People want to know how you look.

To put it simply, your profile picture provides visitors with their first impression of you.  People will take in your facial expression, clothing (or lack thereof), pets, scenery and body language, then draw their own conclusion of your personality based on these seemingly trivial elements.

As companies and business professionals journey into the realm of social media, selecting an appropriate profile picture becomes more complicated than it appears to be at first glance.

Adhering to the following guidelines should help to simplify the process:

Avoid webcam or mobile phone pictures

Most mobile phones and webcams take low-resolution photos.  The context of the photo is often boring and tends to lack personality.

Invest in a professional headshot

Having a photographer take your headshot is a surefire way to get a quality profile picture.  It shows that you value your career and take your business seriously.  Even if you aren’t a high-powered executive, your profile picture can certainly make you look like one!

Make sure your current picture matches your current “look”

As a social media strategist, I attend networking events and conferences occasionally, and I often try to track people down using either their LinkedIn or Twitter profile picture for reference.  I’ve come to notice that not everyone’s profile picture matches their current “look.” Displaying an updated photo is key to being recognized at events.  If you are noticeable based on your profile picture alone, you are already one step ahead of the crowd at a conference or networking event.

Show some personality

Candid photos display the real you. Vacation, holiday and family photos are good places to start looking for a profile picture.  Just make sure you’re the only one in the photo for a personal profile, and that the subject matter is appropriate for professional purposes.

Maximize your brand

One of the biggest mistakes I often see is a company branded Twitter profile with a personal image and/or background.  You’ve worked too hard to build your brand to not maximize it.  Company logos or products are sufficient for profiles representing a company or product.

Remember: Though it may seem trivial, a profile picture can actually draw people to your page or repel them.

Blogging is an excellent way of showing your company’s creativity, expertise and personality through words.  Although blogging is a great hub for your social media strategy, a mishandled blog can deliver a crucial blow to your brand identity.

As a marketing communications agency, we tend to blog about topics relevant to our careers.  We blog about the importance of creativity, what’s going on in the world of social media, and how increasing your marketing budget isn’t a bad idea.  Our blogs are consistent with our brand identity.

If your company manufactures tennis shoes, and you are the number one tennis shoe company in the world, your blog isn’t going to be filled with information about the newest steel toe boot.  It would confuse your customers and could possibly have a strong enough impact to lower your market share.

Similar to a products brand identity, your blog will eventually evolve and change based on the feedback received from your readers.  Conduct a poll every quarter to see what you can keep doing and what you may need to change.

Believe it or not, your blog has created value for your readers (that’s why they keep coming back). Please, blog responsibly.