Making the difference to your Linkedin profile
Open your LinkedIn app and let your eyes relax, see where they settle.
BUT WAIT … don’t forget to come back!
Guaranteed, before you started reading anything on the app, your eyes settled on the profile picture thumbnails.
In the western world, we read from left to right. It’s ingrained in us. The LinkedIn profile picture is the very first thing on the left of our screen. It acts as a reference point as we scroll through the app, telling us whose content we’re consuming.
Click any one of those thumbnails and the next thing you’ll see, right at the very top, is the background display banner and a larger version of the profile picture.
When people click to learn more about you, they will take a quick, first glance at your profile pictures before moving on to anything else.
What are your pictures saying about you? What messages do they convey? Are you showing up?
If this is the first time a potential new connection is seeing you, how does your picture reflect on your chances of getting that new job or, winning their business?
Even though we are told not to judge a book by its cover, research shows we are inclined to make judgments about others based on their appearance. These judgments influence how we perceive and treat other people.
Photography can make a difference to your LinkedIn presence by helping you present a professional and visually appealing profile to potential connections and employers. A well-done profile photo can make you stand out and help you make a positive first impression. Additionally, including photographs in your LinkedIn posts and updates can help you engage your audience and make your content more visually appealing.
LinkedIn is a crowded platform, and using professional photographs can help you stand out and be remembered among the many profiles people encounter.
Here are a few tips for using photography to improve your LinkedIn presence:
Use a professional headshot for your profile photo: A high-quality headshot, well-lit, in focus and on brand, can make a big difference in how you are perceived by others on LinkedIn. It’s important that your LinkedIn profile makes you look both professional and approachable. A professional headshot does not have to mean a stiff or posed photo. Remember that while it's important to present a professional image on LinkedIn, it's just as important to be true to yourself and show your authentic personality.
Include relevant photos in your posts and updates: Adding photos to your LinkedIn posts and updates can help you engage your audience and make your content more visually appealing. Whether you pour your heart and soul into running your café, you’re happy squirrelling away on a laptop, working 1-2-1 with a client in your therapy room, or practising your scales in your studio, your customers want to see you doing what you do best!
Be mindful of the content of your photos:
Be mindful of the message that your photos are sending to others. In addition to being authentic in your photos, be genuine in your interactions on LinkedIn. This can help you build genuine connections and put across the message you want to convey to others on the platform.
So, take a look at your profile picture and ask yourself, what it is doing for your public image. If the answer is, “not much”, I can help!
