Today, Jason Seiden and I hosted the first episode of a new radio show, Beyond Social, that we are doing for our social media strategy and training company, Ajax Social Media. Jason did a nice summary of the show on the Ajax Blog that I posted below.
Tune in to blogtalkradio.com/beyondsocial every Thursday at 10am CT for more great tips to improve your social profile for business on Beyond Social. And follow the conversation on Twitter at #BeSoc.
You can listen to the first episode where we discuss the psychology of profile pictures here:
by Jason Seiden
Big thanks to John Jorgensen (@jkjhr), Jeffrey Ringgenberg (Evolyte), Carol Roth, and of course, Steve Boese for joining Ajax hosts Craig Fisher and Jason Seiden for today’s show. Notes from today’s episode:
- You need a photo. LinkedIn registers a 40% uptick in click-throughs to photos that have photos vs. ones that don’t.
- Your photo matters. There is actually quite a bit of behavioral science behind what makes a great photo.
- A good photo is one that drives engagement. This was implied in the show but deserves to be stated explicitly; we don’t care as much about making you beautiful as we do about helping you achieve your goals.
- Men, unless you know how to smile, you might be better off… not smiling. Many of you look like you’re in pain or unsure of yourself. Also, biologically speaking, there is a male/female dynamic at play as well, and women are not necessarily predisposed to favor smiling men.
- Men, think about engaging in something interesting, or putting yourself in a setting that suggests an interest beyond work.
- Men with pets works on dating sites, and we can personally vouch for it working on Twitter and blogs. (We haven’t tested this theory on LinkedIn.)
- Women, smile and look at the camera.
- For both men and women, pure physical attractiveness does not account for as much as attractiveness in the compelling sense of the word.
- No party shots—don’t have someone else’s collar visible in the corner of your profile pic.
- Don’t get hung up on “professional” vs. “personal” It’s a “profersonal” world, and the two are intertwined.
- Your photo should be consistent with your story. If you’re in a creative field, you might want a photo that’s a bit more… creative. If you’re selling insurance benefits, you might want a photo that demonstrates loyalty, stability, and/or family values.
- Keep your photo consistent. Your visitors are busy; don’t suddenly be Gene Simmons tomorrow. That said, keep your photo up to date—no 12 year old photos of you a full head of hair and 35 pounds ago!
