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5 Easy Ways To Create A Brilliant Background For Your LinkedIn Profile

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The transformation has started. LinkedIn has begun rolling out a feature that allows you to upload a customized background for your profile. A few months ago, LinkedIn provided this functionality to Premium members, and it’s now being made available to freebie members. It will roll out over time, so if you haven’t been notified, be patient; you will.

This is the single biggest opportunity to make your profile stand out visually. Combined with the feature that lets you integrate multi-media into your LinkedIn Summary and Experience sections, plus the ability to convert your profile into your personal blogging platform, you have everything you need to make LinkedIn your personal website and media arm.

Over the past few years, LinkedIn has been working hard to make your profile your digital personal branding platform. The new background technique is an important milestone in a customization strategy that makes you shine in a community of over 300 million users.

Once you have access to this feature, you’ll be able to create a design that will bolster your brand and differentiate your profile.

The high-end approach is to work with a graphic designer to create a custom 1400×425 pixel image that reflects your brand. But you can avoid this expense, thanks to great new Internet tools and offerings. Here are five of my favorites (including one that I created):

1. PicMonkey

PicMonkey provides easy-to-use, creative tools for photo editing and graphic design. The collage feature allows you to upload and organize several images to create an eye-catching design for your background. Choose the option called Biggie Smalls, which helps you make a big impact with a small assortment of images. Set the dimensions to 1400×425 pixels. Then choose the images that will best represent your brand. To capture my role as a presenter and coach, I used three photos of me speaking at events.

2. Photofunia

This tool helps you make a mark with your photos by incorporating your photos into mock-ups of spectacular background images including billboards, magazine covers, and movie posters. Photofunia has a large variety of special effects that will attract attention. I especially like the Warhol effect.

3. PIXLR Express for Mobile

PIXLR has more than 600 different effects, overlays, and borders you can use to personalize any image you have. The tool allows you to quickly crop, re-size, and refine any of the pictures you would like to feature in your background.

4. Fotor.com

Fotor has a built-in option for creating a LinkedIn background (and for other social media sites like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter, too). This makes it easy to design something that you can use in all your online profiles, creating a consistent look  across all your homes on the web. Choose the “cover photos” option and choose LinkedIn. Then drag the selected photo(s) into the screen. The editing tools will help you refine your work of art.

5. Use color

Color provides a simple yet high-impact way to differentiate your profile. Just as every company and organization uses consistent color(s) (Coke = red, Breast Cancer = pink, Hertz is yellow and Google is famous for its four-color logo) you too need a brand color you can use to create recognition and evoke emotion. You might choose color that connects to your current company, or select your own brand color – one that exudes your personal brand attributes.

To determine your brand color, this video will help you identify the color that best represents your brand attributes.

After you choose your color, go here to register for access to complimentary background options for your profile. I had my designer prepare several options for each primary and secondary color. Choose the one that feels right. Then, upload it to your profile. It’s a great way to stand out, create recognition and express your brand.

Of course, if you’re really creative, try combining features from several of the above options to craft something that is truly one-of-a-kind, reflecting the brand called you!

And remember, what you create will sit behind the block of content that includes your headshot and headline, so keep it simple.

William Arruda is the cofounder of CareerBlast and creator of the LinkedIn quiz that helps you evaluate your profile and networking strategy.

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