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First Impressions count in Social Networking
Posted under Online Branding by Linda Griffin
I got a kick out of Seth Godin’s ‘Tiny Picture’ blog post. Most social networking sites force you to insert your profile photo into a small handful of pixels. Seth has some great suggestions on how to use that space wisely. I’d like to offer up a recommendation that he didn’t – always put up a profile photo! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve looked at someone’s profile, only to see the default gray box, question mark,smiley face or whatever icon the site owners use as the default.
When you meet someone at a networking event, you immediately form an impression based on how they look. It’s not fair but that’s the way it is. Some sources say that people form an impression about you in the first 3-5 seconds. They base that impression on how you’re dressed, whether you smile and seem approachable. Only then do they listen to the words you say. When you use social networking to build your brand online, a picture really is worth a thousand words because it must replace those clues that people would normally pick up in a face to face encounter.
What message are you sending to potential clients or business partners if your profile photo is a blank gray box? In my mind, it says that the individual is either too lazy to put in the effort or isn’t really serious about using the site. Either way, that’s not a person that I feel will bring value to me so I won’t follow them or friend them.
Other pet peeves of mine that are mentioned in Seth’s post are:
- Don’t have other people, pets, your boat or motorcycle in the photo with you. The photo is TINY! Other people and objects take up valuable space and prevent people from really seeing you.
- Smile. You want to give the impression that you would be fun to work with, not that you will be grumpy or scare small children.
- Crop your photo as tightly as you can to focus on your face. Did I mention the photo is TINY?
Putting a little effort into making a good first impression on social networking sites will give you the opportunity to make a second impression. What are your pet peeves about profile photos? Let me know in the comments. And if you want a copy of my Linked-In Profile Action Guide, you can request a copy here.