Do I need a photo on my LinkedIn Profile?

by John yang Maxun group

The truth is that everyone judges a book by its cover.  The right/wrong of this fact is irrelevant for the purposes of this article.  If you are willing to spend the time creating a profile for LinkedIn, then you probably have a purpose in mind. You want an online presence on a professional network and you want people to view your profile. This is your personal and professional branding and getting it right is important.

 

What if I have no photo on my LinkedIn Profile?

 

No photo? Then you’re missing out big time.

If you have a photo of yourself on your LinkedIn Profile, your profile is 7 times more likely to be clicked on as profiles with no profile photo.

You can’t begin to establish the know-like-trust factor if you’re a faceless ‘ghost’ avatar. Look at any heat-map of LinkedIn profiles and you’ll notice that viewers immediately look at the photo and title. Only after viewing the profile photograph MIGHT viewers continue down the page. No profile photo also suggests a half finished project and that maybe the profile owner could not be bothered to finish the job or isn’t taking their online presence seriously.

 

Does my LinkedIn profile picture need a makeover?

 

A picture says a thousand words.  When it comes to LinkedIn Profile pictures, sometimes those words are “Err, don’t think so.  Not connecting with that person”

 

Be honest. Are you using a blurry Photo, Extremely Casual Photo (Selfie), or a Silly Photo?  Is the photograph recent? And we end up back to the “know-like-trust” factor.  

What does the cropped photo of you in front of the Christmas tree say? Or that great shot at Disney with Mickey or the mascot of the local baseball team?  Perhaps you looked particularly thin that day or had a great hair day – but do yourself a favor, save it for your personal sharing with friends on a different social media platform. Under no circumstances should it be used on your LinkedIn profile.

 

What kind of photo should I have on my LinkedIn Profile?

When thinking about what kind of photograph to use on your LinkedIn or any professional social media platform, think about your industry. Industry standards for financial services professionals are a really different feel than what you may need as an Interior Designer. Even within the same profession that’s true. An entertainment lawyer in LA versus an International Patent Lawyer would probably have quite different ‘feels’ to their profile photo.

 

Do I need a professional Photographer?

Not necessarily, but probably.   A professional headshot speaks volumes. It instantly establishes the ‘know-trust-like’ factor and drawers the viewer in to the ‘meat’ of your profile information. A professional headshot says that you are serious about your professional goals and a professional photographer will guide you through the process of getting an effective and appealing portrait. This means discussing industry standards for your profession with you ahead of time, so that your headshot has the right ‘feel’ for your particular goals.

When I am working with a client during a headshot session there are some factors that I believe are universally appealing in a headshot or business portrait.

Approachability Factor

Confidence Factor

Energy Factor

Engagement Factor

Personality Factor.

 

Will my photographer retouch my headshot for me?

They should. Ask if it’s extra and be clear about what is or is not included in retouching.  Standard retouching for business portraits and headshots in my studio includes: brightening of smile/teeth, brightening of eyes and evening out of skin tones.

If you would like to know more about headshots and business portraits, please visit my website eikonphoto.com

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Created on Dec 31st 1969 18:00. Viewed 0 times.

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