After dabbling in social media for quite a while, you will notice that there is a trend among the youth to post bizarre profile pictures. Some show funny faces, some show side or back profiles, while some show silhouettes. As a social media marketer whose objective is to make money, this is not what you should be doing.
Here are some best practices on choosing photos for your profiles on Twitter, Facebook, content sharing sites, and other social media platforms.
How to choose photos for your social media profile if you’re using your own name
If you are using your own name, your picture should match your positioning. It should be somewhat formal and reflective of your expertise and competence.
If you are a Forex trader, you don’t want to use a picture that shows you sitting on the beach or goofing around. People are less likely to spend thousands of dollars to buy your trading system or course if you do not look serious.
If you are using your own name, you should use your own picture and not a photo of your kid, pet or favorite hobby. The shot should be close enough for people to recognize your face.
Do not post sexy pictures unless that is your positioning. If you are selling diet products, then maybe a photo of you showing off your rock-hard abs could work.
Remember, you are a professional so act like one.
How to choose photos for your social media profile if you’re using a company name
If you are a company, your profile picture should reflect your business or the benefit that you provide. If you are selling solar panels, then show a picture of how your products work. If you are selling Apple products, then it makes sense to use the Apple logo. Although you must understand that using your own company logo rarely works.
How to choose photos for your social media profile if you’re using an avatar
According to the Social Profit Formula, avatars work best with content sharing sites. These are places where readers tend to trust certain types of people and discriminate against others so you want to choose a name and portrait that is not specific to any gender or age.
When creating accounts on content sharing sites, your objective is to build a generic profile. User names such as Alex, Leslie, Ashley, Courtney, Lou, Pat, Robin or Tyler are typically gender-free. You may also want to use an attribute like Creative or Brilliant. Think of something that is not easily recognizable but still sounds confident and competent.
When choosing pictures, you may want to include both a man and a woman of different age groups in your profile photo.
Remember, your social media profile should match your positioning so choose a username and photo that will not offend people but rather make them follow you and understand better what you are offering.
