Seth Godin: How to choose your profile photo
Marketing Guru Seth Godin wrote a post this morning with advice that could have been written specifically for this community: how to choose you profile photo. Here’s the highlights:
- Have a professional or a dedicated amateur take your picture.
- Use a white background, or at least a neutral one. No trees! No snowstorms!
- The idea of having your significant other in the picture is a good one, at least in terms of maintaining peace in the presence of a jealous or nervous spouse. But the thing is, I’m not friending your girlfriend, I’m friending you. I’d vote for the picture to be solo.
- If you are wearing a hat, you better have both a good reason and a good hat.
- I totally understand that you are shy, modest and self-effacing. But sabotaging your photo is not a good way to communicate that. We just assume you’re a dork.
- Conceptual photos (your foot, a monkey wearing glasses) may give us insight into the real you, but perhaps you could save that insight for the second impression.
- How beautiful you are is a distant second to how happy you are. In my experience, photos that communicate openness and enthusiasm are far more appealing than photos that make you look like a supermodel.
- Cropping is so important. I should have put this one first. A well cropped photo sends a huge, subliminal message to other people. If you don’t know how to do this, browse through the work of professionals and see how they do it. It matters.
- Some people have started adding words or signs to their images. If your goal is to communicate that you are the website or you are the company, then this is very smart. If not, then remember the cocktail party rule: if you wouldn’t wear it there, don’t wear it here.
- If, after reading this list, you don’t like your picture, go change it. No reason not to.
So, how does YOUR profile photo measure up against this list?
April 7th, 2009 at 11:12 am
Probably not well. The pictue I used was taken at Bandilier National Park. But for the moment, that is what I have.
April 9th, 2009 at 8:30 am
Dan, Thanks for posting these great tips – Seth Godin is always fantastic! I have to say, this is a great guideline, especially for newer users. However, I do firmly believe that not all the rules apply to all people or all networks. One of many examples, and also one of my favorite tweeps (and a Twitter board member) is @fredwilson who always uses a painting as his avatar… it’s easily recognized and no one seems to have an issue with him branding himself this way. I use different profile pics on different networks (and my one professional shot –used on biz networks- has trees in it!)… especially on Facebook, where using a professional looking photo is really frowned upon – it’s looked at as not being very authentic, on a network where authenticity rules your success…
So, my point is simply that users should strive to understand the culture of the network they’re joining before just uploading that same boring head shot with the white background… likewise, new users should also “lurk” and learn about the culture of any network before they open their mouth ;D
April 9th, 2009 at 8:38 am
PS – Dan, I just realized you have a white background, but you also have a great profile pic that’s not cheesy… I think we both know what I mean when I refer to the same boring/cheesy professional shot – READ: looks like it came from a real estate biz card in 1995.
April 9th, 2009 at 10:09 am
I love your profile photo, Hazel. I think it’s great to express yourself in a photo. But hopefully not at the expense of people actually figuring out what you look like!