Social Media is incredible. It’s your platform to the wonderful, wide, world. You have the chance to market yourself, a project or business and really make it boom. The opportunities online are endless. So long as you present yourself in the right way.

The influence of a profile photo is sometimes underestimated. Your profile photo is one of the most important aspects in your online profiling universe. You need your photo to represent you in a positive light, that reflects your personality. You need to be friendly, professional and genuine. Remember, this photo is somebodys first impression of you. You need it to scream out praise and stick in their mind… for the right reasons!

Okay, so if you have copious amounts of pictures with you’re adorable toy poodle, half naked on the beach or painted head to toe in neon paint doing shots at the bar, keep them on your personal FaceyB page. Twitter and Linkedin is where it starts to get more important. Or any site really, in which you can be seen by business and individuals that you do not know, you need to be careful in how you portray yourself. Still be yourself, be fun, passionate and voice your opinions (within sensible limitations!)… just try and stay away from those pouty, in the mirror selfies!

I have put together some A* tips to help you create the perfect social media profile photo.

This will change your life.

Attitude

The way you hold yourself is key. Keep your body straight, shoulders back and head up. Remember to smile. Not just with your mouth, but also with your eyes. Eye contact is an important factor. You would always make eye contact in an interview, so ensure you do in your photograph. Looking others in the eye during introduction shows confidence, and people are naturally drawn to those who have a healthy sense of self-worth.

Attire

You need to represent your professional image in your wardrobe choice. Ensure that you feel comfortable in what you are wearing and select flattering colours and styles that suit you.

Angle

This is not a ten year old passport photo or a police mug shot. Make sure your profile photo is current. A universally flattering angle for a photo is from slightly above, with your face turned at an angle. Take a few shots and select your favourite. Also, try and avoid the cliche arm-out-taking-my-own-photo pose. If there is nobody around to help you, use a timer. Most cameras, and even phones, have them these days.

Ambience

Think about your background. Try and keep it as plain as possible. This photo is about you. Avoid using photos that you have had to crop somebody else out of. Make sure the lighting is suitable and your headshot is clear and of good quality. The colours in the image should compliment each other, if you are worried about skin tones or blemishes maybe try editing the photo to black and white, it can often be quite flattering. Don’t go overboard on editing, you want the photo to be simple, yet effective.

Now, put yourself out there and get where you want to go. Good Luck.