Do you know that the content of social networks that has the most impact is visual content?
We are saturated with information and it is proven that the one that generates the most reactions is the one that has an associated image or video. The same goes for our professional profile , both in the CV and on LinkedIn.
Here are some considerations that can help you when choosing the perfect photo for your LinkedIn profile.
Why do you need a good LinkedIn profile picture?
You are more than a profile!
+500 contacts. Contacts?
These are people you are connected with and YOU are one of them.
It is clear that the relationship with your contacts on LinkedIn is a professional relationship but that does not mean that they “put a face on you” .
You are a connected person, not just a professional profile.
Because it is your cover letter
Your profile picture is one of the first things that your contacts and the rest of the people on the network will see.
The first impact is achieved with the photo, the extract and your current position/company .
Yes, the photo first! Your photo is an important part of your cover letter.
In fact, if you don’t have it, it will seem that your professional profile is incomplete.
It will help you stand out from the rest.
As you participate or interact on the network, your contacts will have an easier time “remembering” you if you have a good profile picture.
They will know that “it is you” and they will better differentiate your comments, likes , questions, etc.
Build trust
In addition, showing an image of yourself in which you are clearly seen and being able to reflect your professional “I” transmits confidence .
You show yourself because you have nothing to hide, you are who you are and that’s it.
The profile will look more attractive and invite reading
If you get a good profile picture, your profile will undoubtedly be more attractive and will invite your contacts to read the information you write in it.
In this way , your photo becomes a “hook” to the content and, therefore, to the networking opportunities implicit in it.
You can transmit many positive things such as your personality or your professionalism
You have the opportunity to convey what you want through your photo, which, in the end, is non-verbal information about you .
Facial expression, posture, even the type of photo can convey traits of your personality.
What to keep in mind in the photo of Linkedin?
size and format
Not all photos work!
So keep in mind that the profile photo has to have a minimum dimension of 130 x 130 px, although its recommended size is 400 x 400 px and the maximum size is 10 MB for JPG, GIF or PNG files.
It is easier than it seems and you can really take advantage of a photo taken with the mobile , as long as it has the minimum quality, is sharp and professional.
However, if you have the opportunity to take the photo with a professional camera , even better!
What type of photo to select
Look for a “close-up” or “medium short” photo, that is, from head to shoulders or even with part of the torso.
And don’t let it be your ID photo!
You have to get your photo to be professional .
That is, it has to be formal without being boring and at the same time it has to be close without being colloquial.
Be that as it may, what it does NOT have to be is:
- An ID photo.
- The border photo.
- Your wedding dress.
- The pledge of the flag.
- Photo with sunglasses, various costumes or, in short, all those photos of a very personal nature.
Instead, YES you can use :
- The photo of your company email (or any other corporate photo).
- A photo taken of you doing your job (a presentation, an accreditation, etc.).
- Your CV photo (or vice versa, you can also use your LinkedIn profile photo for your CV).
photo background
It is preferable that you look for a light background, which contrasts a little with your image.
If you don’t want a “nuclear white” nothing happens, but make it a clear and uniform background .
If you want, you can take risks, here it is not about being “comply with the norm” because there really is not.
Just keep in mind what can favor you more.
If you prefer to opt for a more “extreme” background, go ahead, but know that this is also transmitted.
Light
As with the background, “the unwritten rule” presupposes that it is better if the light points towards your face, towards your plane.
The “normal” thing is that your photo is seen in its entirety without too much play of light and shadow.
Play with them if you want to give a different “touch” to your image.
If not, better central light and the more natural, the better.
costume colors
Look for colors that flatter you and contrast with the background.
Totally unnecessary for you to hire the services of a personal shopper -at least not only for this- but think about what colors favor you and if you can, use them.
Better if they are uniform colors and, as we said, they contrast with the background .
If the background is light, try not to wear white or raw tones.
If you have opted for a dark background, give it a little light with light colors.
Type of clothing
Remember which professional network you are on!
No matter how great you are on a Saturday night or a pre-climbing Sunday, perhaps you better save that image for other networks – unless you work in nightlife or mountain sports, of course.
Look for a photo in professional clothing or “normal clothing.”
In other words, if you normally work in a suit, perhaps it is a good idea to use a photo in a suit; if you normally dress “dressy but casual”, use a photo with a shirt, t-shirt, etc.
Do not abuse “brands” or clothing that is too tight or provocative.
Expression
Be natural.
Show an image that conveys your usual expression because if you do the opposite, it will be artificial.
You can “disguise” a little and try to smile, not frown, not “posture” more than necessary…
But be yourself.
Of course, it is strictly forbidden to make “lips” 😗😉
Posture, attitude and pose
Your face and your body must be aligned.
The typical postures are those of relaxed shoulders and arms that fall naturally to the side of the body, the posture of crossing the arms or some posture gesturing in a supposed presentation image, to give an example.
You can rehearse your photo with the lathe centered “looking at the camera” or a little tilted without becoming a profile photo -literally speaking in this case-.
Tips for choosing your LinkedIn photo
Other aspects to take into account beyond the image itself are these:
Choose a recent and professional photo
The idea is that the photo you choose shows your current moment .
No matter how favored you were five or ten years ago, surely you have changed a little bit of nothing…
And surely “for the best”!
Think about this: I wish all the contacts we made in a professional network could be transformed into “face-to-face” contacts.
So, the idea would be to recognize ourselves outside the network, to ensure that almost without a doubt, if we come across one of our contacts in a meeting, at a conference… on the street, we recognize them ipso facto .
Show your now and make yourself recognizable.
Take the photos you need
While you’re at it, do it right!
Posts to invest time in choosing our profile picture, it is worth it that we can choose the best among several.
Normally there are two types of people: photogenic and “I need photoshop”. And among them, the rest.
It is about taking several photos and checking if it is convenient for us to use one as a profile photo.
Let’s not rule out minimally editing the image without making it look artificial.
A photo for Facebook is not the same as for LinkedIn
Perhaps we insist too much on this, but believe us that it is worth insisting.
In the same way that not all clothing is according to a certain event or another, the same thing happens with the photo.
Not all photos are likely to be used on all networks .
This will really depend on what function you want to give to your networks.
The usual thing is that each network has a different objective so the content and your image in each of them will also be different.
Maybe sometimes you overlap content and image.
Just keep that in mind.
conclusion
Get a professional photo that conveys how you are and that favors you .
Invest some time in taking care of this aspect of your profile: think about what plan suits you, the light, the clothing, what one photo or another reflects.
Don’t get obsessed but take care of it. It is important.
If “the face is the mirror of the soul”, your profile picture has to be the reflection of your “professional self”.
