The YouTube banner is your brand’s billboard at the top of your YouTube channel page. It’s the first thing people see when they visit your channel and is therefore a great opportunity to promote your brand. It must be attractive and attractive enough to grab the attention of the audience.
But what makes a banner image attractive? Keep reading to learn more about how to create the perfect custom banner. We’ve even included free YouTube banner templates to help you get started!
The YouTube banner is the large image at the top of the channel page. This is one of the first elements that a viewer sees when viewing a channel. In addition to the image (which may include text in the design), YouTube banners also contain links to websites and social networks in the lower right corner.
The YouTube banner performs the same function as the Facebook cover and its main purpose is to visually represent your channel and brand.
But it can do more than just look cute. Here are some ways to use the YouTube banner strategically:
- Promotion of new goods or services in the image
- Adding text describing what viewers can expect from your channel, how often you upload new videos, and why they should subscribe.
- Make sure your YouTube banner matches your brand on other social media platforms.
- Incorporating a call to action (CTA) into your design
YouTube banners can effectively and efficiently share your brand message with newcomers to your channel with minimal effort on your part.
Before you start creating a YouTube banner, you need to know what size it should be. An incorrectly sized banner can lead to issues such as unreadable text or cropping of an important part of the image.
Keep in mind that people will see your YouTube channel cover art on desktops, mobile devices, and even smart TVs. Use the following YouTube banner sizes to ensure your image displays correctly on all devices:
- Minimum upload size: 2048 x 1152 pixels in 16:9 aspect ratio.
- Minimum safe area for text and logos: 1235 x 338 pixels.
- Maximum width: 2560 x 423 pixels.
- File size: 6 MB or less
If you’re not sure about the width and height of the image, don’t worry. You can always start by customizing one of our YouTube banner templates which are pre-filled with the correct sizes.
And we’ve broken the process down into eight easy steps. Read on to start creating your own custom YouTube banner.
Once you’ve created your new YouTube banner, it’s time to upload it to your channel page. If you’ve used the Hootsuite YouTube banner templates, you won’t need to resize the banner to make it fit perfectly.
Here’s how to upload or change the banner on your YouTube channel page on desktop.
Step 1: Go to YouTube Studio and sign in with your account.
Step 2: Select “Settings”from the menu on the left. Then select Branding.
Step 3: Click “Upload”in the “Banner Image”section, and then select an image to upload as a YouTube banner.
Step 4: If necessary, select a preview mode and crop the image. Select Done.
Step 5: Select “Publish”.
If you want to download your YouTube banner on your mobile device, here’s what you need to do:
Step 1: Open the YouTube app or YouTube Studio app.
Step 2: Click on your profile picture in the top right corner.
Step 3: Select “Edit Channel”. (If you’re using the YouTube app, you’ll need to click “Your Channel”first and then “Edit Channel”or click the pencil icon).
Step 4: Edit the banner image by clicking the camera icon in the top right corner of the banner.
Step 5: Choose an image to upload as your new YouTube banner.
Step 6: Select Save.
And that’s all there is to it. You now have a beautiful brand image that is prominently displayed on your channel.
1. Let your goals drive your design
Your YouTube banner should be designed with your overall YouTube marketing strategy in mind. Do you need to include a specific CTA to support your social media goals? Should viewers be encouraged to subscribe to your channel? You can simply create a YouTube banner around your brand personality and that’s a great option too.
Popsugar Fitness uses its YouTube banner to promote the video series Dance Fitsugar and Class Fitsugar.
You can also use your YouTube banner to promote products. @1bike1world uses their YouTube banner to share a children’s book about Nala the cat and her travel adventures.
The YouTube banner can also be used to encourage viewers to become subscribers by telling them what to expect. Chad and Claire’s channel banner clearly states what their YouTube videos will be about and how often to expect new videos.
Whatever you decide, make sure you create a YouTube banner that supports your purpose.
2. Optimization for PC and mobile devices (ads remain in the “safe zone”)
22% of YouTube viewers watch from mobile devices. This means that while your YouTube banner is technically 2560 x 1440 pixels, most people will see an area much smaller than that.
Make sure the most important information is placed in the “safe area”of your YouTube banner, i.e. the 1546 x 423 pixel area. This ensures that your text or important graphics are displayed no matter what device is used to view your profile.
You’ll also want to double-check if your text is readable on smaller devices like a phone.
3. Consider adding your logo
First things first. Who are you? Make sure it’s clear right away. New visitors to your page will want to know.
Display your logo prominently against a background color that makes it stand out. Also, make sure it’s in the “safe zone”.
Take Elle’s YouTube channel for example. Its logo is black and placed on a light background, making it stand out. It also doubles as the 2022 Elle Women in Hollywood Award winners to promote new content from the magazine.
Don’t know where to place your logo? Our templates offer suggestions.
4. Choose consistent brand colors and fonts
This goes without saying, but make sure your YouTube banner matches how you represent your brand online. Viewers can easily recognize your brand if you have a clear trend with your brand.
This rule still applies even if your presence on YouTube is more laid-back or weirder than on other social networks. People who want to follow your brand are more likely to hit the follow button if they know they have the “correct”version of you on YouTube.
5. Have a clear focus
As with any billboard advertising, the simpler the message, the easier it will be received. Don’t try to do too much with the look of your YouTube channel.
Instead, use this small space wisely for what you want viewers to focus on for your brand. Make your message clear. You can do this by simply pasting one image and logo onto a plain background.
Blogilates, a fitness channel, has a simple yet impressive YouTube banner. It has a clear focus and also makes it obvious what the channel is about by adding the slogan “Find Joy in Fitness”.
6. Add links to your social networks and website
Your YouTube banner includes the ability to link to your other social platforms and website. If you do, these links will appear in the bottom right corner.
Great! Because chances are if someone has taken the time to visit your YouTube page, they are also interested in the rest of your online presence.
It’s important that your YouTube channel design doesn’t have anything important in the bottom right corner, other than the background color, which helps your icons stand out.
7. Pin an important video under the YouTube banner.
YouTube users, known as channel video trailers, can permanently display videos at the top of their channel page right below the YouTube banner. This pinned video can highlight your best work, latest video, or most viewed video.
You can go the extra mile by making a real trailer. Just like with movie trailers, you can create a trailer for your channel’s content and share what you cover in your videos to spark viewers’ interest.
Shopify has decided to show an explainer video that walks you through the basics of how an eCommerce platform works. By sharing helpful content, viewers are more likely to come back or follow for more tips on how to use Shopify.
8. Add a CTA
Whichever direction you take, remember that there is already a lot going on on the rest of your YouTube page. If you want people to take an action—follow, follow you on another social network, or watch one of your videos—don’t let your banner overwhelm them.
You can add a call to action directly to your YouTube banner. But you can also edit your website links in the bottom right corner to include a CTA.
After creating a YouTube branded banner, the next step in your YouTube journey is to ensure that your content is just as compelling. Check out our complete guide to creating a winning YouTube strategy to learn more about it.