The Sixth Excuse for Not Using the Power of Social Media

This sixth excuse of the eight excuses I wrote about for a FastGush.com guest post has shades of vanity:

6. I don't have a professional headshot to use on social media profiles

Have someone take a photo of you in good light with no sunglasses or hat and with a smile. (No low neckline either.) You don't need a professional headshot – just a nice one.

Here is the really important thing to keep in mind about the photo you use on your social media profiles:

Authentic is what you want to appear. If you appear in a professional headshot that makes you look like a movie star but not who you really are, you do not understand what social media is all about.

Social media is about having conversations online between real people – people who don't always have a good hair day or whose bags under their eyes haven't been eliminated by PhotoShop.

After all, if you meet someone in person you want to be recognized by your social media headshot. And this is unlikely to happen if you have a professional "movie star" photo taken.

Hold on – I'm not saying professional photographs aren't good. I am saying that, if you decide to have a professional photograph taken for your social media photo, have it be the way you really look. You shouldn't feel compelled to look fabulous in your social media headshot.

And if you are tweeting for your company, it is still better to use a headshot than a corporate logo or, for example, a scenic photo associated with your website design.

People relate to people. When I'm skimming my Twitter feed to read the most recent updates, my eye is more strongly attracted by the headshots of the people I know than by their Twitter usernames. (And especially given the size of those photos in the Twitter feed, a good headshot is definitely more memorable.)

When I decide to follow people on Twitter, the presence or absence of a headshot on their Twitter profile weighs heavily in my evaluation. (For some of the other points that I consider, see my blog post "5 Twitter Profile Tips")

And remember, you can always change your photo as easily as you upload it originally. You're not stuck with the first photo you upload.

One question I have been asking myself: If my hairstyle hasn't changed, how many years after I upload my headshot do I need to switch to a new photo? And, of course, this means substituting my new photo on all social media sites on which I participate.

If you have any opinions on this question of how closely your photo needs to match your age, do leave your comments below.

(You can read all 8 excuses now on FastGush.com.)

Plus read the blog post about the first excuse: "I don't have time to do social media"

The post about the second excuse: "I have nothing to say on social media"

The post about the third excuse: "People in my target market aren't on social media"

The post about the fourth excuse: "I'm not a techie"

The post about the fifth excuse: "I'm not a good speller"

© 2011 Miller Mosaic LLC

Phyllis Zimbler Miller (@ZimblerMiller on Twitter) is the co-founder of the social media marketing company Miller Mosaic LLC.

Get the free information "8 Social Media Marketing Mistakes" and "Social Media Marketing Does Not Magically Work; You Have to Work It" at www.facebook.com/millermosaicsocialmedia