Diana Melkonyan
Your YouTube banner, the header at the top of your page, is probably the first thing viewers see when they visit your channel. That makes it a digital front door to your videos.
A well-designed YouTube banner (or channel art) can convey your brand identity, communicate what you create, and entice viewers to explore your content. And a bad one can put people off from viewing!
You can also use your banner to house important information such as calls to action, details on your upload schedule, or social media links.
In this guide, we’ll look at ten creative YouTube banner ideas to help you stand out. We’ll also explore tips on how to make your own amazing banner with one simple tool.
When creating a YouTube banner, you need to keep in mind who you want to portray yourself/your brand as and who your audience is.
Maintaining brand consistency across your YouTube channel and social media accounts is key to building recognition. So ideally your banner should have the same colors, fonts, and pictures as your other brand materials like social media graphics or thumbnails. This will help viewers instantly recognize your content when hopping between platforms.
Of course, it’s also important to understand who those viewers are. Create your banner based on the target audience you’re trying to reach, ensuring that they can instantly resonate with the graphics you’ve used. This connection will make your channel more relatable, encouraging people to hit that subscribe button.
Here are the other key elements to consider when designing a YouTube banner:
- The right banner size and dimensions. The ideal size of a YouTube banner is 2048 x 1152 pixels. However, to ensure it appears correctly on different devices (mobile, desktop, etc.) try to keep all important elements in the safe zone of 1235 x 338 so they aren’t cut off.
- Use of high-quality images. Always try to use high-resolution images to avoid looking unprofessional. Sharp, clear banners will stand out to viewers.
- Incorporating text effectively.: Keep it simple and add concise text that highlights your channel’s name, tagline, or schedule. Your banner should be informative while readable from a quick scan.
- Color psychology and impact. Use eye-catching colors that evoke your channel’s brand while remembering what different shades can mean. For example, light pastel colors can convey delicacy and gentleness, while bold reds and pinks can create a sense of urgency and excitement.
- Importance of a clear call-to-action. A well-placed CTA is an easy way to instantly direct viewers to subscribe or visit your social media. Stick to something short for clarity.
Different niches (such as gaming, beauty, or tech) often come with different styles of YouTube banners. By understanding the common features found in each, you can more easily attract your target audience. Check the table below for some key elements to be aware of.
| Channel type | Banner elements |
| Gaming | Bold colors, retro-arcade art, game vehicles, stylized characters |
| Beauty and fashion | Pastel colors, models, inspirational quotes |
| Tech and tutorial | Dark or monochrome colors, geometric designs, photos of technology |
| Food and cooking | Calming colors, images of food, logos showing cooking utensils |
| Music and artists | Bright, fun colors, pictures of instruments, funky fonts |
| Travel and holiday | Natural colors, landscape images, maps |
Here are nine amazing YouTube banner examples in different styles to give you inspiration for your own creations.
1. Minimalist banner
This sleek blue YouTube banner focuses on soft calming colors and a minimalistic style to convey a clean, simple look. These types of designs are great for ensuring readability and creating a calming first impression.
2. Bold and colorful banner
This vibrant pink design is unmissable, with clear visual cues alluding to the channel’s vibe. The beautiful imagery and font choices make it look really refined and you should opt for something like this to create an exclusive feel.
3. Typography-focused banner
By focusing on big, bold text, like in this energizing banner with purple hues, you can really draw attention to your brand or message. The simple background ensures low visual noise which is ideal for creating a professional image — for example, for a tutorial channel.
4. Photo collage banner
By creating a collage-style banner, you can show different aspects of your personality. This elegant beauty template uses a collage of three distinct photos to instantly convey what the channel is about. This type of design is ideal for hobby-based channels.
5. Banner with CTA focus
This blue pebbles banner draws attention to the ‘Learn More’ CTA with the position of the pattern and banner. Because it’s so clear and simple, this is one of the best YouTube banner ideas for companies or individuals focusing on delivering information.
6. Banner with a special background
By creating a background that really stands out, you can create a striking first impression. This red music channel banner, for example, evokes disco lights, dance floors, and, of course, a channel full of music.
7. Tryptic banner designs
This ‘explore’ banner uses three distinct images to quickly tell a brand story. The pictures are highly engaging and the arrow shapes make the content appear exciting and fast-paced. Using images in this way is a great way to show snapshots of key themes.
8. Black and white banner
A black and white banner has a classy look that’s perfect for professional channels. The clear visual messaging and thin font in this example create a really elevated feel and make the photography the centerpiece.
9. Photo background banner
This culinary design is a great example of using high-resolution imagery as a background. It creates an instant impression of what the channel is about while the blue elements ensure the bold white text is legible on any screen.
You can create your own stunning YouTube banners with Picsart’s simple banner maker tool. Get started with one of our channel art templates by following these steps on desktop:
- Head to the Picsart Photo Editor.
- Search for “YouTube banner” under “Templates” in the left side bar.
- Edit text, add images, change the fonts, or add stickers and shapes to bring your personality/branding into the design.
- Select “Export” and save it in the correct size.
And on mobile:
- Head to “Create” and select “Templates” in the top bar.
- Search for “YouTube banner” and select your favorite design.
- Edit text, add images, change the fonts, or add stickers and shapes to customize.
- Select “Next” and “Save” in the top right corner.
You can also start with a blank canvas by heading to the Photo Editor, uploading a photo, and adjusting the design to the correct size.
Tag us in your creations. We’d love to see your best YouTube banner designs before your channel gets famous!
