5 Social Media Profile Picture Do’s and Don’ts
Why does your picture need to be consistent on all social media channels?
Do you add people who don’t have a face on social media? Do you think it is easier to remember a face or recall a name? Most people vote for the face and won’t add a person unless they have a face. Do you have a business and use social media? Are you attracting or repelling a following? In this post we will discuss 5 social media profile picture do’s and don’ts. Following these 5 simple rules will help you attract a larger following.
Social media and branding is all about connecting and interacting. It is important to have a consistent branding strategy across all your social media sites. Along with your logo, your personal profile picture of your face becomes your icon. Do you remember the profile picture icons of Betty Crocker or Dear Abbey? If you remember them, it is because it was always the same exact picture, no matter where you saw it. Their profile picture became an icon.
A profile picture for personal branding purposes should seek to display what you are really about and tell a story about your style, your values, etc. It is all about putting across the same picture message consistently until it becomes your picture icon.
Here Are 5 Social Media Profile Picture Rules:
Social Media Profile Rule #1 – Easy To Remember
Do’s: When your social media friends go from site to site, if you have the same picture they are more likely to recognize, remember, and add you.
Don’ts: Having a group picture, as a profile picture is a no – no! How do your friends know which one you are? I’ll bet they are hoping you are the cute one!
Social Media Profile Rule #2 – Know, Like, Trust
Do’s: When you keep your picture the same, your social media friends are more likely to get to know, like, and trust you because they can recognize you as they go from site to site. Consistency is a must! They need to see the same picture of you.
Authentic is in! People are tiring of over photoshoped images. They want less photoshopping and more truth. The real you is you! It can’t go wrong because it is the real thing. Keep it simple and use the same great photo over and over and over again. Consistency is more powerful than photoshopping.
Don’ts: What is your reaction when you notice your new friend’s profile picture has now become a ghost picture? You will probably defriended them! Right? Or you probably wouldn’t have added them originally.
They can’t get to know you if you change your picture, have a profile picture of a car, or have a cartoon face. As people add more and more friends it gets more difficult to remember all of their names. However, a picture is more easily remembered. You want people to recognize and remember you.
Make sure the picture you select is dated correctly; it can’t be from 10 years ago. It is hard to face the changes that happen with age, but a 70 year old lady showing a picture of her when she was 20 loses all credibility when people find out she is really 70. Don’t you agree?
Social Media Profile Rule #3 – Consistency With Your Brand
Do’s: If you professionally cut hair, you need to have a good haircut on your picture. If you are a professional personal trainer you need a thin firm body.
You want the same picture because it is your personal branding icon. It will have the same look and feel as your company’s brand. If you are blogger, your readers want to find and recognize you no matter what social media platform you are on. If you are a business owner or a network marketer you want your followers to find you.
Don’ts: You don’t want short hair on one picture and then long hair on the next. Trust builds with consistency.
Social Media Profile Rule #4 – Professional
Do’s: The picture you select creates an image in people’s mind. It should be a headshot of you. You can show off your smile and personality. It should brand you and no one else.
Don’ts: Have you ever seen a bride who got married 5 years ago and she still has the wedding dress on for her profile picture? How about someone who picks their babies picture as their personal branding picture. Your profile picture should be professional looking, not in a bathing suit, unless you are a model.
Stay away from shooting your picture in a bathroom mirror, it does not send a professional message. A bathroom mirror is not a professional photo shoot spot.
Social Media Profile Rules #5 – People Relate To A Face
Do’s: When people are first introduced to you, make sure it is the real you. You might not be proud of some feature, but it is your feature.
Don’ts: Make sure the profile picture you have up is yours and not someone else’s. There are bloggers and others on the World Wide Web who steals other people’s photos. All trust is lost when they find out you used a fake picture.
If you keep changing your picture every week, it becomes difficult for your followers to find you or remember you.
Your Turn….
Have you ever discovered someone wasn’t using his or her real picture? Let us know your experiences and how it makes you feel. Let our readers know how important you feel it is to keep a personal profile picture both real and consistent.
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