How to Create a Custom Twitter Header Image

"How can I create a custom header image for my or my school's twitter account?"

I've gotten this question from several people who have purchased my mini-course, How to Tell Your School's Story on Twitter, so I thought I'd put together a blog post to help all levels of twitter users to create a custom image.

First, it's important to know the sizes of images that are needed for your cover photo (header image). This will help you in making sure your photos aren't too large or too small for the space. Hands down, the best way to create these images at the optimum sizes are by using Canva.

Canva, as I've shared previously, is an incredible resource for blogging and social media graphics. I discovered Canva last spring, and I've use it for all kinds of graphics, posters, flyers, and more! 

One of the many things I love about Canva is that it has pre-sized "templates" which makes it easy to find what you need quickly. That means more time for creating!

So let's get started on how to create a custom Twitter header image.

When you open Canva, you will see several options of sizes, but you will need to click the "More" square (see above).

Once you click on "More," scroll down to the section titled, "Social Media & Email Headers." You will see the option called "Twitter Header." This is the one you should select. It is already sized to 100px X 500px.

Another nice feature of Canva is that they show you where your profile picture will be in relation to the header image. This helpful when you have group photos, words, and other images with specific items that need to be visible in the header. 

Once you're at this point, it's time to customize! Use the options to the left to choose your background, image, text, etc. for your twitter header image.

Once you have created your image in Canva and downloaded it to your computer, open up twitter and click on yourself, then choose the button on the right (just below the header) titled, "Edit Profile." 

When you do this, you will see where you can make edits to your profile. In the photo above, you can see where there is an overlay on my header image that says, "Change your header photo." Clicking on those words brings up another small pop-up box where you will choose "Upload photo."

I recently changed my twitter header to reflect my 3 words for 2016. I'm trying to put them in as many places as I can so that they can be a visual reminder for me throughout the year. 

Twitter Tip: When you create images for a tweet, you need to use a specific size to for optimum viewing.

Guess what? Canva has this option, too! 

Just look under the "Social Media Posts" section for the perfect size.

When you create your custom header using these tips, be sure to let me know on Twitter (@jennifer_hogan)! I would love to see your creations!