Your YouTube channel art is one of the most important parts of your YouTube channel—aside from your actual video content, of course.

Information technology's basically a giant billboard for your brand at the height of your YouTube profile.

It'due south the beginning thing people see when they visit your aqueduct, and it links potential followers to your other social channels.

Hootsuite's YouTube channel art

But you don't demand to exist a professional person designer to make your YouTube aqueduct art look professional person. We've included five customizable templates in this article that anyone—designer or non—tin can use to create their own YouTube banner.

And we've broken down the process into viii like shooting fish in a barrel steps. Read on to kickoff creating your ain designer YouTube channel fine art.

Bonus: Concenter more views and subscribers in minutes with one of our 5 free customizable YouTube aqueduct art templates. Download them now.

The 5 elements of engaging YouTube channel fine art

1. Your logo, in the correct place

First things first. Who are you? Make sure that'due south clear correct off the bat. New visitors to your folio will desire to know.

Place your logo in an obvious, visible spot against a color that makes it popular. As well, make sure it's inside the "rubber area" (more than on that below).

Not sure where to put your logo? Our templates offering suggestions.

ii. Simple paradigm with a articulate focal bespeak

Like any billboard ad, the simpler the message, the easier it will be received. Don't endeavor to practise too much with your YouTube channel fine art.

Instead, employ this small space wisely to convey what you want viewers to focus on about your make. Stick to one image and a logo against a simple background.

Or maybe it'due south just your logo against a background that makes it clear what your make is all about, as Epicurious does.

Epicurious YouTube channel art

If you're a really well known brand with top YouTube talent, yous could fifty-fifty skip the logo, and simply feature the stars of your aqueduct. It seems to work for Bon Appetit.

Bon Appetit YouTube channel art

Whichever direction you choose to become in, recollect: the rest of your YouTube page already has a lot going on. If you want people to have an activity—subscribe, follow you on another social channel, or watch one of your videos—don't let your banner overwhelm them.

Adobe YouTube home page

3. Optimization for both desktop and mobile

70 pct of YouTube views come up from mobile. That means although your YouTube banner is technically ii,560 x one,440 px, most people volition see an area much smaller than this.

Brand sure to include the most important information (like your logo) in the "condom surface area" of your YouTube banner, i.eastward., inside an area of 1,546 x 423 px. Our templates marker out this expanse very clearly, and so you lot don't have to worry nearly missing anything of import.

four. Consistent brand colors

This almost goes without proverb, but make sure your YouTube imprint is consistent with the fashion you present your make elsewhere online. Otherwise, viewers will get confused.

This rule stands fifty-fifty if your YouTube presence is more laid dorsum or wackier than your other social channels. Y'all don't want to disorient viewers who are more likely to click that follow button if they know they've got the "right" version of you on YouTube.

Pro tip: Make certain to update your channel fine art when you lot refresh your brand, or run a special campaign. WIRED mag updates their YouTube channel art for every new issue they put out.

WIRED YouTube banner

five. Social media and website links

Your YouTube banner includes the option to link to your other social platforms and website. This is keen! Considering chances are if someone has taken the time to visit your YouTube page, they're also interested in the balance of your online presence.

Information technology'll be important to blueprint your YouTube aqueduct art with nothing important in the right hand corner—except for a groundwork colour that helps your icons stand out.

YouTube channel art dimensions

Your YouTube aqueduct art will appear on desktop, mobile, and even TV displays. This means larger images may get cropped.

Make sure to include all the most important visual elements in the "condom area" of your paradigm (dimensions noted below).

Bonus: Attract more views and subscribers in minutes with 1 of our v free customizable YouTube channel art templates. Download them now.

Get the templates now!

Apply the following YouTube aqueduct art dimensions to ensure your epitome shows up correctly:

  • For best results on all devices: 2,560 x 1440 px
  • Minimum dimension for upload: ii,048 x 1152 px
  • Minimum safe surface area for text and logos: ane,546 x 423 px
  • Maximum width: ii,560 ten 423 px
  • File size: 6MB or smaller

If you're not sure virtually the width and top of an epitome, don't worry. You tin e'er start past customizing one of our YouTube channel art templates, which are pre-populated with the correct dimensions.

How to brand YouTube channel fine art

Starting with a professionally designed template makes it easier to create your own YouTube channel art. Hither'due south how to customize our templates for your brand. You will need Adobe Photoshop to get started.

Bonus: Attract more than views and subscribers in minutes with one of our 5 free customizable YouTube channel art templates. Download them now.

one. After you've downloaded the YouTube channel art templates, y'all'll discover that the fonts and paradigm files are separate. Double click on the font file of your selected theme to upload the font to your figurer. Click install font.

downloading fonts for YouTube banner templates

2. Double click the image file to open it in Photoshop.

3. Select the YouTube aqueduct art template that y'all'd similar to work with first.

four. To edit text: double click the text you lot would similar to edit. You tin change fonts and colors in the carte on the left-hand side.Editing colors on YouTube channel art templates

5. To edit a color block or background: double click the color block you would like to edit. Change the size or use the menu on the left-hand side to change the color.

editing colors in YouTube channel art

six. To edit a photo or image: double click the photo you would like to edit and click insert new image. Resize image as necessary.

editing text on YouTube banner art templates

7. To relieve the template: Select the template you would like to use and go to Save>Export Every bit>Artboard to Files. Brand sure to save as a .jpg or .png.

saving YouTube channel art

8. Upload your YouTube channel fine art by post-obit the steps beneath.

How to upload or change YouTube channel art

  1. Sign in to YouTube on your desktop.
  2. Select My Aqueduct from the top-right bill of fare.
  3. Click Add together channel fine art. (If you're just editing existing channel art, hover your cursor over the existing banner and click Edit).
  4. Upload an image or photo from your computer or click the Gallery tab to cull an image from the YouTube photo library.
  5. From here, you can preview how the art volition appear on different devices. To make changes, click Adjust the crop.
  6. Click Select.

And that's all there is to it. Now y'all have a cute, branded graphic prominently displayed on your channel. The next pace is making sure your content is equally compelling. Check out our complete guide to crafting a winning YouTube strategy for more on that.