Does your professional photo represent you well? Remember, your photo is one of the most important elements of your personal brand.

Joyce Feustel, Founder of Boomers' Social Media Tutor

I am frequently disappointed with both the quality of the profile photos I find on LinkedIn and other social sites.

Too often these photos show the person in a casual environment, sometimes with family members and friends. At times, the way the person looks in the photo is not the way they show up in real life.

Sometimes people use a variety of photos across their social sites, website, and other online environments. The better approach is to use the same photo on all sites (except possibly for their personal page on Facebook).

One of the best pieces on this topic is the  January 26, 2016 LinkedIn article “Why Your LinkedIn Profile Photo Matters.” In the article, author Steve Bruce pointed out that LinkedIn has specific rules about what people can use for their LinkedIn profile photo.

According to LinkedIn, your profile photo should not be:

  • A photo that doesn’t look like you
  • Your company logo
  • Landscapes
  • Animal photos
  • Words or phrases instead of a photo

He also has some suggestions for what kinds of photos to avoid. Find these in his article at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-your-linkedin-profile-photo-matters-steve-bruce?trkInfo=VSRPsearchId%3A55663001473563570634%2CVSRPtargetId%3A6097345426556547072%2CVSRPcmpt%3Aprimary&trk=vsrp_influencer_content_res_name

 

Pointers for Perfect Profile Photos

  • Use a headshot with only you in the photo (no pets, children, partners, etc.).
  • Avoid busy backgrounds (either from real life locations or studio backdrops). A solid color against which your clothing can clearly contrast works best.
  • Use a relatively up-to-date photo, which means the photo was taken in the last two or three years – five years tops.
  • If possible, have the photo taken professionally – the investment will be worth it in the long run.
  • Tell your photographer the photo will be used for social media sites – doing so will help ensure the photo meets the specifications of these sites.
  • Be sure the image is natural and clear.
  • Show your personality in your photo, but don’t add props or hand gestures.
  • Just prior the shoot, take some deep breaths and exercise your facial muscles – this helps you look relaxed and makes your smile more natural.

 

How About You?

What are your personal pet peeves around profile photos? What advice do you give people regarding their photos on social media sites, websites, and other places in cyberspace?

 

About Joyce

Joyce Feustel helps people, especially those age 45 and up, become more effective using social media, especially Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Twitter. She provides social media tutoring and training to business owners, business development professionals, authors, speakers, coaches, business consultants, job seekers, and many others. Find her at www.boomerssocialmediatutor.com.