There’s a time and place for a blank white background in your business communications. But if you’re trying to create an eye-catching presentation or even just a fun background for your Zoom meetings, at some point, you’ll need a supply of business background images.
If today’s that day, you’ve come to the right place!
Keep reading for a roundup of business background images you can quickly and easily apply to a whole host of content — from business cards to LinkedIn backgrounds, PowerPoints and more.
Click to jump ahead:
- Business card background images
- Business LinkedIn background images
- Zoom business background images
- PowerPoint business background images
- Business presentation background images
- Professional business background images
- Business photo background images
- Design tips for business backgrounds
Business card background images
Business cards might be small, but their impact can be major. A cool business card background can help you stand out in the minds of new connections.
Since most business cards contain very little content, the image can really be the star of the show, like in the following examples:
Real estate business background image
This image would be ideal for a business card for professionals in real estate, retail, architecture or construction. Be sure to think about the content you’ll place on the card.
In the case of the business card below, the designer chose to place the smallest type that appears on the image on a shaded box, which helps it pop against the darker parts of the photo.
Just so you know, some of our templates are free to use and some require a small monthly fee. Sign up is always free, as is access to Venngage’s online drag-and-drop editor.
Corporate business background image
Consider this business card background image if you’re working in a corporate environment (or want to be). If your firm is in the finance, real estate or legal industries, this image would be especially appropriate.
Create drama by cutting off part of the image, as this business card does, or use the full image, depending on your content.
Illustrated business background
An illustrated business card background image like this one can play many roles. Basically, any type of urban professional could use this background and make it their own.
In the business card example below, it works beautifully for a real estate agent. But again, an illustration like this is very versatile and hints at a creative personality!
Photography business background
Make a statement with a moody photograph. This type of business background would work for anyone in the environmental space or creatives, like photographers and artists.
Try turning the traditional business card on its head by creating one that’s vertical instead of horizontal, as the card below. This is a particularly good idea for people, like photographers, who need to emphasize that they have a unique perspective.
Business LinkedIn background images
Adding a background image to your personal or company LinkedIn page gives you another way to showcase your personality and brand to your network.
As with other platforms, LinkedIn offers image recommendations, namely that banner background images should be 1,584 by 396 pixels. That means you need an image that’ll look good at a highly horizontal crop. You should also take into account what your profile picture looks like and how it will lay over the top of the background image.
Minimal LinkedIn banner
If you want to strike a serene vibe and showcase your minimalist sensibilities, use this LinkedIn business background image as your banner on the platform.
The designer below used the image, along with his name in red, to make it stick in viewers’ minds.
Office desk LinkedIn banner
An image like this can let potential employers know you’re accustomed to working in an office and are eager to pitch in and see how you can help.
When using an image that doesn’t really have any dead spaces, as in the banner below, think about where you’ll place your name and any other copy. And, of course, don’t forget about where your profile photo will overlay the image.
Research LinkedIn banner
This banner image for LinkedIn is a little more abstract, but evokes synergy, research and critical thinking. The different wires branching out could symbolize connection, or even, a system.
This would be a good pick if you’re in the research, marketing or design fields… or all of the above, like in the example below:
Educator LinkedIn Banner
If you’re looking for something simple yet eye-catching, try this zig zag illustration in vibrant colors. The lines here suggest someone who thinks in a non-linear manner — perfect for showcasing the unique points of view you bring to the table.
Whether you’re in education (like the example below), in a creative field or in a more laid-back business field, this versatile LinkedIn background would do the trick.
Zoom business background images
When thinking about a business background image for your Zoom meetings, it’s important to keep a few things in mind. First off, an aspect ratio of 16:9 is best for these images. And like with LinkedIn, you’ll want to think about the other thing people on the call will see: you.
Where will you sit within the frame? You’ll be centered, most likely, depending on how your camera is set up, so consider this when choosing your image. (Here are a few more tips for a great Zoom setup.)
Let’s look at some examples:
Cozy Zoom background
With more and more people working from home even after the pandemic, you may not want people to see into your actual space. So, why not give Zoom meeting attendants the illusion you live and work in a cozy space like this one?
This image comes from the following presentation template, but you could easily customize it to work as a Zoom background.
Modern kitchen Zoom background
Don’t want to show folks a fake living room? What about a fake kitchen? If you’re anything like me, the last thing you want people to see is your real-life messy kitchen, so think about an image like this as your Zoom virtual background.
Again, I found this option in a presentation template — it contains a few other images that could work as your Zoom background too.
Nature Zoom background
Go artistic (and botanical) with your Zoom meeting background and try an image like this one. Maybe mix up a piña colada with an umbrella if you really want to create a tropical vibe (but only after 5 p.m., right?).
Inspired by the following green-forward presentation, this Zoom background is an easy, soothing option:
Office Zoom background
You can also keep things corporate with a background image like this one. The benefit of using an image like this, as opposed to showing your actual office, is that you can control what people see… rather than leaving that up to the whims of your co-workers.
I found this beautiful loft-like office image in the following presentation. The image on the first slide would be a good choice, too.
PowerPoint business background images
By default (unless you installed special templates), PowerPoint’s slide sizes are 4:3 (standard) and 16:9 (widescreen). So, the first thing you need to decide is what size to use for your presentation.
Standard slides are closer to square, while widescreen slides are much more horizontal. But the following images will work for just about any PowerPoint size you go with, depending on the content for each slide:
Corporation PowerPoint background
Choose an image like this for your PowerPoint if you want to give your company an edgy, urban vibe. As you can see in the presentation below, this background can serve as the only big image in a presentation, or it can work as a series of city-based photos.
By dialing the opacity down on the image and underlaying a gray background, the designer of this presentation achieved a cooler, monochromatic look. Bonus: the image distracts less from the content this way.
(Want to know more about how to make stock images play well with your content? Here are our 10 best tips for incorporating stock photos into your designs.)
Finance PowerPoint background
Keep it corporate with this PowerPoint background image that looks toward the sky (and skyscrapers). Use it on its own as the only image in a presentation. Or, further curate the vibe by adding simple aesthetic images to the rest of the slides, as the presentation below does.
To achieve the softer tone of the main image, the designer reduced the opacity and added an orange-colored background in this instance.
Team-themed PowerPoint background
Emphasize the team-focused nature of your company with this all-hands-on-deck business background image for your next PowerPoint presentation. Keep the theme going by adding additional images of people’s hands or groups, as this presentation does.
Again, the designer here added a gray background behind the image and reduced the opacity to create a grayed out effect.
Creative PowerPoint background
You may think you’ll have a captive audience with a PowerPoint presentation, but this isn’t always the case. And in any event, it’s still important to create a beautiful, eye-catching design. If your PowerPoint presentation slides are more vertical than horizontal, consider this image as the first slide.
As you can see in the report below, it can work well with more understated images on other slides.
Looking for more options? Explore over 35 simple background images here.
Business presentation background images
As we’ve seen, business presentation backgrounds don’t come in just one form. Nor do you have to stick with one style. The perfect business presentation background image will depend on your goals and content, which is why it’s useful to have many to choose from.
Here are a few more of my favorite options:
Minimalist presentation background
This business presentation background image has a clear minimalist vibe — perfect for giving your presentation an understated but authoritative air.
See the slides below if you’re not convinced!
Bold power presentation background
Alternatively, you could also take a maximalist approach. Try using a high-energy image that will (ideally) leave your audience charged up.
You can see this image in use in the presentation below, but it could work for any other business presentation that needs to have a similar, energetic vibe.
Light wood presentation background
Sometimes you want a business presentation background to feel more like, well, a background element. When that’s the case, consider something like this image. The gray woodgrain floor provides some texture and visual interest, without overpowering the content.
In the example below, the designer adjusted the hue of the wood image to match the teal elements by adding a background of that color and reducing the opacity a smidge.
Not quite what you’re after? Here are over 15 more presentation background examples that are sure to engage your audience.
Professional business background images
Professional business background images can run the gamut from simple artwork to complex, high-contrast photos. The right one depends on your needs in the moment, so it’s a good idea to have a supply of them on hand for different purposes.
Here are some more options to suit a variety of needs:
Abstract colorful background
The low-poly art style used in this image could work for a variety of business communication needs, including a presentation (as seen below). But it could easily slot into a social media template or even a business card, too.
New York background
Especially for firms actually based in the city, New York is a popular option for photography-based business background images because it’s so iconic. Whether you’re adding it to your business card, as seen below, or a presentation, few cities are as immediately recognizable.
As you can see in this example, the designer added a reddish background and dropped the opacity on the image to achieve a cohesive look and feel with the front of the card.
Geometric photography background
While this image appears in a business card below, it would work for just about any professional business need. The urban vibe it gives off can skew more corporate or more indie, depending on the elements surrounding it, which makes it incredibly versatile.
Versatility is important, as one key to making a lot of visual content is using similar (or the same) assets over and over again in new ways. For example, you could repurpose any of these versatile flyer background images, too.
Business photo background images
Business photo backgrounds for your presentations, LinkedIn pages or Zoom calls can be just about anything!
You can go literal and have a picture of yourself or the front of your business. Or, you can get a little “thinky” and abstract with things.
Here are some examples:
Strategy business background
How can you get abstract? Creating a presentation to go over a new strategy you’ve come up with? Use an image like this one, as chess is the ultimate game of strategy.
While the presentation below has nothing to do with chess in a literal sense, using the photo immediately calls strategy to mind.
Technology business background
If your presentation is about a specific product or technology, it can be helpful to showcase what you’re talking about. For example, using an image of a person wearing a VR headset is a natural pairing for a presentation about tech trends, like the one below. But this image would also be perfect for a company in the VR space.
You know the drill: the designer tinted this image pink to match the rest of the presentation with the help of a background and opacity drop.
Desktop business background
Some business photo backgrounds create fun design opportunities, like this one. Super-impose whatever you want on the computer screen, as in the presentation below. You could showcase a series of icons, an image of your new store, a computer program… the sky’s the limit!
Of course, if you want something truly unique, you might have to make your own background. Don’t worry, it’s easier than it seems. Check out these free background generators.
Design tips for business backgrounds
There you have it! Hopefully, at this point, you’ve found the right business background for your needs or at least some inspiration.
If you’re getting ready to dive into your project, here are a few quick business background design tips to keep in mind:
- Set the right tone: an overly whimsical background image is probably not the right note to strike in your annual corporate presentation. But by the same token, it’s perfectly appropriate to use images with lighthearted themes for certain needs. So be sure the vibe created by the background image matches what you’re going for.
- Think about your content: depending on what’s in your background image, you might end up with spaces on the image that are darker or lighter or where there’s little if any visual content. Use these as opportunities for displaying content. If you find you have to move elements around too much in order to make them legible, then that’s probably not the right image for you.
- Don’t always take things literally: getting a bit abstract can be an excellent way to create a subtle connection between your background image and your content. Say, you’re putting together a monthly presentation during December and you want to use a wintry theme. Instead of an image with snow, consider one that’s an icy blue instead.
- Consider your platform: keep in mind, some of the business background images we talked about today have specific technical needs. For example, as I mentioned earlier, Zoom, recommends users upload images for virtual backgrounds at an aspect ratio of 16:9, which is 1,920 by 1,080 pixels. But for an annual report that’s going to be printed on an office printer, you’ll need images that fit better into a letter or A4-sized presentation.
Showcase your professionalism with these business background images
There are so many options for business backgrounds. Hopefully, you found a few you love in this post.
Whether you’re looking to showcase your professionalism, highlight your team’s strengths or just dazzle your audience, you can get started today by signing for a free Venngage account — access all the business background images in this roundup and thousands more.
Happy designing!