Material reality can no longer be considered disconnected from virtual reality. The lives of most people, in fact, run along two parallel tracks: that of everyday life and that of social networks. Beyond the name, the only real point of contact between these two worlds is only one: the profile photo. It is the element that "humanizes" a simple page made up of codes and algorithms, which personifies a set of information and gives a sense of credibility to what, in another era, credible would never have been. It is no coincidence, therefore, that most of the virtual interactions pass, as a first filter, through the image we have chosen to make ourselves recognizable in the sea magnum of the web. It is our logo, what characterizes us and, for this reason, it needs a certain care in the choice.
Portrait Picture
Of course we need to evaluate what social network we are talking about, since there are now several. A Facebook profile photo, for example, does not need the same features as a LinkedIn or Tinder profile photo. The first point to consider when choosing an image, therefore, is: what message do we want to convey? The right profile photo can facilitate professional contact on job search platforms, or create the prerequisite for an informal meeting in online dating apps. In the first case, for example, it is assumed that one wants to present oneself as competent or influential, in the second case instead fascinating and intriguing. And if it seems like a small thing, you are wrong. In the iconographic world of social media, a good profile photo increases the possibility of being noticed by other users or intercepted by recruiters up to 14 times, rare case of quality that drives the quantitative factor.
Here are 4 useful tips to choose the right profile photo, which is able to make you really put your face.
1) That's right, it's you
First fundamental and valid point for every type of social network: be recognizable. The profile is yours and whoever visits it must be aware of it. Avoid excessively modified or "dated" images, especially if you are on social media to find work or romantic dates. The risk is to lose credibility. At the center of everything there must, of course, be the face: make sure it occupies at least 60 percent of the image. The face is the distinctive element of our physicality in the world of the web, where physicality does not exist.
2) No logos
Connecting to the previous point, another tip is to avoid neutral images such as logos. If you need to characterize a private profile, it is right that the profile image also represents this profile = person identification. If there is already a logo in the background of your photo, you can use Slazzer . The rule is so well known that on certain social networks, such as LinkedIn, the use of icons that do not represent the person who owns the account even violates the regulation. Of course, this is not the case if you are talking about a company page. So in this case the logo is fundamental: it must be clear, recognizable and immediate, so as to also facilitate its traceability during the search.
3) Don't disguise yourself
It often happens that we decide to use as a profile photo an image in which we appear very ... covered. Sunglasses, caps, make-up. These are dispersive and obscuring elements, which take the attention away from your face and therefore from your physicality. It is therefore preferable to focus on clear, uncovered and front-facing images with respect to the camera, so that those who visit your profile seem to have you in front of you right at that moment.
4) Better alone than accompanied
Company is a beautiful thing, but not much in profile photos. There is enough space to upload photos with girlfriends, boyfriends, friends, pets and so on. The profile photo must be yours and yours alone. So be alone and clearly distinguishable from the background. And avoid couple profiles like the plague: they should be prohibited by law.
By applying these tips, you would get a perfect profile photo.
Tagged in Social Media