A YouTube banner is the very first thing a user pays attention to when coming to your channel. The profile header is not only used as a design element; it also increases brand awareness and blogger recognition.
But how to create an effective banner for your YouTube channel? We have made a detailed guide that will help you choose a winning idea and make an outstanding YouTube banner yourself.
YouTube Banner Requirements
Before you start designing a YouTube banner, you should learn the technical requirements and specs the visual should meet:
- Recommended/TV/Max: 2560 × 1440 px;
- Min size – 2048 x 1152 px;
- The min size displayed on any device – 1546 × 423 px;
- The min width with full display of the image – 2560 × 423 px;
- Max file size – 6 MB.
To check the quality of the visual and preview the banner, go to the “Add channel design” tab. This will help you understand whether the visual you pick looks well or should be adjusted.
Types of YouTube Channel Banners
There are no specific requirements for the YouTube banner. Therefore, there are different types of banners on YouTube. Let’s take a look at the most common channel cover options so that you could pick the best one for our channel.
#1 – Personalized
The main distinctive feature of this banner is that it depicts the author of the channel. This cover design is a safe bet for personal blogs. Many well-known video bloggers choose personalized covers. A significant advantage of this type of banner is that it contributes to the author’s recognition. Thus, users will remember not only the name and theme of the video resource but also the appearance of the blogger.
#2 – Thematic
A related image of a channel will help profile guests immediately identify what your video content is about. This type of cover is often used by channels about cooking, travel, beauty, etc.
#3 – Minimalistic
A universal YouTube banner is a cover with a logo on a minimalistic background. This image will look stylish and presentable. Besides that, placing the logo on the main body of the header will help increase brand awareness. Minimalistic channel covers are used by such companies as Chanel, Vogue, and Louis Vuitton.
#4 – Art
Art banners are a common choice among creative channels. With the help of such a banner, you can not only attract the attention of like-minded people but also demonstrate your creativity and drawing skills.
#5 – Collage
It is not necessary to use only just one image as a YouTube banner. You can make a collage of several pictures that are related to the theme of your videos. For example, for a travel blogger, it is best to use shots from one’s trip as a YouTube banner background. You can also write the main topics that are covered on the channel on the collage banner. This will give users complete information about the benefits of your content.
How to Create a YouTube Banner
You can design a YouTube channel cover in two ways: draw in a graphic editor or do it in an online service. Let’s take a look at both options:
- Using a graphic editor – These include Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Pixlr, GIMP, etc. In such editors, you can draw a cover of any style and look; the only limit is your imagination. However, to create a decent visual, you will need to learn how to work with these applications.
- Using online services – With the help of such applications, you can easily make a banner since no skills and experience are necessary. As a rule, such online services are supplemented with detailed instructions for designing covers and offer ready-made banner templates. A popular online thumbnail maker suited for this task is Adobe Express.
It’s up to you what option to choose as there are no good or bad solutions. It all depends on your personal preferences and time.
Design Tips to Follow
No matter what way you decide to follow, it is still important to stick to some basic design tips. They will help you develop a high-quality and attractive visual with min effort and time spent on your end.
#1 – Stick to the Same Style
It is important to use only one style for your YouTube channel; the same refers to your banner image. Due to this design consistency, users will be able to quickly distinguish your videos from the content of other bloggers. This will increase the channel’s visibility and customer loyalty.
#2 – Choose High-Quality Images
It is important to use a high-resolution image as a banner. This also applies to the images added to the cover. If you decide to post your photo in the header of the channel, then make it well-lit and clear. A pixelated and blurry banner will simply disturb users. Therefore, we highly recommend you to create quality visuals for your banner or use image stocks.
#3 – Don’t Overload a Banner
There are many important elements to be placed on the image, but it is important to keep an eye on the overall appearance of the banner. The final image should look harmonious, and all elements should be readable.
In order not to overload the banner, decide on the purpose of its use. Do you want to draw the attention of viewers to your photo or highlight the name/ logo of the channel? Based on this, you can determine the main details of the cover and eliminate additional elements as much as possible.
#4 – Add Links to Other Resources
To attract subscribers to your social networks, place clickable links to them in the YouTube header. To do this, go to the channel setting, click on “Customize the channel view,” press “Change links,” and your targeted URLs.
#5 – Consider the Compatibility of Details & Colors
To make your banner look consistent and harmonious, choose appropriate color and element combinations. It is also recommended not to use more than 3 basic color shades in the image.
Do It Right!
A properly created YouTube banner will help your channel stand out from other blogs. Craft a cover in one of the applications mentioned in the article, stick to the key design tips – you will end up with a high-quality profile banner.
