3 Keys to the Perfect Pair of LinkedIn Photos
With a wide variety of social media platforms out there, proper “netiquette” can be hard to pin down for each individual site. The high-frequency, opinionated posts that characterize Twitter would look out of place on Facebook. Moreover, the disappearing photos shared on Snapchat hardly ever end up on Instagram channels. Similarly, the profile pic and cover photos that people use on most social media profiles aren’t typically appropriate for LinkedIn. In your LinkedIn photos, you want to convey professionalism, while still maintaining some level of personality to set you apart from the crowd. We’ve outlined below some considerations to make before your next photo upload.
The Importance of LinkedIn Photos
Perhaps the most common mistake users make when building a LinkedIn profile is to not include pictures at all. While it’s technically better to post a poor-quality picture than nothing at all, neither case is optimal. LinkedIn heavily favors profiles that are complete, so if your profile doesn’t feature a profile and cover photo, doesn’t include your current occupation, or omits your education, then you’re less likely to show up on a LinkedIn search. This, in turn, means that you could be far less likely to find when the recruiter hiring for your dream job is looking for eligible candidates.
Moreover, LinkedIn is perhaps the least anonymous of the popular social media platforms. You may have noticed that you get a notification when someone views your profile. The platform records not only the number of “likes” on your posts, but also the number of views the article in your share gets. To take it further, a user with a LinkedIn Premium profile can view the profiles of whoever views her shared posts, and she receives the name of every user who skims their profile. This means that when you research that executive to plan your sales pitch, they see your profile as well. If your profile photo is missing or of poor quality, you’ll be putting yourself at a disadvantage.
Ultimately, preparing a top-notch LinkedIn profile requires an investment of time, and perhaps even a little bit of money, to get a high-quality set of LinkedIn photos that will give other users a positive impression of your personal brand and professionalism.
The Profile Picture
To put it simply, your profile picture should be taken by a professional photographer. As a rule of thumb, your profile picture should be shoulders-up. Ultimately, what matters to viewers of your profile photo is what you look like, so that they may be able to identify you in person. Moreover, it’s a well-documented fact that facial expressions are integral to in-person conversation, and there is evidence to the fact that people engage more with online content when it features a human face. A trained photographer will be able to properly frame the photo and ensure that all aspects of the photo are top quality.
On the other hand, you must also pay attention to what else is – or isn’t – in your profile photo. You should be dressed in your LinkedIn profile photo just as you do on a typical day of work. As such, the rules are different for professionals in different fields and locations. Where a graphic designer in Austin, Texas would perhaps look out of place entering the office wearing anything beyond jeans and a T-shirt, a banker in Manhattan would be reprimanded for anything less than a full suit and tie.
Finally, the background of your photo should be a solid color like white or gray. The goal of your profile photo is to feature your face. While you may have some amazing shots in front of a stunning background, your LinkedIn photos are not the right place to feature these photos.
The Cover Photo
This is where you get the chance to show a little bit of personality. Your profile photo should feature your face, a plain background, and nothing below the shoulders. Your cover photo should, in turn, have no human faces at all. However, the photo should be tailored to your professional career. If you’re an REI employee, a landscape is perfect. On the other hand, a dynamic shot of server racks can add the appropriate color to an information systems administrator’s LinkedIn profile. Across the board, cityscapes are popular cover photos.
While there is far more flexibility in your LinkedIn cover photo than in your profile photo, you should still avoid treating it like a Facebook photo. Avoid pictures of yourself in small groups. The framing on the site doesn’t work well with this style of photo. Additionally, avoid using your company’s graphics. Your profile should make it clear enough where you work. Your LinkedIn photos are about you as an individual, not your company.
What turns your head when it comes to LinkedIn photos? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
