Your LinkedIn profile picture is one of the first things people will see when they view your profile. It helps form that all-important first impression, so it’s important to choose the right photo. But with so many options, how do you know what makes a good LinkedIn profile picture? Here are some tips on what your photo should and shouldn’t include to make sure you’re putting your best face forward on LinkedIn.
What Makes a Good LinkedIn Profile Picture?
A Professional Headshot
The best type of photo for your LinkedIn profile is a professional headshot taken by a photographer. This shows you put care and thought into your profile. Here are some things that make for a great headshot:
- Portrait style, with your head and shoulders clearly visible
- High resolution with good lighting so your face is clearly visible
- Neutral background that isn’t distracting
- Friendly smile that looks natural
- Appropriate work attire, like a suit jacket or blouse
Investing in a professional photographer to take your headshot is worth it. It makes you look polished, trustworthy and established in your career.
You Alone
Your profile picture should be a photo of just you. Group shots or photos with a partner or spouse can be confusing or come across unprofessional. Make sure it’s clearly just you in the picture.
Recent Photo
Use a photo that reflects what you currently look like. Don’t use a photo that is more than a couple years old or doesn’t match your current hairstyle or hair color. You want to look like your actual self when meeting colleagues in person.
Face Forward
Face the camera directly in your profile photo. Side profiles or slightly turned shots don’t clearly show your face. Facing forward shows confidence.
Good Lighting
Make sure the lighting in your photo is flattering. Side lighting or a window can create unflattering shadows. Soft, even lighting usually looks best for professional headshots.
Smiling
A slight smile looks both friendly and approachable in a profile picture. You want to appear warm and inviting to potential connections.
What to Avoid in Your LinkedIn Profile Picture
Distracting Backgrounds
Avoid backgrounds that are distracting or informal like your home, a party, or on vacation. Neutral backgrounds like an office or solid wall work best.
Informal Attire
Don’t wear tank tops, t-shirts, revealing clothing or hats in your profile photo. You want to look professional. Wear attire you’d be comfortable wearing for important client meetings.
Group Photos
As mentioned, don’t use group shots with other people. It can be confusing about who you are in the photo.
Outdated Photos
Make sure your photo is from the last 1-2 years. Hairstyle, hair color and even weight can change over time.
Cropped Photos
Full head and shoulder photos work best. Cropped pictures or selfies from under your chin can look unprofessional.
Filters
Avoid using photo filters or excessive retouching. You want to look natural and like your true self.
Inappropriate Gestures
Don’t make inappropriate gestures in your photo like holding alcoholic drinks. Maintain a professional demeanor.
Distracting Backgrounds
As mentioned earlier, make sure your background is neutral and not distracting. Avoid cluttered rooms or inappropriate backgrounds.
Profile Picture Size & Dimensions
To ensure your profile picture properly populates across LinkedIn, it must be:
- 400 x 400 pixels minimum
- 20KB or less
- JPG, BMP, or PNG format
Double check your photo meets these requirements before uploading it. A photo that is blurry or stretched because it doesn’t meet the dimensions will reflect poorly.
How Often to Update Your Profile Picture
You should update your LinkedIn profile picture every 1-2 years to keep it current. More frequent than that runs the risk of confusing connections who expect you to look a certain way. But you also don’t want an outdated photo.
Some appropriate times to update your photo include:
- You’ve changed roles
- You completed an advanced degree
- You’ve made other major professional changes
- Your appearance changes significantly
Minor changes like a new hairstyle usually aren’t enough on their own to warrant a profile photo update. Use your best judgment based on the magnitude of changes.
Tips for Taking Your Own LinkedIn Profile Photo
If hiring a professional photographer isn’t in your budget, you can take your own quality headshot for your profile. Here are some tips:
- Use a quality camera, not your mobile phone. Invest in a DSLR if you don’t have one.
- Use a tripod and timer so you get clear, non-blurry shots. The camera shutter button can shake the camera.
- Take photos outside during golden hour (shortly before sunset) for excellent lighting.
- Have someone else control the camera if possible while you pose.
- Take a lot of shots and review them after – you can always delete the bad ones.
- Consider buying a remote camera trigger to control the camera buttons.
- Follow all the “dos and don’ts” we covered earlier in the article.
With some practice and technique, you can take professional grade headshots yourself.
Should You Pay to Remove the LinkedIn Photo Background?
LinkedIn offers a paid feature where they will digitally remove the background of your profile picture so it appears as just you without any surroundings. This costs $29.99 per photo as of this writing.
This may be worth considering if you have a quality headshot photo already but the background isn’t ideal. It can save you the cost of having new professional headshots taken.
However, if you don’t already have a great headshot of yourself, you’re likely better off investing that $29.99 into getting photos professionally taken instead. The best way to get the right profile photo is starting with a professionally done headshot.
Choosing Profile Photos for Consistency
Make sure to use the same profile photo across all your professional social media profiles and company website bio if possible. This includes LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, your work email signature, and any employee or executive bio on your company site.
Consistency builds your professional brand and makes you easily recognizable. Switching up your profile photo on every site can be confusing and dilute your brand.
The easiest way to ensure consistency is taking a batch of quality profile worthy photos all at once for use across your profiles.
Should You Get Your Photo Professionally Taken Every Year?
Getting high quality professional headshots every year may seem excessive. But doing so can pay off in always having an up to date profile photo on hand for any site or use case.
The key is building it into your marketing and professional development budget annually. Set aside a few hundred dollars each year to get an updated professional headshot. Often photographers will offer package deals for purchasing multiple years upfront at a discount.
The cost is minor compared to the boost it can provide in how polished and professional your profile appears. Consider it a worthwhile investment in your personal brand.
Does Your Facial Expression Matter?
Your facial expression in your LinkedIn profile picture does matter. Here are some tips on what to aim for:
- Smile slightly to appear warm and approachable
- Avoid wide open mouthed smiles which can appear overeager or unprofessional in some cultures
- Maintain good posture and eye contact with the camera
- Relax your face – no clenched jaws or exaggerated expressions
- Exude confidence through your facial posture
Your goal should be to appear relaxed, confident, warm, and trustworthy. A simple smile goes a long way to achieving that. Practice in the mirror before your photo shoot!
Should You Show Teeth When Smiling?
This depends on your personal preference and what makes you feel most natural. Some tips:
- A closed mouth smile can convey warmth without showing teeth.
- A slightly open smile with teeth visible can look inviting and friendly.
- A wide open, laughing smile may appear too casual.
- If your teeth are naturally prominent, a closed mouth smile may be better.
- Well groomed teeth can lend an image of confidence.
There are pros and cons to both smiles with teeth showing versus closed mouth. Choose what flatters you most and test out both when having photos taken.
Should You Make Eye Contact With the Camera?
Yes, maintaining comfortable eye contact with the camera lens leads to a more confident, trustworthy profile photo. Avoid glancing sideways or looking down which can convey shyness or uncertainty. Gazing directly at the camera shows you are focused and engaged.
What Is the Best Photo Editing Software to Use?
If using your own photos, you’ll want to perform some professional editing and touch ups prior to uploading to LinkedIn. Here are some recommended photo editing software options:
Photo Editor | Price | Key Features |
---|---|---|
Adobe Photoshop | $10 – $20/month | Advanced editing capabilities, works with PSD files |
GIMP | Free | Open source, similar to Photoshop |
Pixlr | Free | Browser based, more basic features |
Snapseed | Free app | Mobile editing, easy to use |
Adobe Photoshop remains the gold standard for advanced photo editing and touch ups. But free options like GIMP provide extensive capabilities as well. Go with the option that best fits your budget and technical needs.
Should You Use a Portrait Mode Photo?
Portrait mode is a feature on newer phones that digitally blurs the background behind a person. This can create more focus on the subject compared to a busy background. Using a portrait mode photo for your LinkedIn profile can work well if done properly. Here are some tips:
- Make sure the quality and lighting still look professional.
- Review that the blur effect looks natural.
- Wear appropriate attire and have a relaxed facial expression.
- Take the photo outside for best results.
- Use a quality phone camera like an iPhone X or newer Android.
With care, portrait mode can deliver an excellent profile photo quickly and easily. The background blur puts all focus on you. Just take test shots and review the quality first before uploading the best one.
Common LinkedIn Profile Picture Mistakes to Avoid
To ensure you have the best profile photo representing you on LinkedIn, here are some common mistakes to avoid:
- Blurry or pixelated photos
- Head tilting sideways
- Cropped off forehead or chin
- Shadows or bad lighting
- Messy hair or expression
- Distracting backgrounds
- Wearing sunglasses
- Side eye glances
- Unprofessional attire
- Group photos with others
Review those issues and make sure your chosen photo avoids them all. Refer frequently to the earlier tips in this article to ensure you select the right picture.
Conclusion
Choosing the ideal profile photo for your LinkedIn account matters. A professional headshot provides the best impression. Invest in high quality photography periodically, stick to neutral backgrounds, wear formal attire, use good lighting, smile naturally, and exude confidence. Consistency across networks strengthens your personal brand. Avoid common mistakes like blurry or misleading photos. Your picture represents you – put thought into selecting the right one!