In this article, we’ll share some of our favorite social media banner design ideas to get you inspired while dissecting the key elements that make them work.
How to design a social media banner
Before we jump in, social media marketing banner design comes down to a few key areas:
Have you got the right social media banner design size?
Each platform has different dimensions to adhere to in order to produce artwork that looks the strongest possible.
Design a graphic that’s too small and it’ll look pixelated and unprofessional. Too big, and you risk losing elements that may get cut off on upload.
The banner is the graphic located at the top of the page, used mainly on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn.
Who is the target audience?
Consider who it is that the artwork is targeted towards.
Refer to the brand’s customer avatar and keep the company values at the forefront of your mind so that all work is relevant, consistent, and in line with the overall brand voice.
Have you included the right branding?
Clear branding is vital to create cohesion between brand and consumer. Remember that the banner will be seen alongside the profile picture: do they complement each other?
Use consistent colors and fonts and consider adding a brand logo to increase recognition. If you are yet to determine these factors, don’t worry. We’ve covered this in detail in this blog post.
Have you considered social media banner design cost?
It’s vital to make sure you determine the budget needed to execute the design effectively.
While there are many free tools like Canva available to produce budget designs, if you want personalized, high-quality designs, consider onboarding external support to bring the vision to life.
Have you got a clear message and CTA?
The purpose of a social media banner can be to convert, engage, promote or educate the audience depending on the brand’s strategy.
For a banner to be successful, it needs to have a clear message and CTA (call to action) so that the audience can instantly understand it.
Have you kept the message clear and simple?
Social media banner design ideas
Netflix UK Facebook banner design
The UK franchise of Netflix uses its Facebook banner to promote its latest hit show: Sex Education.
They’ve used a mixture of illustration and photography to catch the eye, and kept the background a neutral, light color.
The banner clearly identifies that the show is available to watch from 17 September, and includes the Netflix logo for continuity.
Forbes Facebook banner design
Business magazine Forbes also use their banner designs to promote something new. In this case, Frances, their Facebook chatbot.
The design clearly reflects what the product is by using the familiar chat bubble that users can expect when chatting via the messenger service – creating familiarity for the target audience.
Note how the use of white space in this design forces the eye directly to the key message and the Forbes logo mark.
McDonald’s Twitter banner design
McDonald’s have used their Twitter banner to elevate their national campaign for International Women’s Day 2018.
They’ve kept their signature golden arches but flipped them upside down to create a W, to reflect and celebrate the women within the corporation.
They’ve used minimalism to their advantage here, only including the key message and nothing else to make the design more memorable.
New House Coffee banner design
This banner for New House Coffee, designed by the Design Force team, demonstrates the continuity of design across multiple platforms.
Note that the key information (brand name and tagline) is centered for maximum view, with each element – from the milk jug to the knife and even the croissant – directing the eye into the middle.
Slack LinkedIn banner design
Slack’s LinkedIn page is a great example of how a banner can be used to build brand awareness.
They’ve deconstructed their key logo into its individual shapes and colors to create a simple but striking design. When used across their multiple pages, their target audience will associate the colors and rounded shapes to the messaging platform.
Adidas Facebook banner design
Adidas proves that less is more with this minimal, high-impact design for their Facebook banner.
The use of black on white makes their tagline – a bold, sans serif, all caps font – the star of the show.
It may be simple, but it instantly reflects the key values of the brand with no room for distraction.
Google Chrome Twitter banner design
Last on our list is this Twitter banner from Google Chrome.
They’ve used effective, simple illustrations to highlight the ways the product can fit into their customer’s life, using icons to subtly reference the many options and settings they offer.
Centering the design for maximum impact, they’ve used their signature shade of blue for a contrasting, on-brand background as an extension of their profile picture.
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Which one of these social media banner designs have caught your eye the most?
If you’re looking for further social media design inspiration and tips, we’ve covered even more in this blog post.
Test out ideas and try different styles until you find a design that gives off the message you want for the audience you want, and don’t be afraid to keep things simple.
If you don’t have the time to test and trial, (we know, social media can be fast-paced!) Design Force can be the support that you need. Our talented designers bring their expertise from all over the world so you can scale up your design output without overloading your teams, whenever you need it.
Get in touch with us today or book a demo to see how our expert designers can bring your next campaign to life.
