A Professional Headshot Photographers Secrets to a Great LinkedIn Profile Photo
If you are a business person or someone looking for a job, you know that it is important to have a good LinkedIn profile. You spend a lot of time making sure that the information in your LinkedIn profile is correct and communicates your professional journey. You make sure the experience and education sections are accurate and up to date so that it supports your professional image. Then you search your phone or computer for your favorite picture to post as your profile picture.
How much time and effort do you put into choosing the profile picture?
Most people don’t consider how important their profile picture is to support their professional image. In fact, studies show that having a great headshot is one of the most critical elements of a LinkedIn profile. Your profile is 14x more likely to be viewed simply by having a strong picture. As a professional photographer specializing in professional headshots and executive portraits, I’ve learned how to create a strong LinkedIn profile picture.
Here’s my advice:
Your Headshot Should Support your Professional Image
Having a profile picture that supports your professional image is something that takes thought and planning. If you are trying to convey an image of professionalism what picture might send the wrong message? Your profile picture is a selfie. The photo is from a random event or while you were on a vacation. There are other people in the photo such as your spouse, friends, or even your kids. While you might think the picture is interesting, the person viewing your profile may get a totally different impression. Your facial expression should convey the message that supports your professional image such as confidence or leadership, etc. You need to consider all aspects of your profile picture so that it supports the professional image you want to send.
Your Photo Should be Up to Date and Look Like You
In today’s business world credibility is critical. It is highly likely that someone will look at your LinkedIn profile to get to know more about you, especially if they are meeting for the first time. If your profile picture doesn’t look like you, what does that do to your credibility? If your profile photo more than two to three years old, it is highly likely that you don’t look like the profile picture anymore. If that is the case, then it is time for a new headshot.
You Should Dress Appropriately for Your Industry
People are judged based on the clothing that they wear and are treated accordingly. The clothes you wear for your profile picture can augment or distract from message to your audience. Do you need a business suit or do people dress more casual in your industry? Make sure your clothes are in style and fit well. Your clothes should be freshly cleaned and pressed. The color of your clothes enhance your photo so choose solid colors or patterns that are not distracting. Your accessories such as ties or jewelry should be simple and compliment your clothing. And the most important aspect is that you should wear the clothes you love and feel the best in.
Make Sure Background is Not Distracting
The viewer should be focused on you and not the background. This means making sure that there are no things that take the attention away from you. I prefer a gray or white background for the photo, but other colors can work too. Avoid busy backgrounds like words, complex geometric shapes or lines running through your head.
Follow These Guidelines and LinkedIn’s Rules for Your Profile Picture
There are very clear rules for profile pictures, or they will remove it. Your profile image should be a likeness or a headshot photo. It should not be a company logo, landscape, animals or words / phrases. To make your picture look the best and fit the template you should use a high-resolution photo that is between 400 (w) x 400 (h) pixels and 7680 (w) x 4320 (h) pixels. Make sure that your face takes up at least 60% of the frame. Take the photo straight on and look them in the eye while looking friendly and approachable. Make sure it looks good on a computer, a tablet and a phone.
Use a LinkedIn Photo Analyzer to Pick the Best Photo
You can choose the right LinkedIn picture using hard data with a LinkedIn photo analyzer such as Snappr or Photofeeler. These programs allow you to analyze your photo for competence, likability, influence as well as face, composition and editing. Snappr’s artificial intelligence programs will inspect your LinkedIn profile pictures and will tell you if it is good or bad and what you can do to improve it. Photofeeler will allow others to rate your pictures.
Now that I have given you my secrets, go ahead and update your LinkedIn profile photo. If you currently do not have a profile photo, put on the photo that most closely adheres to these suggestions.
The easiest way to update your headshot is to find aprofessional headshot photographerand let them do it for you.
