Three Statistics That Will Make You Rethink Your Professional Profile Picture

I’ve talked about this before, but I’m discussing this topic again because in a time when in-person meetings have become nearly non-existent, the professional photos you put forward are more important than ever! Take a look at these three statistics that will make you rethink your professional profile picture to get a better sense of just how important professional imagery is.

Think of your professional photo or headshot as the logo for your personal brand.

Studies have shown that people can recall 65% of the visual content they see in comparison to about 10% of written content almost three days later.

This is a big number, but think about it. Most people are visual learners, and science shows that we can remember images much easier than we can remember text. If you have a bad or unprofessional profile photo, people will remember. If you’re asking a potential client or a potential employer to trust your professional reputation, it’s important to make sure that you’re putting forth an image that looks professional. If someone sees a selfie or a photo of you that’s been cropped from a group photo, this won’t give off the right perception. Think about how much brands invest in creating the right logo, and invest in a professional profile photo that serves as the logo for your personal brand.

Adding a photo to your LinkedIn profile makes you 36 times more likely to receive a message on LinkedIn, and LinkedIn profiles with a profile photo receive 21 times more views than those without a profile photo.

People always ask me if I think LinkedIn is important. The short answer is yes, however creating an account isn’t going to be beneficial if you don’t know how to optimize your LinkedIn profile. The beauty of LinkedIn is that it lets us put a face to the name. Science shows that we recall images much easier than text (see the stat above) and it’s no different with people. Someone is far more likely to remember your face than remember your name among a stack of resumes. When you add a profile picture to your LinkedIn account, you become a human and not just a name on a piece of paper.

LinkedIn operates the world’s largest professional network on the internet, and currently has over 467 million members in over 200 countries and territories. This gives you tons of opportunity to network and leverage your connections, but again, it’s important that you learn how to use the platform and all it offers to your advantage.

LinkedIn profiles with professional headshots get 14 times more views.

Professional photographers are just that; professional. They have made a career out of taking photos because they are good at it and know how to really make the image speak to someone. As long as you’re dressed the part and are in front of a neutral background, having someone else snap a photo of you with a high quality camera isn’t terrible, but studies show that having a professional profile photo is worth it.

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Investing in your professional image is more important than ever, and that starts with great photos. Take a look at these three statistics that will make you rethink your professional profile picture to see just now important professional imagery really is.