Nov 9 / webecta

60+ Creative Twitter Profile Designs

Twitter has become one of the most popular social networking utilities around, and millions of people are now using it to stay in touch with their relatives, owners of their favorite sites, and celebrities. It is sometimes hard to tell profiles apart, especially if your design really isn’t that uniuqe.

Having a unique design has been a challenge for some. As any designer will tell you, it takes a lot of testing and some risks before you really have a design that stands out. Because Twitter has a more diverse visitor base than most sites (many are mobile and using “netbooks”), it can be even harder to settle down on a design.

We’ll be exploring how you can conquer those fears and create a professional-looking background within a few simple steps. Additionally, a large selection of some of the best-designed Twitter profiles have been showcased. Continue reading to take a look at them and the other resources.

Basic Steps to Creating a Twitter Background

You’ll need some background in web or graphics design to get started. Although anyone can really customize the background of their profile, the truly unique ones have been designed by people who are able to design websites or other related graphics.

The first step you’ll need to perform is to decide what type of template you want and the overall style. This is important, or you won’t have a clear template. Due to the unique space requirements of the main Twitter area (not customizable), you’ll typically need to work at the higher 1280×1024 pixel resolution. When you go any smaller, most visitors will never see what you have placed within the left sidebar.

To change the background, go to the settings, then Design, then Change Background Image panel to upload your own image.

Because I am only providing basic assistance and links to resources, I am now guiding you onto some of the best tutorials and instructions on how to create an excellent background for your Twitter profile.

Other Key Styles

There are several key styles that have emerged in Twitter profile design, as follows.

A repeating pattern throughout the page.
One large image of yourself or a logo, typically to the left of the content.
A styled image (wallpaper styled) that is simply placed within the background as a large image.
An image or color that fades as you maximize the window.
Tiled images – not really preferred unless it is a large image.

Main Ideas

Twitter backgrounds are images, so keep the following tips in mind.

The larger the image, the longer time it will take to load. Twitter doesn’t really compress it, so you have to do this on your own to optimize the loading time of your background.
Keep in mind the different screen resolutions and how your profile will display.
Complement your colors within your profile with those of your design/image.
If you do implement additional information within your image, place it within the left column, as this is the primary area people will see.
Remember, your goal is to stand out from the rest of the Twitter users!

Inspiration – More than 60 Creative and Unique Twitter Backgrounds

1. @cooljaz124

2. @philipntina

3. @grant_clark

4. @ColourOfAir

5. @anousone

6. @w3bdesign

7. @KimDeamArt

8. @desgaus

9. @EspiraTW

10. @RafaelC1990

11. @meghunt

12. @Doubleolee

13. @Krftd

14. @LisaWorsham

15. @Go_Media

16. @chadmcmillan

17. @naldzgraphics

18. @bongobrian

19. @carsonified

20. @SutterGroup

21. @Wardere

22. @bartelme

23. @shirtpizza

24. @bigjonevans

25. @nuzunet

26. @Naina

27. @twsjonathan

28. @Caterina

29. @happytreefriend

30. @Malarkey

31. @pipitakitty

32. @imajes

33. @hhcu

34. @mailchimp

35. @collis

36. @danwiersema

37. @MCGSTUDIO

38. @jwhedon

39. @marekuk

40. @presetsheaven

41. @MickSpeake

42. @peternudo

43. @moonshinedesign

44. @sixreffie

45. @Vectips

46. @Camiseteria

47. @Sophierc

48. @DesiznTech

49. @starswelove

50. @juvincent

51. @webprosys

52. @LBOI

53. @JollyLizard

54. @tuckerkimball

55. @TheTwiddict

56. @tayanefernandes

57. @CaiteScott

58. @gcoghill

59. @iThinkMedia

60. @captivamktg

Conclusion

We enjoy using Twitter as much as you probably do. It can certainly be addictive at times, but can also be useful for nearly instant feedback and the relationships you create with your followers. The designs help accent the content you produce.

Please feel free to recommend any of your own profile designs you’ve created or any designs you feel we have missed. Remember to subscribe to the RSS feed or catch us on Twitter to keep up-to-date with our latest articles.