LinkedIn Profile Photo: 20 Secrets to a Perfect LinkedIn Photo

The worst mistake you can make on LinkedIn is to have a profile without a photo.

Start this article with a reminder seems essential to me.

Anonymity is totally absurd on LinkedIn since you are there to boost your business.

Members might find it fishy not to not see your face.

Unlike Facebook or Instagram, LinkedIn is a professional social network.

Therefore, you must have an attitude professional !

And what better than a beautiful photo that you showcases to directly hook LinkedIn members and make good impression ?

I’m not talking about a photo from your last holidays with friends.

I’m talking about a quality photo which, at first glance, immediately gives credibility to your brand image.

LinkedIn profile photo: my advice in video

LinkedIn profile photo: the first impression is always the right one!

You know it as well as I do: the first impression is often the right one.

(This is why I recommend you to work your elevator pitch to hit the mark from the first minute during a meeting or a date.)

And while this is not always true, the Most people almost always trust their first impression.

The first thing they see when they come to your LinkedIn profile is your Photo .

You understand how much a simple photo to serve you, or to serve you.

You play your reputation on the network, don’t therefore do not take the choice of this photo lightly.

So … which photo to put on LinkedIn and what are the secrets to a perfect profile picture?

Follow the guide !

LinkedIn photo: leave nothing to chance

Before going deeper into the subject, you should know that nothing should be left to chance.

This includes your body posture, your look, your mouth, your hair, the framing, the brightness, the lighting, etc.

Everything must be thought out and thought out to please to the professionals of the network… All while resting yourself.

Imagine that you are going to meet a client important to offer him your services.

Are you going to go there in sneakers? Of course no.

Likewise on LinkedIn.

Your goal is to enhance your professional image in order to land opportunities and boost your results.

What are the 20 tips for a perfect LinkedIn profile picture?

1. Avoid avatars

There are rare instances where an avatar might be consistent on a LinkedIn profile.

I am thinking in particular of graphic designers who choose an avatar representing them rather than a real photo in order to show their work and skills.

If this is not your case, choose an avatar will totally discredit you.

According to LinkedIn statistics and figures , a LinkedIn member with a profile picture is 7X more likely to be contacted.

So showing your face is a sign of trust in LinkedIn professionals.

2. Be alone on the LinkedIn profile picture

You must be alone in the photo.

Family photos or your vacation photos are to be avoided. You are not on Facebook!

First, network members will not be able to not distinguish who is who in your photo.

Then your private life is of no concern professionals on LinkedIn.

What they want is a perfect LinkedIn profile who will convince them of your value in just a few short moments.

3. Choose a recent photo

Your photo must represent you as you are now.

So don’t choose a photo that is ten years old. years old, just because you find her pretty.

You might have changed in the meantime and to no longer look like what you were in the photo.

If you want to avoid confusion among LinkedIn members, choose a current photo.

4. Focus on sharpness for your LinkedIn photo

Your photo should never be blurry .

Choose a sharp photo, where the outlines of your face are easily noticeable.

This adds a significant touch of confidence!

5. Have the right framing

The framing is very important and determines the effectiveness of a photo.

A profile photo where half of your face is hidden is also to be avoided. As well as the glasses of Sun.

What framing should you choose?

For starters, avoid close-up photos. They are less effective and say less about you than framed photos in “chest plane”.

To help you visualize:

The chest plan allows you to show your face and your shoulders, so they can have an overview of your dress style, which is also part of the image you want to convey.

6. Banning selfies and webcam photos on LinkedIn

The ideal framing is the chest plane.

Conversely, the worst you can do in LinkedIn profile photo material is a selfie or photo taken with your webcam.

The quality is generally bad and this nothing professional.

Unless you want to lose all your credibility in the eyes of the community, selfies are reserved for other social networks outside of professional networks.

If you want to use your phone, ensure that the photos are of good quality with a number of megapixels sufficient (at least 6mpx). And above all, no selfie!

If you have a professional camera, it’s even better.

Otherwise, the option of a professional photographer is also a very good solution to ensure that you get a perfect photo.

7. Shoulders should bear on the right

This is real marketer’s advice that I give you. In this photo, the gaze opens to the left, but on your LinkedIn profile there is nothing:

It is best to have your gaze open to the right to invite the visitor to view your cover photo and content. It’s more fluid and the gaze will naturally focus on your profile:

8. Have a formal outfit

On LinkedIn, you address professionals.

Dress code is therefore very important and is integral to the first impression you make.

I advise you to adopt a consistent style with your activity and to remain sober.

There is no point in doing too much (or not enough).

For example, a CEO or a business owner will usually have a suit and a shirt.

While a computer scientist can present a a little more casual style with just the shirt or t-shirt.

Find the balance according to your brand image. But keep in mind that your photo should keep a professional touch.

9. Smiling is essential for welcoming visitors to LinkedIn

On LinkedIn, you must be professional, but not only. You must also inspire confidence and appear sympathetic. in the eyes of the people.

Being too “serious” can put off some because it inspires a lack of spontaneity.

Life is good, so why not show a frank smile on your profile picture?

People with a neutral face are seen as less sympathetic and less friendly. It wouldn’t be good for you nor for your business.

Conversely, a strong smile shows a certain joy and generates more contacts.

So smile!

10. Pay attention to the gaze

Like the smile, the look is very important in the impression you will give.

Look at the goal!

A glance not turned towards the objective is good less effective than one who looks the lens straight in the eye.

Just imagine that the goal represents the person who visits your profile.

Would you look her in the face or turn the head ?

For maximum effectiveness, I suggest looking at the top of the lens to create a sense of ambition. You will give the community the impression of looking to the future.

11. Do not use flash

The flash is practically useless, except to make you have red eyes on your profile picture.

For obvious reasons, the red eyes on the LinkedIn profile picture should be avoided.

Instead of spending hours trying to virtually remove them, just ban the flash.

12. The right posture

Posture is essential on a LinkedIn profile picture.

The ideal is to put your back to the wall, with a distance of 2 meters so as not to have shadows, with shoulders of ¾ turned on your left.

Having your shoulders turned towards your left will cause that in the photo they will appear to the right, prompting the look of the Internet user looking at your LinkedIn banner.

The above rules apply, regardless of the posture you adopt on your LinkedIn profile picture.

13. Find balance in the decor

If nothing should be left to chance on his LinkedIn profile photo, the decor is less important … as long as it is neutral or consistent with your business.

Whether you are on a neutral background, or in your office, it will not influence the perception of people to your respect.

However, don’t freestyle either.

On LinkedIn, it’s all about balance.

There is no need to take your head to find the setting with the perfect setting for your profile picture LinkedIn.

What matters is you, your posture and what that you transmit as an image to the community.

If you’re not inspired, you can always have a neutral decor using a green background, or go to a professional photographer. It is even recommended!

14. Have good lighting

Your profile picture may be on top, if the lighting is not good, you are doomed to have to start all over again.

Avoid photos taken in the evening or in backlight.

A photo that is too dark is not effective because that LinkedIn members may not properly perceive your face.

The same goes for a photo too much bright.

The main trick is to have your face sufficiently illuminated and pay attention to shadow areas.

The rest of the photo should also have good light.

15. Choose the right size

Not all dimensions are equal for a Perfect LinkedIn profile picture.

I advise you to opt for a photo with a maximum dimension of 500×500 pixels. The best is 400×400 pixels.

However, you can post a larger photo, the LinkedIn tool will help you crop it online.

16. Avoid black and white photos

Certainly, it can give a class effect.

But I still advise you to avoid to use black and white.

To appear more authentic (and that is we are looking on LinkedIn), choose a color photo instead.

However, do not force too much saturation or heat they must reflect reality.

After that, I am not saying that black and white is not good, only it is not the best option.

NB: some recommend the black and white photo. I have not noticed more in terms of visibility. If so, please mention it in the comments.

17. Choose a professional photographer

I have already mentioned several times the idea of making call in a professional photographer.

If I put it as a tip, that’s it simply because it is the best option.

With a professional photographer, you are sure and certain to have a quality photo, well framed, well lit and clear.

He will be able to guide you in terms of posture and gaze to adopt.

The professional equipment he uses is a safe bet for a professional LinkedIn photo!

18. Take several photos

Don’t just give it a try.

Most LinkedIn professionals have took several takes before finding “THE” photo for their profile LinkedIn.

Try several games of gaze, postures and lighting.

You will thus have a wide choice to finally choose the best.

19. Seek the advice of others

Once you have a set of photos in your hands, I suggest you make a first selection.

Choose the photos you like and you match the best.

Then ask for the opinions of others, (no your family)… They will help you objectively choose the best photo possible for your LinkedIn profile.

Otherwise, there is a site that does this: Photofeeler . You upload your LinkedIn photo and other members rate you on 3 criteria. In order to have credits to be graded, the others must be graded.

20. Rework the photo

It is often tempting to use Photoshop to beautify his photo and erase his faults.

Reworking your photo is always a plus when it’s done well. The key is to do it sparingly.

If I can give you any advice: avoid Instagram or Snapchat filters!

Use the app Google Snapseed to correct the brightness, and possibly the saturation.

Conclusion: now you know how to have an effective and professional LinkedIn profile picture

Your LinkedIn profile is the web showcase of your activity.

Your LinkedIn profile picture is the first something the community will see from your ‘storefront’.

It is therefore absolutely essential not to leave nothing to chance and take care of each component of your photo profile. Going from the lighting to the posture through the gaze, the decor or dress style.

A perfect profile picture increases the rate of confidence and your sympathy capital.

Do not deprive yourself of this asset.

The photo is an essential element but only one of the 32 points to master. Find out here how to have a perfect LinkedIn profile .