Why Your LinkedIn Cover Photo Matters

At Three Cat Agency, we regularly tackle new challenges that push us to grow and learn. Recently, we focused on improving our LinkedIn cover photo—a seemingly simple task that can significantly impact how potential clients perceive our brand. Your LinkedIn cover photo is one of the first things visitors see, and it plays a critical role in showcasing your brand's message and value. The LinkedIn banner is one of the first things people notice when they visit your profile. It  plays a pivotal role in shaping the perception of your personal brand or company.

To make an informed choice about our LinkedIn cover photo, we conducted an in-depth analysis of how other companies, especially in the tech sector, design their LinkedIn banners. Our aim was to uncover effective strategies while ensuring we stayed true to our brand identity.

Two Main Approaches: Value Proposition vs. Brand Symbolism

We found that most companies follow one of two approaches: emphasizing their value proposition through text or using brand symbolism with visuals. Value-focused cover photos, often seen with B2B companies like HubSpot and ZoomInfo, clearly communicate what the company offers, making an immediate impact with potential clients. This approach is particularly effective for growing brands looking to establish credibility and communicate their purpose directly.

On the other hand, companies with strong brand recognition, like Canva and Figma, often opt for brand symbolism—using logos, colors, and abstract imagery to create a memorable impression without explicit messaging. This approach works well for well-known brands, as it reinforces an established identity and market authority.

Through this research, we recognized that, as a growing B2B brand with a product-led model, our positioning aligns best with a clear value proposition. Highlighting our services in the cover photo would allow new visitors to quickly understand who we are and what we offer. This insight guided our decision-making and reinforced the importance of aligning our visual assets with our current brand stage and audience needs.

‍

The Starting Point: Our Old LinkedIn Cover Photo

Our original LinkedIn cover photo fell short of capturing the value we deliver to our clients. It lacked a clear, impactful message and didn’t make the most of this essential online real estate that potential clients and followers see first. We realized that a redesign was necessary to create a stronger first impression—one that instantly communicates our expertise, services, and unique value proposition. This change would allow us to better showcase who we are, what we stand for, and how we can help our clients achieve their goals.

‍

‍

Understanding the Market: Researching Competitors and Peers

To shape our new design direction, we conducted an in-depth analysis of LinkedIn cover photos from technology companies, with a particular focus on those operating in B2B or product-led growth (PLG) environments, as these align closely with our Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). We segmented these companies by factors such as their stage of growth, overarching growth strategy, and their approach to cover photo design—whether they prioritized brand symbolism or highlighted their value proposition. This segmentation allowed us to identify patterns and determine how to position our own cover photo to resonate most effectively with our audience in the tech and B2B sectors.

‍

‍

‍

Deep Dive: Analyzing Technology Companies by Type

Our analysis of LinkedIn cover photos from other companies revealed two distinct trends: many companies emphasized their value proposition by using text to communicate their offerings directly, while others leaned into brand symbolism, using visuals to reflect their identity and market presence without text.

Let's dive into each approach in more detail.

1. Proposition-Focused Companies:

‍

Guidde (Series B Startup, PLG)

As a Series B startup using a product-led growth strategy, Guidde focuses on its value proposition. Their cover photo clearly communicates their unique offering, making it easier for potential customers to understand what they do. It also includes eye-catching graphics that visualize Guidde's product in use.

‍

Darrow.ai (Series B Startup, B2B)

Darrow.ai takes a similar approach. As a B2B-focused Series B startup, their cover photo emphasizes the value their product provides, aligning with their need to attract business clients. The use of the photo taken inside a skyscraper with the city in the background, with three business people in the foreground, evokes imagery of lawyers working in a corporate environment. Their text only contains two words, but simply communicates their offering (which is emphasized in their description below).

‍

HubSpot (IPOed/Public Company, Traditional B2B)

HubSpot’s cover photo uses text to clearly state its value proposition. This is consistent with their sales-led growth strategy and the need to attract and educate potential customers. Additionally, Hubspot has used it's cover photo to highlight one of it's latest features. Their use of the Hubspot orange contrasted with the white text and purple website imagery on the right is eye-catching, and the description clearly communicates the Spotlight feature's value.

‍

‍

ZoomInfo (IPOed/Public Company, Traditional B2B)

Like HubSpot, ZoomInfo uses its cover photo to communicate its value proposition, reinforcing its B2B focus, plus highlight one of it's latest features: Copilot. They have done this cleverly by using text on the left and right sides of the cover image, framing their profile image and highlighting it by using a contrasting purple color and a bold font that pops.

‍

‍

ClickUp (IPOed/Public Company, Traditional B2B)

ClickUp’s cover photo focuses on its value proposition, emphasizing the benefits and features that make it a valuable choice for businesses. It uses a white background, like in it's profile image, and uses the logo again in the cover image on the right. This simple design draws the user's eyes to the company's tagline, which communicates it's value proposition. Our only criticism is that the text is cut off by the profile image.

‍

‍

Fiverr (IPOed/Public Company, Traditional B2B)

Fiverr also uses text to clearly state its value proposition, ensuring that visitors immediately understand what the platform offers. It uses an image that depicts freelancers working in a coworking space, reinforcing their value proposition as outlined in the text on the left hand side.

‍

‍

Canva (IPOed/Public Company, PLG)

Canva, like other PLG companies, uses text and imagery to convey their value proposition, emphasing the word 'design' with a clever design box around it. This use of text and visuals effectively communicates who it's ICPs are (anyone) and what they can do on the platform (design).

‍

‍

2. Brand Symbolism-Focused Companies:

Gong (IPOed/Public Company, PLG)

Gong, a company with significant brand recognition, opts for brand symbolism over text in its cover photo with a bold pink and purple color scheme, and the shape of their logo zoomed in. This approach leverages their established presence in the market.

‍

‍

Wiz (IPOed/Public Company, PLG)

Similar to Gong, Wiz focuses on brand imagery, with a whimsical background in blue and a rainbow in the foreground. Wiz's cover photo relies on its strong market presence to communicate its message.

‍

‍

Webflow (IPOed/Public Company, PLG)

Webflow also uses brand symbolism in its cover photo, with a futuristic neon outline of it's logo. This maintains a visual alignment with its product-led growth strategy.

‍

‍

Figma (IPOed/Public Company, PLG)

Figma’s cover photo shows an example of its ICPs, and relies heavily on brand imagery rather than text, showcasing its well-recognized visual identity.

‍

‍

‍

Results: 

63.6% of companies focused on value proposition (text)

36.3% of companies focused on brand symbolism (image)

‍

‍

Where We Fit: Identifying Our Segment

After carefully analyzing the market, we identified our position as a growing brand. While we operate primarily as a B2B company, we also employ a product-led growth strategy that allows potential clients to explore our offerings without a commitment. This dual approach requires us to clearly communicate our value proposition in our LinkedIn cover photo, ensuring that visitors immediately understand our services and the benefits we offer. Mastering the art of LinkedIn cover images is not just about aesthetics; it’s about leveraging visual storytelling to make a memorable impact in a competitive digital landscape.

‍

Designing Our New Cover Photo

Given our current position and growth strategy, we chose to design a LinkedIn cover photo that focuses on our value proposition. By clearly stating what we offer, we can better engage potential customers and differentiate ourselves in a crowded market.

Color: We decided to change the gradient so the darker purple is behind the logo, and the lighter pink is where the text is, drawing your eyes to the text.

Value proposition: Your value proposition should be easy to understand, so we made sure that our value proposition here clearly states our core offering, and outlines our ICPs.

Visuals: We decided to remove the logo from the cover photo, as it is featured in our profile photo. In doing so, and positioning the text to the right, the audience's eye is drawn from our logo on the left, to the text on the right. It is simple and effective. We also added some squiggles in the Three Cat Agency purple to add some movement to the cover image.

‍

‍

‍

Steps to Improve Your LinkedIn Cover Photo

Step 1: Understand the Importance of Your LinkedIn Cover Photo

Your cover photo is the first impression visitors get when they view your LinkedIn page. Make sure it clearly represents your brand's message and value. Start by asking yourself: What do you want people to remember about your brand?

Step 2: Decide on Your Approach

Through research, you’ll find that companies typically follow one of two approaches:
  - Value Proposition Focus: Clearly state your service or product offering to convey what you do and whom you help. Ideal for growing brands or those in B2B spaces.
  - Brand Symbolism Focus: Use visuals, logos, and brand colors to create a recognizable aesthetic without explicit text. This works best for established brands with significant recognition.

Step 3: Analyze Competitors and Market Peers

Look at similar companies and note their cover photo style. Identify if they emphasize their value proposition (using text to highlight services) or brand symbolism (relying on visuals). Segment companies by industry, growth stage, and strategy to see what’s effective in your market.

Step 4: Identify Your Brand’s Position

Decide where you fit based on your growth stage and customer base. If your brand is still growing, a value-focused approach will likely make your offerings clearer to potential clients. For brands with strong recognition, consider leaning toward brand symbolism to strengthen your image.

Step 5: Create a Design that Highlights Your Value

For brands like Three Cat Agency, communicating a clear message is key. Choose colors, fonts, and visuals that align with your brand’s voice. Place the most important information (like your core service or a tagline) in a location that catches the eye, typically toward the center or side of the image.

Step 6: Test and Iterate

After updating your cover photo, monitor engagement metrics such as page views and profile clicks to assess its effectiveness. Consider asking for feedback from your team or even from visitors. Adjust as needed to refine the message.

Step 7: Keep Your Visuals Aligned with Brand Goals

Regularly revisit your cover photo as your brand grows. Transition to brand symbolism once you’ve built strong recognition, and remember that consistency in visuals helps reinforce your brand identity.

‍

Final Thoughts 

Our journey to improve our LinkedIn cover photo highlighted that there’s no universal formula for creating an impactful image. The best strategy truly depends on where a company is in its growth, the strength of its brand recognition, and its core objectives.

For companies like ours, still establishing a solid presence, focusing on a clear value proposition helps communicate our offerings directly to new audiences. As brands grow, however, shifting toward brand symbolism—using visuals and cues rather than explicit messaging—can be powerful for reinforcing a well-established identity.

Product-led companies might prioritize the product’s value itself in their visuals. We encourage other businesses to analyze their positioning and tailor their LinkedIn cover photo to align with their growth stage and brand message.

Whether you choose to emphasize your value proposition, lean on brand symbolism, or highlight your product, consistency and alignment with your brand’s goals and character are key to making a memorable impression.