Your professional headshot is more than just a photo. This investment is a powerful tool for building your brand. Whether in corporate, an entrepreneur, or creative, strategic use of your headshot can enhance your standing across multiple platforms and websites.
Look at the ideas listed below to make the most of your professional images.
LinkedIn is Your Digital First Impression.
LinkedIn’s crop space is notoriously tiny. Make sure your image has enough space above the head and around the main part of what you want to showcase—ideally, you! Also, make sure the headshot is high-res and well-lit and matches your level of professionalism. Having a clean background and natural expression helps build trust with your audience.
Furthermore, consider making your banner image a secondary image of you or your professional work that complements your main headshot photo. I’ve worked with clients whose banner photos might be in action situations, such as speaking at an event, running a workshop, or a personal branding photo with copy written in a particular area.
Try using the same or similarly themed headshot images across LinkedIn and other professional networks. This helps create a cohesive identity or brand awareness for your company. For example, I have a set of images taken of me by a photographer friend of mine. In them, I’m wearing a red hat paired with a white shirt with a clean blue background behind me. My friend and I took several images of this setup, and I use a variety of them in different areas where I’m being featured.
Lastly, for clients who want to stay ahead of the curve and not wait until their images are 5 to 10 years old, the best practice is to update their profile picture every 2 to 3 years to keep their image and brand current. This should also reflect their personal and professional growth.
Corporate Websites & Team Pages
I talked about corporate website headshots in a previous post. But I want to take a minute to acknowledge some companies that allow teams/employees to use their own images on their websites. As always, make sure that your image is high-resolution and can be seen clearly without pixelation on both your PC and mobile device. If your company has a standard format for headshots, make sure you get in writing those guidelines to look cohesive alongside your team.
Make sure you choose an image that aligns with you and your industry. Many executives or those in management might prefer a formal studio portrait, while those who are a bit more creative might look for a relaxed lifestyle image. Personally, I enjoy having both an indoor studio image and a lifestyle image so that I can be prepared for what is required of me for future projects or public engagements.
Just as I mentioned before, use the same headshot throughout your professional network. Use the same headshot for recognition if you’re being featured on multiple pages throughout your company website.
Your Personal or Business Websites
For most of us, websites have a theme or purpose. Often, we are not the selling point; our service or products are. That said, you might want to save your headshot for the About Me page with a bit of personal background to connect with your readers. Feel free to get creative with crops or filters on the more tertiary-level pages. These pages are your blog posts or frequent updates that may or may not be on your main page. I focus a lot of content and images connected to being a Toyko Portrait Photographer in these areas of my website.
Lastly, a really neat social proof strategy would be to juxtapose your headshot with website testimonials, case studies, or features to add to your credibility.
Press Releases & Promotional Websites
Anytime you market yourself to the public, make sure your headshot is a high-resolution image suitable for both print and digital use. Make sure the professional image matches the tone of the media outlet or channel you are being promoted on. For example, if you’re advertising on Facebook or Instagram, having casual imagery makes a lot of sense compared to LinkedIn, where a more corporate style would be suitable.
Speaking Engagements & Large Event Materials
Event organizers often ask for a headshot to add to their promo materials, so as I’ve always said, make sure your image is high-res and not too bogged down with heavy editing or gaudy filters. If you’re a speaker, choose a headshot that conveys Authority and approachability. You want your images to entice people to pay attention to what you have to say.
This next tip is a bit of extra credit, but if you have time, take a look at the event’s branding and tendencies. Are many of the images close-ups, or are they full-body Images? You might want to have an image on hand that matches the look and feel of what the event is asking of you.
A nice back-pocket tip would be to use cloud storage websites like Dropbox or Google Drive folder with your headshot variations added to share when needed quickly. If you’ve made a paid investment in any form of imagery or video work for your personal or professional brand, this should already be something you have.
Email Signatures & Business Cards
I’ll admit this one is nice to have and really depends on the market or industry you work in. For example, in the US, the real estate industry heavily relies on visibility, not just for the properties but also for the Realtors who sell them. Any industry that heavily relies on the characteristics and skill sets of the person would be remiss not to have their headshot in any and all public-facing spaces.
Personally, I quite enjoy receiving a business card with a person’s picture on it, as I can quickly remember the person I connected with. Lastly, because the space is small, a bust-up headshot would work best instead of a full-body shot.
In the End…
Using your headshots effectively across platforms creates a strong, recognizable personal brand. I often get this question from clients who want to update their headshots. Many have just one headshot that’s been done to death for at least five years. Many are coming in with an open mind to investing in several similarly themed images they can use to promote themselves inside and outside their familiar Networks.
One of the things that I absolutely enjoy about this update process is that these updates reflect significant changes in each person’s personal growth and professional success, and we want the images to Showcase that. When we show this, we create a story behind the person that’s easily recognizable across multiple online platforms. And so I asked, how old is your headshot?
If it’s been over five years, it’s time to refresh! A professional, well-crafted image can elevate your brand and open doors to new opportunities! Let’s create an image that works for you across all platforms.
Feel free to contact us via our Contact Page or send us a quick email at info@toptia.com.
