Social media has changed the “dress code” of the photos we use on our website and for our social media profiles. Nowadays we no longer expect to see photos of businessmen and businesswomen dressed in formal business attire.
If we’re taking the advice of an Internet marketing entrepreneur, for example, we want to “see” that he/she looks just like us — that what he/she does successfully is possible for us to do successfully. Thus if we don’t see ourselves dressed in formal business attire, we probably don’t want to see the guru dressed that way either.
This is why I recommended to a person whose website caters to entrepreneurs that he needs a new photo. His current photo shows a stern face, and he’s wearing a suit along with a tie that stands out so much my eyes focused on the tie and barely looked at his face.
Instead he needs a photo that shows him with a smile and wearing a nice shirt, subtly indicating he’s ready to roll up his sleeves and get to work just like any other entrepreneur.
And watch where your arms are in your social media photo. An online colleague recently asked if I agreed with his friends who said his arms crossed in front of his chest made him appear intimidating. I absolutely agreed — and pointed out that he didn’t need to take a new photo, just crop the photo above the folded arms.
We all know that body language conveys a great deal. Thus check that your website photos and your social media photos project the image that will best connect with your target market.
(c) 2010 Miller Mosaic, LLC
Phyllis Zimbler Miller has an M.B.A. from The Wharton School and is the co-founder of the social media marketing company Miller Mosaic Power Marketing. Get her free report “How to Monetize Your Site/Blog Without Ads” at www.millermosaicllc.com/monetize-your-site
