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The Professional Headshot: Your first chance to make a great impression.

As a professional photographer at Tripp Photography, I have been asked many times why someone should invest in a corporate headshot. Frankly, there are many reasons why you should replace that old social media avatar of you on vacation with a professional image. Firstly, unlike a “selfie,” a professional headshot will always be clear and if your photo is clear, it is more likely you will be remembered when seen on various websites, social networks or in person. Other reasons include:
 

Branding

A professional headshot helps keep your brand consistent – ideally, you should have a image that is consistent across all networks. This doesn’t have to be the same image, but it should be of the same consistency, clarity and professional level so people will know it’s you, even if the image is different.

The image should represent YOU. You represent your brand and your business – and as such, so does that image. A professional headshot shows others that “you mean business.”
 

Trust

A professional headshot builds trust. If I receive a new friend request on Facebook and the person is local, has several mutual friends and has a quality professional image, I typically do not hesitate to accept their friend request.
 

Recognition

Keep in mind that a professional headshot should be re-taken every few years, because if your photo is more than five years old, believe me, your friends and clients will notice. We have all seen photos of Realtors who had their picture taken in the 70’s and STILL use that same image! No one is brave enough to tell them that it needs to be updated… well, here you go, “It needs to be updated!” Think about it: there is nothing worse than someone not recognizing you at a networking event even though you have been “tweeting” them for months because they were expecting someone much younger.
 

Professionalism

If you own and operate a business and your profile picture is low-quality, has someone cropped out of it (but you can still see their hair and a shoulder), was taken with your iPhone, has a harsh shadow on the wall behind you, is pixelated, has been over-edited, or is of a cartoon version of you, then you could be saying to potential clients and connections: “I am not a professional. I am brand new. I am not making enough profit to afford a professional photo. I am afraid to show my real face (I have confidence issues). I don’t care. I think my old one is good enough. I am lazy. I am a procrastinator. I just don’t know any better.”  

A professional image is simply another way you can invest in your business’ future. Taking the time to get a professional headshot done tells people you take your business seriously, you are confident, and that you are trustworthy.
 
If you have any questions, feel free to send me an email at studio@tripphotography.com    

-Christine Tripp

www.tripphotography.com

Christine Tripp became a professional photographer in 2001. As an instructor, Christine has helped hundreds of eager new photographers learn how to use their camera properly and has shown them how to make money with their photographic art. Whether she is behind her camera or teaching how to take great pictures, Christine’s proven skill, talent, patience and friendly demeanour is just a few of the many reasons she is a well-known and much-liked Ottawa photographer. Connect with Christine on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

How do you cross-post content on different social platforms?

I shared my views about automated or scheduled posts a few weeks ago. A couple of days ago, I saw this post on Lara Wellman’s Facebook page that sparked a pretty in-depth conversation about linking posts or cross-posting to different platforms. This is a different type of automation that can turn off an audience fairly quickly.

Lara shared the tip that one shouldn’t link your Twitter feed to Facebook or LinkedIn, both of which are very easy to set up. Some people do so selectively and that’s okay because they’re consciously thinking about which tweets they want to share with their Facebook audience rather than indiscriminately posting them all. There is only one word for linking a twitter account to other platforms: annoying. If I follow someone on twitter, having them post those updates to LinkedIn and Facebook as well is a big turn off. I will generally hide (or unfollow) people who do this on Facebook. That means I miss any original content they happen to post.

In the process of discussing the practice of linking social networks, another controversial practice was brought up - posting identical content across several platforms. This is primarily an issue that is isolated to Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+ since they allow long-form status updates. It can include Twitter, but I’ll come back to that.

When I shared my last Media Mesh post, here’s what happened:

  • Facebook: Automatically updated when RSS Graffiti pulls my feed. (Side note: I’m considering discontinuing this particular automation due to the impact it has on engagement and Edge Rank. Even Facebook doesn’t like you to automate!) I try to remember to manually share the same post the next day when I don’t have a regular post scheduled.
  • LinkedIn: I posted the link with this message - “Do you have a business or know of one that’s interested in starting a blog? Here’s a few suggestions on where to start.”
  • Google+: Again, I posted the link, but with a different message - “This is just the first ten I thought of, but I’m sure there are more suggestions. What advice would you give to a business that wants to start a blog?”

It’s my view that these three tools are unique in features, audience, reach and engagement.

I’m just getting started using LinkedIn to promote my content, but for now I’m going with a business angle because that seems to make the most sense. I also don’t see a lot of engagement on LinkedIn, so a call to action may not be appropriate. With Google+ I do get a lot of feedback from the audience, so I tend to ask their opinion and give them the option of adding to my thoughts. With Facebook I might do something similar, but I might ask users what their top DOs and DON’Ts are for starting a blog.

These are subtle differences that will create a different conversation on each platform - ideally - and engage users/followers in a way that works best on the platform. That’s a strategic decision that I’ve made for my content.

But does it work to post the identical message and call to action on all three? Sometimes, but it’s not always a good idea. It’s important to know your audience with each platform. If you have a lot of overlap, tailor your messaging or change the time you post so that you don’t look as if you’re blatantly copying and pasting. It’s really worth it to take a few extra seconds to actively engage in a more personalized, audience-specific way.

Sixty Second Social: Blogging is not a monologue

Several weeks ago a fairly passionate debate was sparked about the value of comments. It all started when a fairly popular blogger (Matt Gemmell) wrote a follow-up about his decision to eliminate comments from his blog - not unlike Seth Godin, though his reasons aren’t quite the same. A couple of other blogs (MG Siegler and MacStories) responded to Matt Gemmell’s post in support of the decision.

Are comments required on a blog? No. Nor should they be. Every blogger has the right to his/her own policies. I say it often: My blog. My rules.

But…

When a blogger posts about something, there’s always the possibility of discussion around it. By removing comments, you ensure that there are no angry tirades on your site, but it takes away the social part of a blog - and, make no mistake, blogging is a tool of social media.

Writing my thoughts and hitting publish gives me the chance to share my side of things. Comments allow my readers to respond and keep my blog from becoming a one-sided broadcast (we all know how much we hate that on Twitter, a microblog). Occasionally, readers will write a post in response, which is a good solution when your thoughts are too long for a comment, but I often receive an accompanying comment (along with the pingback) to alert me to their contribution to the conversation.

When I write about a controversial issue and comments flood in (“flood” is relative, by the way), it can be a little challenging to keep up with responses and stay calm when I get critical comments. On the other hand, I think the discourse is extremely important. Whether I agree with your opinion or not, I’m open to hearing what you have to say - provided we all stay respectful. I will not tolerate trolls.

Disabling comments gives the impression of a closed door, “Here’s my view - take it or leave it” attitude. Some of the blogs I respect a great deal are high traffic sites where the author responds to many (if not all) comments. A few have even taken the time to visit my little blog when I’ve linked back to their posts. How do I know? I get a comment from them. (I’m impressed by little things like that.)

As always, don’t take my word for it - here are a few additional opinions about blog comments with ideas for how to solve some of the genuine challenges that exist, as well as some debunking of the “troll” stereotype given to anonymous and pseudonymous commenters:


What do you think of the idea of turning off comments on your blog? Would you ever do it?

Social 101: The 5 Ws of Facebook

Everyone has a different opinion on Facebook. These days, with changes on the horizon, many users are once again resistant and pushing back against further changes. So, if it’s so bad, why do we keep logging in? What keeps us coming back to this Web site that inspires such frustration?

Our friends. Our business. Our interests.

What?

Facebook is the quintessential social network. It started out as a two-way connection - reciprocity required. This is still the primary focus of the network, though they have since added Pages, Groups and most recently Subscribers which are not reciprocal connections.

Who?

From a personal perspective, I think that anyone who wants to connect with other people can get value out of Facebook. From a business or entity perspective, it’s a marketing tool that packs quite a punch. 845 million active accounts to spread your message to - what marketer can resist that concentration of audience? (Side note: I refuse to say “users” as I know - and you probably do too - that not all of those 845M accounts are unique users.)

When?

Post at least daily, but not too often. There’s a fine line on the slower-paced Facebook (as compared to Twitter) that some cross regularly. Rule of thumb? No more than two to three status updates per day and make sure you space them out. Facebook users will “unlike” your page if you annoy them. I know I have.

Where?

Facebook’s mobile apps keep getting better, but it’s still a better experience in a Web browser. For quick status updates, check-ins or mobile photo uploads, mobile is great. If you’re considering live-Facebooking an event? I’d recommend against it. Twitter is a much better venue for that kind of discourse.

Why?

Recently, I’ve noticed a lot of my friends looking back at their first Facebook status. I didn’t use an app, but I did scroll down my timeline to see what my first update was. It took me four months to say anything after I joined and I think the primary reason is that I didn’t really know what I wanted to say to these people who were not exactly a part of my daily life. I’ve since caught on to the power of those connections, interacting with other people and getting a glimpse into their daily lives. Seeing what brands and other entities are doing for their customers. It can be a pretty heady experience to be in-the-know.

What would you add to the 5 Ws of Facebook?

Sixty Second Social: Broadcasting vs. Engagement

We’ve all seen the social media users that do nothing but tweet out links, quotes or statements. You look at their profile and there’s rarely any interaction with their followers.

Traditional media is about broadcasting. New media, social media (whatever you want to call it) is about an ongoing dialogue:

Twitter
Scroll through the tweets in your timeline and find nuggets to retweet or respond to - it only takes a few minutes. Don’t forget to reply to those who mention you. It doesn’t have to be every single mention, but it should be as many as possible.

Facebook / Google+
Scroll through your stream and comment on the posts that interest you. Share them with your followers if appropriate.

Blogs
Leave meaningful comments on other blog posts. You don’t have to agree with the person’s thoughts, but commenting lets others know that you’re out there - and there’s no better way to promote your own work.

Engagement isn’t quick or convenient, but it’s absolutely worth your time.

What do you think of users who exclusively broadcast content rather than engaging followers? Do you think a “broadcaster’s”content is valued as much as content from someone who actively engages their followers?

Image: digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net