You’re searching online for a dentist in your area and come across a list of recommended practitioners. You decide to check out their profiles and reviews to see which one would be a good fit. This one is a possibility—Dr. Bunny Molar. She had a keen interest in oral hygiene ever since leaving her career as a stripper to go to dental school. Her given name was Betty, but she kept her stage name because it was cute. The profile pic on her business page is a toothy Bugs Bunny gnawing on a carrot.
You’re looking for a good hairdresser and find, among the many, one with a poodle profile pic. Does she only style curly hair or is she a dog groomer? What about the accountant with a tree profile photo? It’s a decent tree (for nature enthusiasts ); it has a few dried leaves left on its otherwise barren branches. The photo looks like it was taken from a kitchen window. What does it mean, though? That the accountant works at several branches? That his business roots go deep? Or is he trying to convey that he won’t “leave” your wallet empty? Maybe you’re just barking up the wrong tree. Move on.
Those scenarios are not that farfetched. Some social media profile photos of business can certainly raise an eyebrow or make a person cringe. You might think that cute, funny, or clever is the ticket to attracting more customers; but it isn’t. In fact, you’re doing yourself a big disservice.
Do yourself (and potential customers) a favor and avoid these common mistakes:
- Cartoon profile pics, animals, pets, your children, your vacation photo, selfies, or anything not directly related to your business.
- Photos downloaded from Google or other people’s websites. Unless the photo is in public domain or comes with commercial use rights, using it is stealing.
- Low quality photos (grainy, blurry, poor lighting, etc.)
To up your game, consider the following tips:
- Use professionally taken headshot photos of you, the business owner. Be sure to smile.
- If using your business logo, use it consistently over all your social media platforms so you gain and maintain a recognizable online presence.
- A photo of your storefront is a possibility. Ensure that it’s well-kept and attractive and that signage can be clearly seen.
The best business profile pics are professional in appearance, consistent over platforms, simple, and current (in other words, don’t use your high school graduation photo). The message you convey with your profile pic should be clear and engaging. If you follow these guidelines, you’ll be much more likely to attract clients and customers to your brand.