At first glance, most LinkedIn profiles look similar because they follow the same format and organization. That was until late 2014.
That’s when LinkedIn added a feature that can make your profile stand out and put itself in a category of one. That feature is the custom background. The background sits behind your photo and takes up a lot of the screen real estate when someone is viewing your profile.
I look at LinkedIn profiles daily. I can’t say I have seen anywhere near all half billion profiles that exist in LinkedIn, but I do feel I am up there on the list of people who have seen the most profiles. That’s partly because of my work – I help companies get all their people engaged in LinkedIn – and partly because of my curiosity. I’m fascinated by people – and some LinkedIn profiles are wildly effective in getting to know people.
The LinkedIn background feature is powerful because you can use it to reinforce your brand attributes or show your commitment to your employer and create recognition through the consistent use of your brand color, images and fonts.
Yet most profiles I see have the standard blue background that LinkedIn provides. That spells opportunity for you. When you change your background, you instantly differentiate your profile and leap from the pack.
Your background is one of the four most important elements of your profile when it comes to creating a great first impression. Those four elements are:
- Headline (read headline examples here)
- Headshot (see headshot examples here)
- Summary (read summary examples here)
- Background
I shared some of my favorite examples of the first three components in previous posts. In this post, I share my favorite LinkedIn backgrounds.
Melissa Janis did a great job of tying her background into the first two sentences of her summary. Her light-bulb illustrations complement her entire profile to create an online identity that is cohesive and compelling.
Elyse Dubin is a top-selling real estate broker in New York City, so she uses a spectacular view of a Manhattan sunset to showcase her turf.
Ana Brant is the epitome of class and style, and she works in the luxury field. She did a great job of conveying that with her background image of pearls.
Deb Dib’s custom background explains her brand promise in bright and vibrant color. It’s an infographic about her offering. Just viewing that image tells you exactly what she does and the value she creates when she does it.
Anne Pryor showcases one of her passions – art – so she uses her own artwork and changes it regularly, making visits to her profile like visiting MoMA.
Just using color can make a major statement.
Peter Wiehe uses his firm’s brand colors to show his loyalty while helping his profile stand out.
Executive Coach Grace Thomas also uses her company’s brand color and imagery, with text, to share her philosophy and offerings.
That rectangular picture hanging over your profile sets the tone for all of the messages you’re trying to communicate. There’s nothing generic about you, and your background image should prove it.
William Arruda is the cofounder of CareerBlast and creator of custom LinkedIn backgrounds that will help your LinkedIn profile stand out and express your brand.
