How to Boost Your LinkedIn Profile With Professional Headshots
We all know the benefits of LinkedIn in today’s business world, but is your profile really as good as it could be? Specifically, is your profile picture as good as it can be? This is the first thing you'll need to get right because it’s how you make a first impression with potential LinkedIn connections. Here's what you should know about professional LinkedIn photography and choosing the right headshot for your profile.
Promote Your Personal Brand
In today’s world, the best way to be seen is through online platforms. For career opportunities, LinkedIn is the best social media tool there is. The most important point to consider with your branding is your visibility—which is to say that how others see you matters. And what’s the first thing someone sees when the find you on LinkedIn? Your profile picture.
When networking with LinkedIn, there are two functions you'll need to focus on: building your network and building relationships. Your profile will work like a professional brochure to advertise who you are. This self-presentation is essential to personal branding and successful networking.
Make a Great First Impression
We all know that first impressions are important—especially when it comes to job interviews and networking events. This same principle applies to social media platforms, including LinkedIn. The majority of first impressions on LinkedIn will be based on the platform’s user interface, which places a heavy emphasis on your profile picture. Research shows that it only takes 100 milliseconds for someone to form an impression of you based on an image. This quick judgement is why your image is so incredibly important to networking success.
Before even opening your full profile page, the first thing that any recruiter or contact will see is your picture—so make sure it’s a good one. According to LinkedIn, simply having a picture makes your profile 14x more likely to be viewed. In the competitive business world, you simply cannot afford to go without an effective headshot.
Pro Tips for Making the Most of LinkedIn Headshots
If you want people to really respond to your profile, then you’re going to need a profile picture—and not just any old photo. Here are a few tips for making your LinkedIn profile photo work for you:
Choose a photo that looks like you. This should go without saying, but all too often we meet people who look nothing like their pictures. You’ll want to be sure that any candidates will have a clear idea of exactly what you look like.
Make sure the image is high-quality. You don’t want to present a blurry, pixelated photo. You’ll want to make sure to go no lower than 400x400 pixels, although LinkedIn’s maximum file size is 8MB. A professional photographer is able to render high-resolution images and give you digital copies.
Be sure that at least 60% of the image features your face. You want to show yourself off as much as possible. The image should be cropped from around the top of your shoulders to slightly above the top of your head.
Don’t have anyone else in the picture.You’re selling yourself, not anyone else. If a recruiter sees more than one person in the picture they may be confused about which person you are. You should also avoid cropping a group photo since it can look amateurish.
Select an appropriate facial expression. This is a great opportunity to promote your brand. A study on 800 profile pictures found that those who were smiling came across as more likeable, influential, and competent.
Keep the background clean. Think hard about where you take the photo. You don’t want the background to be distracting, and you want the focus to remain on yourself.
Choose clothes you would wear for work. Each workplace has a certain vibe. By dressing a certain way, you can help to convey that professional vibe in your photo. Match your clothing in your profile picture to your industry and the clothing you typically wear for work.
Don’t take it yourself. Your LinkedIn profile is not the place for a selfie. For best results, have someone take your picture. A professional photographer has the equipment and expertise to present you as your best self, so don’t rely on your phone’s camera to get the job done.
A professional LinkedIn headshot is one of the best investments you can make for your business. After all, you wouldn't put amateur or low-quality photos in a business brochure or advertisement. Your LinkedIn profile is representative of your personal brand, and your photo should convey professionalism.
Common Profile Photo Mistakes to Avoid
There are many mistakes people make when trying to take a good LinkedIn photo. You want to convey an image of professionalism and something relevant to your brand. Whatever you do, try to avoid the following mistakes:
Having no photo at all. Profiles with professional headshots receive significantly more views and connection requests than those that don’t.
Obscuring your face. You want people to see you clearly. Avoid wearing sunglasses and other accessories that obscure your face.
Being too far away in the photo. Your image should be focused squarely on your face so that people can immediately see and recognize you.
Using group photos. Viewers shouldn’t have to guess at who you are in the picture.
Using a company logo instead of a photo of yourself. Using a logo makes you appear unapproachable and impersonal. Remember, you are more than the company you work for, so make sure to put your own image first.
Using a poor-quality image. Attaching a poor-quality image communicates to others that you don’t care about how you present yourself. First impressions happen quickly, so don’t give people a bad one by using a low-resolution, poorly cropped, or otherwise distorted photograph.
Using old, out of date photos. Your photo should represent you as you are now. If necessary, have your photo updated to better reflect yourself.
All of these mistakes are easy to avoid when you work with a professional photographer. People tend to run into issues when mining old photos for an image or taking a selfie of themselves. While those types of images may be appropriate for other social media platforms, it’s best to opt for a professional headshot for LinkedIn.
Takeaway
Your profile picture is going to be the first thing anyone sees when looking at your profile, and it will leave a lasting impression—for better or worse. By following these tips and avoiding common mistakes, you can ensure that your LinkedIn profile is the best it can possibly be.
For professional headshots in the San Francisco Bay Area, trust BrianKCreative to give your profile the boost it needs. Reach out today to schedule an appointment.