We are in a digital age. People interact with each other digitally – in the business world, in the social world, and in the dating world. Headshots should be current, professional, and represent who you are. The importance of a professional headshot is paramount.
BUSINESS WEBSITES
Many websites include an “About” section so that potential clients, patients, customers, and others can find out more about you and your business. Individual team photos are also popular. This gives people a face to put with a name, making them all the more comfortable with you and your business before they even walk in the door.
“In any industry where the people behind a company are as important as the company itself, you’re likely to find a kind of expanded “about” page that includes information on individual employees. “Meet the Team” pages are popular among web design and other creative firms, but are also found on sites within various other industries. These pages are a valuable addition to any site where human contact is an important part of the industry. It adds a personal touch to the company and can lend trust to visitors. There’s suddenly faces behind the names, and it becomes a “real” company to the visitor, rather than just another website. This builds credibility for many, especially considering how concerned many people are with online scams and phishing schemes. Adding information to a website on a company’s key employees is a simple but effective way to make that company stand out in the mind of its prospective clients.” ~ Cameron Chapman
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/06/01/meet-the-team-pages-examples-and-trends/
The purpose of LinkedIn is professional networking. This is not the place for personal sharing and game playing. It is a professional site – it is your online resume, job search, and networking functions. A professional photo (and specifically not a snapshot) is an integral part of your LinkedIn profile.
“’One of the biggest mistakes I see is no photo,’ Williams says. ‘You’re seven times more likely to have your profile viewed if you have one. Like a house that’s on sale, the assumption is that if there’s no photo, something’s wrong.’ She also makes a great point: If you leave a networking event with a handful of business cards, intending to follow up on LinkedIn, it’s much harder for you to remember who’s who without pictures. A missing photo can easily lead to missed connections.” ~LinkedIn Career Expert Nicole Williams, article by Libby Kane
http://www.forbes.com/sites/learnvest/2013/03/04/8-mistakes-you-should-never-make-on-linkedin/
SOCIAL
Most new accounts that you sign up for online require an image of yourself (a profile photo). It is important that it represent who you are. Several sources suggest using the same photo across all social networks to establish consistency and credibility.
“Your social media profile picture or avatar is a visual signature of your activity on the internet. It is literally the icon that signifies who you are, and at a glance people should be able to quickly identify that image with your interactions elsewhere on that particular social network and, ideally, elsewhere on the web.” ~ Nick Lewis
DATING
When it comes to digital dating, the photo is EVERYTHING! What better way to get to know a person than to SEE them!
“What matters more than anything when it comes to your online dating profile? One word: Photos. Photos can drastically increase your chances of getting more communication and dates. Or not. In fact, profiles with photos are nine times more likely to get communication. Use your photos as a primary tool to express who you are, what you love to do, where you love to go and what type of lifestyle you lead.”
“Which types of photos receive the most interest? Landscape and 3×4 portrait sizes, according to eHarmony’s matching team. A medium shot … is the optimum choice and gets the most action, as you can actually get a good sense of the person’s body type (they aren’t hiding anything) as opposed to an extreme close up shot, which gets very little interest from matches. On the flip side… Matches who received the least amount of communication were those who included a very narrow portrait photo, where it looked as if they had clearly cut out the person next to them. (The tacky factor here is high, along with the assumption that you have cropped out your ex!). A very wide, far away shot also rated on the poor side of the communication spectrum. If your matches cannot get a good look at you … you will likely be closed.”
“Want to completely kill any chances of success? Then upload blurry, poor quality or super small images. This seems like an obvious statement, but thousands of people upload pics like this.” ~ eHarmony Staff
Tara Flannery Photography specializes in headshots and serves the greater Houston area. Contact me for more information or to schedule a session!
