How do you decide who to follow on social media?
Just thinking about who I decide to follow here on SavvySME and how I make that decision and wanted to share it with you.
If you don't upload your photo in your profile I won't click the follow button. As I scan the newest members I don't even bother reading the names of people who don't bother to have a photo but the ones who do I read their whole description and then... the ones who catch my attention because of what they are into I go and read their whole profiles, click through to their websites, check out their Facebook pages, everything.
By not having your photo on here you could be missing out on heaps of connections with others in the SavvySME community who tend to do what I just described.
I'm interested to know if it's just me that does this or not. How do you decide to follow people here?
This is something I became passionate about when researching my business. I realised very quickly that I connected more with websites if I saw a photo of the owner on their About Us page. It also added or detracted from their brand. Which is why it is good sensible advice to have your profile photo taken professionally.
It's not just you Peter..... I've stuck to this rule for years. The owner of the business should be transparent enough to show a good clear head shot.... people buy from people not logo's or blank gravatars! Many businesses these days think showing their logo instead of their headshot is marketing their brand in the online market place. I'm a big believer that YOU are your brand.... it doesn't matter what you look like.... people would still rather see you than a logo or nothing. It's not just on SavvySME that I use this rule, this is across the board on most social media.
Great points Peter! I totally agree, and I love how you also told me you make it a point to wear your hat as part of your "branding" as well! It's these little things that will matter when you are trying to build trust online!
Thank you for bringing this up :)
I actually wrote an article about this previously entitled 10 tips to a killer profile image and there a few tips in there that can help you get a good profile image without having to pay a lot of money to get a professional to take your photos. If you can afford by all means do that and you'll have great images to use for all your online press and profile pictures :)!
I agree. I will not click on a profile if there is no profile picture. It doesn't take much, and you can't be shy online. You need to "connect", then you can engage. Pictures connect.
Good point - my profile pic has just changed (I still think my logo looks better than I do !!!)
See Paul, it works. I just went and followed ya :)
I agree, a business needs to be transparent, and it is the business owner who I am entrusting to provide the service which I am engaging. No need to be shy - its about trust.
This is the same for LinkedIn profiles - I still just cannot believe why so many people do not have any picture or do not have a decent picture on their profile (and having one cropped from a party photo just doesn't cut it), even though everyone has at least a camera on their phone.
Makes me question how professional they can perform in their described roles.
I can't even figure out HOW to upload a photo... tried multiple browsers but it just goes to a dead page.
If you connect your Facebook account it just loads that profile for you.
Yes, but I don't like to use Facebook to cross-connect and log into web apps... gives them all sorts of access to things I don't necessarily want them to access. Also... If I left Facebook or something else, I'd lose access to the webapps as well.
Agree wholeheartedly, there's a real disconnect with no photo.
Wendy Huang, Full Time Blogger and YouTuber at A Custom Blog in 4 Minutes
And thats why your online branding is so powerful :)! Great points Sandy!