OK, I admit it – I’m a bit of a LinkedIn junkie – reading articles, researching businesses and individuals, and of course looking at profile photos as well as headshots of management/leadership teams on their LinkedIn Profiles and business websites. The good news is that businesses and individuals are starting to realize that posting any image is not an effective strategy – indeed, it’s not a strategy at all.
Like it or not, we all have pre-conceived notions about how things are supposed to be – we have internal biases (rightly or wrongly) that are the result of many factors (and are not the subject of this post). Yes, these evolve over time, and being introspective means that we acknowledge these and then make conscious decisions on how we will (or will not) act on these.
Read MoreLinkedIn is arguably the most successful social media platform for business, growing at a phenomenal rate and now boasts over 610M members worldwide (with 160M US workers). In the past it was a job search tool/engine – over the last several years, businesses/brands are using LinkedIn to grow relationships, promote themselves, raise awareness, keep people informed, post jobs, make announcements, etc.. And with good reason – some interesting statistics (from LinkedIn):
Over 50% of Americans with a college degree use LinkedIn
45% are in upper management
Over 30M businesses have LinkedIn Profiles
50% of web traffic originating from social media came from LinkedIn
Web designers will tell you that one of the keys to a great company website is consistent, high quality headshots of your team. Headshots that exemplify your brand, and provide an insight to your values, culture, and who you are send a powerful message to prospective customers, partners, and future employees.
A consistent look across all your marketing channels multiplies the power of your message and stands a greater chance of a lasting impression. Iconic brands such as Coke have been using this strategy for many years – the Coke logo, color scheme, messaging is consistent throughout the world, in different languages, whether on social media. packaging, on billboards, magazines, TV ads, etc..
Read MoreSuccessful businesses are always looking for creative, competitive edges to differentiate themselves from the competition and rise above the noise, particularly when it comes to attracting and retaining both customers and employees. With unemployment at historic lows, and a hyper-competitive market for new employees, many companies are providing an ever-expanding menu of perks to make the workplace more attractive and enhance their employee’s careers.
Professionally done headshot photography is an increasingly popular perk many companies are offering to their employees. As a perk, it not only valuable to the employee, but also provides businesses with many ongoing benefits in three primary areas – Hiring, Retention, and Attracting Customers. Let’s look at these in more detail to see how businesses can benefit.
Read MoreBusiness is more competitive today than ever before, requiring more emphasis on differentiation – how do you stand out from your competition in ways that matter to your prospective customers. Learn the 7 reasons why headshots differentiate a business.
Read MoreWith the new year approaching many people are reconsidering their current job situation and beginning to explore new opportunities. This often involves updating their resume, LinkedIn profile, and beginning to explore the job market. In today’s increasingly visual world, it also makes sense to revisit your headshot or portrait on LinkedIn if it isn’t very recent.
Read MoreThe overall quality and consistency in lighting, expressions, and look help to reinforce your corporate brand
Read MorePreparing for your headshot session is important - hair, makeup, clothing, and an understanding of where/how the images will be used all play a key role in providing the best headshot of you.
Read MoreHaving a professionally done headshot for your LinkedIn profile is an important part of your overall personal branding and digital footprint.
Read MoreA LinkedIn Profile should include a professionally done headshot that reflects your level of experience and personal brand.
Read MoreYour brand is what you want people to see, feel, and think about you or your company - headshots of you or your team are a critical element of that branding.
Read MoreYour Facebook/social media image is likely different than your LinkedIn profile - the latter shows the professional you, and your headshot should show you as a professional.
Read MoreYour corporate branding, particularly in businesses that involve person to person interactions, should highlight your employees/key staff members. Consistent, professionally done headshots are an important element of that overall branding.
Read MoreHigh quality, consistent headshots of your executive team conveys a level of professionalism, attention to detail, and cohesiveness that are important elements of successful branding.
Read MoreI was researching a number of different Boston-area company’s websites recently, looking at executive/management team individual headshot photos. A number of the sites had a very consistent look to the images – backgrounds, lighting, clothing options, and expressions. Many others seemed to take the approach of asking each individual to provide the best photo of themselves, whether it be a selfie or one taken by a friend or colleague.
On one these sites, the CEO is sitting outside with sailboats and water behind him, one of the founders (CTO) is wearing a dark colored T-shirt shot against a blue background, the Chairman is wearing a collared shirt shot against a grey background, and an SVP is posed sitting down on a couch with what appears to be a wide screen TV off to the side perhaps shot in a living room. Other supporting cast (advisors, etc.) had many shots where they’re not even looking at the camera, some shot in color others in black and white, different colored backgrounds (including red), etc..
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