A Simple Start
I want you to think of all of the places where you have an online presence. Don’t be surprised when you start to realize you have even more than you thought. Besides your website, there are the obvious ones like FB, IG, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Then there are many others you may regularly contribute to, such as Etsy, YouTube, Twitch, Reddit, Google, Apple Music, Spotify, etc. Don’t forget identities such as your email signature and even your contact info profile photo. Got the list compiled? OK, now go and do a quick survey of your main profile image (this is the image that pops up when a user visits your profile, or subscribes/follows) on each platform.
Chances are, you’ll notice some disparity amongst them. You’ll also notice that a few may be quite dated (maybe even hearkening back to when you first joined!) Some of the images may be completely unrelated to who you are personally; maybe you used a meme, stock image, or a group picture. Perhaps it is an image of you, but was created using a webcam or your phone in selfie mode. Regardless, this image should be well-composed, adequately-lit, sharp, and still make an impact when reduced in size.
Now that you’ve assessed the breadth of your online presence, consider how you could use applicable platforms to build your visual brand. Obviously, not every platform requires solidarity, but consider that creating a thematic approach of related images or utilizing the same imagery across platforms can help move you from a consumer to being considered a trusted source of reliable content for other users.
“In advertising, perception is a huge part of how your brand plays out, and unifying your online presence is a powerful aspect of building that visual brand. ”
Consider making one small tweak to your multiple online channels by utilizing the same profile picture across your most visible feeds, especially those that are directly related to what you do, or where you may have a large client following. As another option, you can utilize different imagery, as long as the images all point toward a common goal of helping the viewer understand, recognize, and associate you.
Best practices for updating your profile image for consistency:
•Ensure you have the highest quality master/original image to work from. Ideally, this would be a hi-res lossless image that you can edit in your chosen photo editing software (Photoshop, Canvas, Photoshop Express, Snapseed, etc.) A JPEG will work fine, as long as it is fairly hi-res.
•Many social media and user platforms have different sizes and crops (some circular, some banner, some square, etc.). Usually, when you update your image, there will be a dialog you can click on during the process that will give you the ideal specs and file size to ensure success. Make sure you have enough negative space (image area that is not your face/body, or logo) so you can crop in and resize in the in-app uploader when the time comes.
•Working from your main file, save a version with the pixel dimension specified for the particular site. Keeping mind you may have to switch your units from inches to pixels, and make sure you can save the image in an sRGB color space (often found under the color setting or color profile section of your image editor)
•Upload the image, do the appropriate cropping, and then take a look at the results. Rinse and repeat until you get the perfect crop. This might take a try or two-I know it took me about four tries to get my new YouTube profile pic to display correctly, so persevere.
•Lastly, make sure you check out your profile on the actual site, and be sure to check how it displays on both desktop and mobile. Keep in mind that switching your profile image will alert many of your followers, so at least you’ll get some instant gratification. Don’t be surprised when some of them comment on the consistency!
You’ll notice I didn’t mention Stillmotion/UP\ for help with creating a kick@$s profile image.
I mean, I’m hoping my desire to help you is implied, but I’m far more focused on making sure you get any halfway decent profile images online so you can practice consistency to get better results. I want you to be the hero of your story, and I want that hero to show up EVERYWHERE!
/k/
