Why your profile picture can make or break a sale online

Why your profile picture can make or break a sale online

How often have you landed on a forum or blog and thought "The person in that picture doesn't look professional at all" and you decide right then and there you're not going to purchase anything?  Well, even if you don't think like this, there are many of us out there who do.  It's kind of sad that we judge people based on the first appearance because the people judge could actually be genuine and amazing, but we're writing them off and not purchasing what could be something amazing.

Your profile picture on a blog, website, forum, etc. could actually be pushing people off of your website due to it not being as trustworthy as possible.  The better your profile picture for your industry, the more likely you'll generate sales, and that's just the honest truth lol.


People judge you based on a first appearance
Like I mentioned above, we all get judged on our appearance within the profile pictures we choose to use, and it's quite sad if you think about it.  I don't have any professional headshots or pictures of me in a suit that I can use on LinkedIn, so I'm probably losing sales over there, but I'm generating more sales on my own websites because I have one of me smiling

Judging others is just a defense mechanism that is engrained in us that we can't really get rid of.  It comes from growing up and wanting to stay safe, so we judge others in order to know if we can be around them or not, and that is the same when we're online.

The safer someone feels on your website means the more likely they'll sign up for your service or purchase your products.

The more professional you look, the better the chances of closing a deal
If you're on LinkedIn or some other platform where you're talking to business-related people, you will likely want a professional picture to portray who you are.  If you don't have one of these you'll still want to use something that shows you're a friendly person, just like I did with a picture of me smiling.

If you're a web designer or SEO specialist you can usually get away with not having a suit and tie on in your picture, but that's about it.  You can still look professional with a t-shirt on, just make sure your hair is done nice and if you have a beard be sure it's trimmed and you don't look homeless (I have this problem lol).

Using a logo as your profile picture works sometimes
When you don't have a professional picture to use, you can always use your logo until you get something to replace it.  Your logo won't always seal the deal because people won't know who they are actually talking to, and that means you might lose some sales. 

Whenever I sign up a local client for my SEO service, they always want to meet in person and I don't object to that at all, this is usually because they want to see who I really am and if my profile picture matches lol.  They feel more secure when they see it's actually me and not some random image I found online, and they will get to know me a little better after their walls go down.  If I hadn't been using a professional profile picture or my logo, I likely wouldn't have landed that client.

Always avoid a picture of you at a bar, party, or get together
If you want to be taken seriously, you can't use a picture of yourself you found on Facebook from a friends birthday party at a bar down the street.  You need to use something that has you smiling, preferably with a nice backdrop like a fountain or forest, and you will be better off than any picture of you at a party. 

It actually amazes me how many people use pictures like that as their profile images and think "I'm going to make millions online!".  Well, you're not going to make much unless you're selling party packages lol


In conclusion
If you want to make more money online, you need to be seen as a professional in your field, and that all starts with your profile picture.  The better your profile image is, the more likely you'll be contacted by others, and that means more business coming your way


Remember to follow me!
https://www.seoclerks.com/user/TommyCarey


Thanks!

Tommy Carey