results.

Creative X cover photo ideas

Here are some real-world examples from X for inspiration. 

Brand color alignment

Matching your cover photo to your brand colors helps everything feel consistent and polished. You don’t have to go wild with logos and graphics. Sometimes, a simple background in your brand’s colors with a few key elements (like a tagline or your logo) is all you need to tie everything together.

Le Puzz carries across its nostalgic, muted color palette and maximalist, retro aesthetic to its X cover photo. 

Likewise, Nolii’s X cover photo uses its bright, bold color palette to showcase its products. 

Minimalistic designs

Minimalist designs are clean, elegant, and super effective. If you’re not into bold colors or busy visuals, a simple design with lots of white space can really help your message shine. Try using one powerful image, a subtle pattern, or just a bold statement in clean text. It’s a great way to show confidence without trying too hard.

Drinks brand Update keeps its X cover photo simple with a black background and a pop of color from its cans. 

What should my cover photo be?

• Branded illustrations or custom artwork
• Free or no-license stock imagery
• Team or employee spotlight
• Product or campaign spotlight
• Customer reviews
• Educational or social content

What you choose for your cover photo depends on your specific brand, goals, and the platform you’re using. Here are a few ways to create an eye-catching cover photo: 

Branded illustrations or custom artwork

Custom artwork can make for a visually engaging cover photo design. Ensure the illustration aligns with your style, color scheme, and message to help reinforce your brand identity. For example, on its Facebook page, Vera Bradley’s cover photo features a colorful floral print that is part of the company’s 2025 summer collection.

Free or no-license stock imagery

Since they are free and customizable, free or no-license stock images are a great choice if you have a small budget. You can add text overlays or other cover photo design elements to make an image more representative of your brand. 

Instead of choosing a generic image, opt for stock photography that aligns with your overall brand. For example, a company that sells outdoor gear might choose an image of a snowy mountain peak. A skincare brand might select an image of a dewdrop.

Team or employee spotlight

Showcase a team photo or spotlight an employee to add a human touch to your brand. Add a brief caption or quotes to introduce a team member and their specific role. If your audience can see the people behind the team, they can build a connection to your brand. 

Product or campaign spotlight

You can feature your products and services or announce special campaigns. Simon Says Stamp teases its new summer product collection with its cover photo. While the cover photo does not share many details, it complements the brand’s posts that delve into the different collaborators they teamed up with and the people who made the event possible. 

Customer reviews and testimonials 

You can use your cover photo to highlight positive customer testimonials or reviews. Social proof can build trust and credibility, and a prominently displayed recommendation from a verified customer goes a long way. If your audience can see the impact your products and services make, they might feel more compelled to interact with your brand. 

Educational or social content

If your brand focuses on education, knowledge sharing, or social causes, consider using your cover photo to promote informative content that aligns with your brand values. For example, if your company sells water bottles, you can add a cover image that shows visitors how to calculate how much water you should drink each day. 

When should you update your social media cover photo?

Updating your cover photo regularly is a great way to show that your brand is active, current, and tuned in to what’s going on in your industry and the culture at large. A fresh cover image can spark attention, reflect your latest priorities, and keep your profile looking sharp. 

Here are a few perfect times to switch things up with your cover photo:

Seasonal changes

Swapping your header to match the time of year is a fun and simple way to keep your profile looking fresh and relevant. Think cozy vibes in winter, bright and airy designs in spring, bold summer colors, or autumnal tones. You can even align your cover photo with holidays like Valentine’s Day, Halloween, or Christmas for an extra pop of seasonal spirit, if any of those holidays make sense for your target audience.

Promotional campaigns

Running a sale? Hosting a giveaway? Launching a new offer? Your cover photo is prime space to get the word out. Use it to tease your latest campaign, promote upcoming events, or highlight a limited-time deal. Since it’s one of the first things people see, it’s a great spot to drive awareness and get more conversions via social media.

New product launches

Unveiling something new? Make a splash by featuring it right in your cover photo. Whether it’s a brand-new product, a fresh collection, or a cool new feature, your header image can help you build buzz and get people excited. Bonus points if you pair it with a strong call to action (CTA) or link in bio. 

Business milestones and events

If you’re hitting an anniversary, announcing an award, or prepping for a big event, update your cover photo to mark the occasion. It’s a subtle way to showcase your wins, share your progress, and invite your audience to be part of the journey.

7 tips for selecting an impactful cover photo

• Aim for brand alignment and consistency
• Use a graphic design tool
• Optimize for desktop and mobile
• Go for simplicity and clarity
• Update regularly
• Make it cohesive with your profile image
• Add a call to action

Cover photos can leave a lasting impression on social media users. Here are a few tips for creating and using cover photos for your online profiles.

1. Aim for brand alignment and consistency

A cover photo should align with a brand’s guidelines, including the color scheme, fonts, and overall style. Consistency across all branding elements helps audiences understand and remember your brand. 

2. Use a graphic design tool

Graphic design tools like Canva, Adobe Express, or Figma make it super easy to design something eye-catching. Many of these platforms offer ready-made templates sized perfectly for each social media platform, so you don’t have to guess the dimensions or worry about awkward cropping. You can drag and drop elements, use your brand colors, add text or logos, and customize everything to fit your style. 

3. Optimize for desktop and mobile

Social media platforms display cover photos differently depending on the device. That means parts of your image—especially near the corners or edges—might be cut off or hidden. Optimize the images in your cover photos by keeping your most important content (like text, logos, or faces) centered in a “safe zone” where it’ll be visible on all screens.

Most platforms give you the option to preview how your cover photo will look on both desktop and mobile before you hit Publish. 

4. Go for simplicity and clarity 

Keep the cover photo simple and clear by avoiding cluttered imagery and excessive text. A busy image can overwhelm the viewer and make it difficult to understand your brand message. 

5. Update regularly

An outdated cover photo can make your profile or page appear neglected or unresponsive. To avoid that, update the image regularly—once a month or quarter—to reflect changes in brand promotions, seasons, or campaigns. Continually seek fresh cover photo ideas from your team.

6. Make it cohesive with your profile image

Cover photos and profile pictures should complement each other and create a cohesive visual identity for your brand. A mismatched profile picture and cover photo can create visual misalignment on your page, which can confuse or put off a new viewer. Aim to make your profile image and cover photo cohesive by choosing complementary colors, simple patterns, and minimal text.

7. Add a call to action

Consider adding a call to action—such as “Learn More,” “Shop Now,” or “Sign Up”—to encourage visitors to continue to interact with your brand. Some platforms, like Facebook, even allow you to add CTA buttons to your cover photo.

Top 4 mistakes to avoid when selecting a cover photo

• Using low-resolution or blurry images
• Crowding your image with text
• Failing to stick to platform-specific dimensions
• Overlooking audience relevance

Cover photos might seem like a small detail, but getting them wrong can send the wrong message. 

Here are some things to steer clear of when choosing (or designing) your social media cover photo.

1. Using low-resolution or blurry images

There’s nothing that screams “unprofessional” like a blurry or pixelated cover photo. 

It might happen if you upload an image that’s too small or stretch something beyond its original size (use an image resizer if you need to). Either way, it gives the impression that you didn’t put much effort into your profile. 

Always aim for high-resolution images that look crisp and clean on all devices. If you’re not sure, a good rule of thumb is to use the recommended dimensions for the platform and stick to JPG or PNG formats. Don’t forget to check how it looks after uploading. Sometimes a file that looks great on your desktop doesn’t hold up once it’s live.

2. Crowding your image with text

While it’s totally fine to include a short message, quote, or headline, trying to cram too much text into your cover photo can backfire. A cluttered design is hard to read (especially on a mobile device), and it can make your profile feel overwhelming or chaotic. 

If you want to share lots of info, pairing your header with a strong pinned post or bio is a great starting point. For the image itself, keep the text minimal and impactful—less is usually more.

3. Failing to stick to platform-specific dimensions

Every platform crops and displays cover photos a little differently, which means one size fits all doesn’t really work here. Always check the recommended dimensions for the specific platform you’re posting to, and use templates or tools that match those specs. 

4. Overlooking audience relevance

Just because a cover photo looks good doesn’t mean it’s the right fit.

One of the biggest mistakes brands make is choosing something trendy or eye-catching that has nothing to do with their audience or message. For example, a beautiful photo of a city skyline is great—unless you’re a bakery and your audience is expecting cupcakes, not skyscrapers. 

Make sure your cover photo speaks directly to your audience’s interests, values, or needs. Ask yourself: Will my ideal customer immediately feel like this profile is for them? If the answer’s no, it might be time for a refresh.

Cover photo FAQ

What is a good cover photo for Facebook?

A good Facebook cover photo is eye-catching and on brand, and tells people what you’re all about at a glance. It could feature a product, a bold quote, a seasonal theme, or even a photo of your team. Just make sure it feels aligned with your message and looks great on both desktop and mobile devices.

What size is a Facebook cover photo?

The ideal image size for a Facebook page cover photo is 820 pixels wide by 312 pixels tall on desktop, and 640 x 360 pixels on mobile, but it must be at least 400 x 150 pixels.

What size is a LinkedIn cover photo?

LinkedIn recommends a cover photo size of 1584 pixels wide by 396 pixels tall. Since your profile picture overlaps with part of the banner, keep important design elements toward the center and right-hand side to make sure they stay visible.

Is a cover photo the same as a banner?

You can use the terms “cover photos” and “banners” interchangeably. For example, you can call it both a “Facebook cover photo” or a “Facebook banner.” Different platforms might use different terminology, but the concept is generally the same. Both refer to a large, prominently displayed image at the top of a webpage or social media profile that serves as a visual focal point.

Do I need a cover photo?

Technically, no, but it’s a missed opportunity if you skip it. A great cover photo instantly makes your profile feel more professional, personal, and polished. It shows you care about your brand and helps you stand out from a sea of blank headers.