Do You Need to Have an Online Profile Picture?

Thursday 09th 2012f February 2012

Social media is new terrain. But within a short period of time, it has emerged as one of the most powerful means of connecting with business associates, prospective customers, friends and family. The rules of engagement are still evolving because this is a relatively new method of connecting with people.

One of the first things that people notice when they look at an online profile is the profile picture. But the question arises, do businesses need to be represented by a human being, with their picture in the profile or is it better to use the company logo as the profile picture? Though it may seem that for a business, a logo may be better suited, there are many distinct advantages of having a human being represent the company in the profile picture.

A business relationship with someone you have never met is vastly different from having business relationships with people whom you have talked to on the phone. The voice adds a crucial element in the relationship dynamics; since there is an undeniable feeling of interacting with an actual human being on the other line, the relationship is bound to be smoother and more productive. Having a profile picture online to represent your brand is similar to this. When others who connect with you know what you look like, they are connecting with a living breathing person as opposed to just a company name or brand logo.

Even with the widespread use of social media, there are a lot of people who still hide behind their business logos and connect with others with nothing more than a name. Many people do not even bother to complete their profiles and provide just the bare minimum information.

Think about social media as a virtual world; in fact it is a copy of the real world interactions. In the real world, you would naturally have an affinity towards people you know and regularly interact with rather than those who are unfamiliar.

The details of your profile are important bits of information to provide to others with whom you wish to successfully network. A profile picture is also of utmost importance. It is not a question of letting the entire world know how good looking you are, but the photograph is an essential element so that people are able to relate to you in a more human level. Of course there are businesses, especially in health and beauty, where the appearance of the founder can significantly contribute to the credibility of the brand.

Providing an online profile picture will create a stronger branding for your business than using just a logo. People will remember you better and connect the photo with what you offer.

A photograph is critical in online interactions. A good quality, professionally shot profile picture can help build stronger and warmer relationships online. When people are able to relate with you as another human being, you have an edge in building the credibility factor.

Author Bio:


Ron Knight is a US based Internet Solutions consultant with many years of experience helping people and businesses out in establishing a stronger presence on the web. Many social media marketing india companies have benefited immensely from his advice.

Autor: empseo
Source: http://articlealley.com/article_1647729_6.html

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