Link in Bio Header Image: Banner, Hero or Profile Photo?

Your link in bio header image is the first thing people see, and it has two jobs: to confirm they’ve reached the right person, and to leave room for what comes next. That second job is easy to forget. A stunning full-width photo isn’t helping if it pushes your main button off the screen.

So the choice between a profile photo, a banner and a hero image is mostly a question of what images you already have, and how much space you can spare.

What the header has to do

A good header should:

1. Make you recognisable. The same face or logo as your profile.
2. Set the tone. Calm, bold, playful or professional.
3. Stay out of the way. Your name, your line of text and your main action should still fit on the first screen.

Everything else is decoration. A plain header with a clear photo can beat an elaborate one.

Four layouts

BioFlow offers four header layouts, and most page builders have something similar under different names.

Classic

A circular photo above your name. It’s compact and familiar, and it works with almost any photo or logo. If you’re unsure, start here.

Hero

A full-bleed photo with a soft fade, so the image becomes the top of the page. It’s dramatic, and it suits strong photography: a musician, a photographer, a restaurant’s signature dish. It uses more of the first screen, and it needs a photo that still works when cropped.

Banner

A wide banner with your photo overlapping it. It offers both a recognisable face or logo and a sense of place, and it works well for businesses with a good wide photo, such as a shopfront or a studio.

Shape

Your photo clipped to a custom shape. This adds personality without needing a special image, and it suits creators and playful brands.

The space used here is a general guide, so check your own page on a phone.

Five profile shapes

With the Shape layout, BioFlow offers Loop, Flower, Oval, Rounded and Burst. There’s no right answer, but consider your subject.

• Oval and Rounded are gentle, and suit most portraits and professional pages.
• Loop and Flower feel more playful, and suit lifestyle and creative brands.
• Burst is energetic, and suits bold or promotional brands.

Check that the shape doesn’t cut off anything important, such as the top of someone’s head or the edge of a logo.

Choosing by what you have

Start with your images, not with the layout you like best.

Your face or your logo?

Use your face if people are buying you: coaches, creators, consultants, freelancers. Use a logo if your business is bigger than one person, or if customers know the name, not the owner. A small business can use a logo in the profile spot, with a photo of the shop as a banner.

Image quality basics

We won’t give you exact pixel dimensions, because display varies by phone and layout. These general points apply to any header:

• Start with a good original. Use a sharp, well-lit image that isn’t too small.
• Keep the subject near the centre. Edges may be cropped.
• Avoid text in the image. Small words become unreadable, and they may be cut off. Put your text in your name and bio instead.
• Compress large files so that your page stays quick to load.
• Check it on a phone. Then check it again on a different phone if you can.
• Use images you’re allowed to use. Be careful with stock photos, and with photos of other people.

Your social sharing image is a separate thing. That’s the picture people see when your link is shared in a chat, and it’s set in your page’s settings.

Headers that hide the message

Some common mistakes to look out for:

• The giant hero. Your main action only appears after scrolling.
• The busy photo. Text over a busy image becomes hard to read.
• The unrecognisable logo. Detailed logos turn to mush at small sizes.
• The mismatch. A different photo from your Instagram profile makes people wonder if they’re in the right place.
• The dated photo. A photo from ten years ago can make meeting you in person a surprise.
• The header without a purpose. If a banner adds nothing, you don’t need it.

Do you need a banner at all? No. Plenty of strong pages use a simple photo and get straight to the point. If you’re unsure, leave it out and put the space to work.

For the rest of the first screen, see page layout and what good page design looks like. Your header should also fit with your theme. Personal brands may find automation for personal brands a useful next read.

FAQ

Should I use my face or a logo?

Use your face if clients are choosing you personally, as with coaches, creators and freelancers. Use a logo if your business has its own identity or several staff. Whichever you pick, match it with your social profiles, so visitors immediately recognise that they’re in the right place.

What is the difference between hero and banner?

On BioFlow, Hero is a full-bleed photo with a soft fade, which makes the image the top of the page. Banner is a wide image with your profile photo overlapping it. Hero is more dramatic, and it often uses more space. Banner lets you show both a place or product and a person or logo.

Do I need a banner?

No. A clear profile photo, your name and a short line are enough for many pages. A banner helps if you have a good wide image that adds meaning, such as your shop or your work. If it’s just decoration, or it pushes your main action down, leave it out.

Try it on your phone

Pick the layout that matches your best image, and look at the first screen on your phone. If your main action is still visible and you’re recognisable, you’re done. You can try header layouts in BioFlow and switch whenever you like, and the creator page has more ideas.