To choose the right photo for any platform, you must first answer this question:
“What are you trying to accomplish?”
On LinkedIn you are trying to look professional.
On Facebook you are trying to look fun and social.
On dating sites you are trying to look attractive.
So how do we do figure out which photos are best without doing extensive A/B split testing?
The best way I’ve found so far is PhotoFeeler. You upload a picture you want and other people rate it. These photo tests are free if you rate other people’s photos, but I’m lazy AF and bought $100 in credits to bypass that.
There are 3 tests you can do for each photo:
- Social Test: Ranks your photo for Confident, Authentic, Fun.
- Business Test: Ranks your photo for Competent, Likable, Influential.
- Dating Test: Ranks your photo for Smart, Trustworthy, Attractive.
I ran 17 photos through each of these 3 tests, for a total of 51 tests. Before we start making any profile picture changes, let’s go through the test results:
Here’s the tests we ran on PhotoFeeler:
Neville with Neutral Expression:
I thought this would be the highest performing photo of myself. Data shows it’s average at best. The same photo with me smiling a lot did FAR better.
Neville Smiling Really Big:
I actually hated this photo when I saw it because my face is squished together and you can see lines/wrinkles and my eyes are 90% closed. However this was by FAR the highest performing picture I tested across the board. It did’t make me look like a “businessman” but in the social realm this did best:
Neville with Neutral Disdain:
This picture was my Facebook profile picture for a long time, and literally EVERYONE told me they hated it and that I looked scary. It wasn’t until I saw the abysmal results of these tests that I acknowledge that maybe this photo isn’t a great profile pic. On the plus side for “dating” it did well!
Neville Smiling And Crossing Arms:
This photo could have come across as more “Influential” if I wasn’t wearing sunglasses and dressed very casually. But across the board this one did fairly well.
Neville Doing A Handstand:
I’m pretty sure I’m just an idiot, but I thought this picture was really cool. HOWEVER, it’s cool only in conjunction with other pictures where you can see my face. The fact you cannot clearly see my face here shoots down all business and dating prospects with this photo. It DOES however appear to rank off the charts in the “Fun” category :-)
Neville Staring Vaguely In The Distance:
This was my Twitter profile, LinkedIN profile, AND Facebook Profile for several years. It ranks quite poorly across the boars. I’m guessing the expression is too lifeless. Oh yeah, the GOLD TIPS on my hair probably don’t help either :-P
Neville Smiling Slightly:
I thought this picture was pretty decent. What I realized puts a picture over the top is smiling with teeth showing, which this doesn’t have.
Neville Smiling On Website:
This is the picture from the homepage of KopywritingKourse. My eyes look directly at the signup form when viewed in desktop mode:
Neville Casually Sitting:
Casually sitting down, dressed casual, with a casual glass of wine, with casual shoes:
Neville On Laptop WITH Homer:
This is a nice photo of me working outside, with a Home Simpson sticker on my laptop. In the comments of this photo, people said the Homer Simpson photo made it looks less professional:
Neville On Laptop WITHOUT Homer:
I photoshopped out the Homer Simpson on my laptop. I think a version of this where my tie was on tighter would’ve ranked this even higher.
Neville Dressed Indian:
This one did phenomenally well in the social category, and average in the business category:
Noah Kagan Crazy Hair and Crazy Beard:
As a control test I used this photo of my buddy Noah to see if these tests were real or fake. OBVIOUSLY I expected this photo to perform poorly across the board (also I’ll take any opportunity I can to publicly ridicule Noah) ;-)
Noah Kagan With Smile and “Power Arms”:
We’ll let Noah redeem himself with a proper photo! This is on the homepage of OkDork and converts very highly:
Ramit Staring You Down:
This is a photo from IWillTeachYouToBeRich. The photo scores quite high in the business category:
Derek Halpern With Suit And Power Pose:
This is from the Social Triggers homepage. It’s a great photo that looks like Derek is a “Business Superhero” or something. I thought this would rank higher in the “business” category, but instead was sky-high in the “dating” category.
Derek Halpern With Neutral Disdain:
This is a photo from the Social Triggers website. I think the photo itself is good, but it makes Derek look kinda douchey. On the plus side, it got a 94% on the attractiveness scale!
Here’s the top pictures from each category:
These are the top 8 pictures of me ranked in descending order by their total scores, separated by category (Social, Dating, Business):
Changing Profile Pictures Based On Results:
The useful result of these tests is I can easily see which pictures would work best.
It turns out I have the WORST POSSIBLE PICTURES of me on pretty much every platform!
I immediately went through and started changing them all:
Changed my Instagram picture:
The Instagram change was subtle. Of the two head shots I thought the non-smiling one looked better, but the data shows otherwise, so it got changed:
Changed my Facebook picture:
More than 10 people have told me they absolutely hate my Facebook profile picture. I don’t know why I never listened, but soon as I saw the crowd-sourced results I changed it:
Changed my LinkedIN picture:
I’ve had the same LinkedIN profile picture since the day I got LinkedIN…and the picture DOES NOT look professional at all. Time for a much needed re-fresh of the picture which ranked highest in the business category!
Changed my Twitter picture:
I was rocking the gold tips photo for a while on Twitter which performed horribly in the tests, so I changed it up to something more smiley:
Changed my About Page pictures:
Social media pics aren’t the only thing you can change based on these. On the KopywritingKourse About Page I had a set of three pictures showing who I am.
Those pictures were sub-optimal pictures according to these ratings. I switched them out for some higher ranking ones:
You’re able to “Split Test” photos with little effort:
Not everyone has the software, traffic, know-how, or time to split test photos for effectiveness. So running a photo through some of these tests is a very simple way to figure out which is the best photo for the job.
If you’re a designer this gives you SOME “evidence” of how a photo performs. For example, here is the front page of my own website KopywritingKourse, with my face on it:
I ran a few quick tests (it took about 10 minutes to get the results), and based on these tests I can instantly see this photo is acceptable to use:
Sincerely
Neville “If I Smile I Get Rated Higher” Medhora
P.S. Checkout PhotoFeeler to rate your own photos (I have no affiliation with PhotoFeeler, I just thought their service and ease-of-use was pretty great).
P.P.S. I might just go through and test people’s photos randomly, so make sure to link a social account or two ;)
Hi Neville,
Well, thanks for the Profile Pic ideas for my next professional LinkedIn Profile.
GOLD TIPS for the win
Why thank you Jeff :)
i’m soooo curious what can you say about my pictures :)
This is an one amazing post with solid data. I wish the dating or Matrimony sites should have a tie up with the photofeeler.
I use the same photo everywhere, Like twitter, instagram Facebook.
Here is the URL http://twitter.com/thesureshg
Thanks
Awesome post!
Applying data to everything :D :D
My linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/benblue
I appreciate your out-of-the-box thinking… it makes sense!
Ben
Thanks for this Sir, it’s great resource. I’m just finishing a contract and am starting to look for new full time job… so it’s perfect.
I’m thinking my LinkedIn image will perform a little better in business category. Thoughts?
https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlienb/
https://twitter.com/CharlieNB
Thanks!
Charlie
Ahah, those posts I why I’ll never stop reading you :)
Would be curious to see a split test between Apple laptop and say black standard Lenovo laptop!
Hahaha, thanks Thomas, they are fun to do! Not sure how different the results would be, I think the logos are more distracting than anything. Would be interesting though (my hypothesis would be the result wouldn’t change a DRASTIC amount).
Finally a guide to guide on which type of photo to use. You nailed it. I don’t think there is any other article that breaks it down about the headshot and the photos for social media. Thanks a whole lot man.
So idk if you will get time to have a look but
https://www.facebook.com/ankitonajourney
https://twitter.com/thoughtosaur
Hey Ankit, I thought this was a fascinating subject too!
Anyhow, here were your results:
Out of these two photos your “Business” one performed really well, but the social one less. I think that social photo of you is too dark and not zoomed in. I can hardly see your face without straining, and I’m assuming the raters thought so also!
Hey Neville,
Thanks for the results. I am a little bit surprised at this result. Immediately after reading this article, I uploaded the same image for “Business” category as you uploaded. and the results I got is a lot different than yours.
I got total of 64 votes
The results were
30% Competent,
14% Likeable and
29% Influential
This is a stark contrast to the results you got on my image. What should we make of this?
Hi Nev (I feel like after a few years of following you I can call you Nev… can I?)
Have you ever “known” something is true without really “knowing” it?
That’s me and this post….
Of course, it is no secret a smile is priceless to us humans…
The great Zig Zigler even said it point blank – “a smile is your greatest social asset”
But what if your camera shy… what if you think you have a horrible smile…
For years that has been where my head went…
But now, with my new website (http://dpositiveimpact.com/ ), I decided to “get over” myself and post a photo for all to see…
I’m glad to get this post from you very soon after. Makes me feel better about doing that.
Hope I picked a good one ;)
P.S
Here is the one I thoguth of using before – https://www.facebook.com/dganit.platt
Hey D, I think in general people on social platforms enjoy seeing smiling and laughter or goofiness (at least that’s what seems to do well in PhotoFeeler on the “social” category).
Since your picture doesn’t look too “happy” it did on the lower end:
Great article Neville, i’m going to have to pay more attention to your emails when they arrive in my inbox! :$
I’m just in the process of updating my portfolio site and currently use the same photo I use on LInkedIn.
I’m definitely going to have to review it.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rich-field-15922814/
Hey there Rich! The photo rated below-average, probably because the picture was very small and grainy, and looked more like a random Facebook picture you cropped, rather than a professional head shot. Maybe time to hire a photographer for a quick head shot session!
Putting a link to my Tinder account for two reasons:
1. Noone else has!
2. Morbid curiosity – what do other people think?
I’m not big on reminiscing and prefer being in the present moment and actually doing stuff so I don’t often take the time to stop for a picture. Reading about your experiment makes me think that maybe I should make an effort to take more!
Here it is: http://tinder.com/@probablyabadidea
Hey Amber, you are brave!
I doubt as an attractive girl it would be too difficult to match with men on Tinder, but an even BETTER photo might help increase the odds of even higher quality men I’m sure!
Here’s how the internet rated that photo:
I think as a dating photo it rated just average because it isn’t more of a full-body shot and it’s quite dark and hard to see.
Nev,
Loved the post man –
I asked myself why you sponsored it on Facebook for a sec, if you’re not affiliated with PhotoFeeler.
Then realized I had already started sharing this with a few friends and clients, so I understand the value ;)
Would love to have some pics rated!
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimeurteaga/
https://www.digitalchair.com/images/jaime-urteaga.jpg
PS – I’m gonna use and share this article and service with a lot of future clients; awesome work thinking of writing about this!
Hey Jaime! Your pics performed kinda low because for business they seem a bit casual.
I don’t think this is a HUGE deal necessarily, but it might be time for a quick photoshoot, and post those photos instead:
Hey Nev,
Good call man, I appreciate the insights! I’ll set up a photoshoot ASAP!
At least I’m sorta likable… ha
Bahahha, yes, at least it’s got that going!
I bet if you did a few things such as:
1.) Zoomed in on that picture.
2.) Increased the lighting exposure.
3.) Blurred the background.
…..it would do better. Something like this:
The only problem is there’s still a lot of trees and such in the background which makes it look less professional.
Oh snap Jaime, this pic I made just zoomed in, blurred, and brightened did twice as good :)
Nev,
You’ve inspired me man, and thank you so much for all you just did – trust me, it did not go unnoticed nor unappreciated.
I took your idea and got rid of those trees, did some light touchups, and added a lil brightness.
aaaaand, here’s the updated profile pic:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimeurteaga/
I also ordered a couple more of your books to give to my friends.
http://imgur.com/a/iNmp2 – books
If there’s anything I can do to give you daps, lemme know! ytmnd
ps – love that I can keep it casual and conversational here in the blog comments (good insights from the book, of course, ha)
Awesome, thanks for sharing the books Jaime, really appreciate it :-)
Great post (as usual!) Nev! Loved this – I work with some of my folks on how to get their way more (how to be better in negotiations) and posture, facial expressions, etc. is often a big component of this!
I try to use professional pics across most of my platforms, and had a bunch taken by a photographer (I changed outfits in between so I only paid for one session but it looks totally different:
https://twitter.com/marymcd
https://www.facebook.com/mcdonaldgroup
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marymcd/
https://www.instagram.com/mcdongrp/
Hey Mary, it looks like your photoshoot worked well, because you scored pretty highly across all platforms!
My prediction was that your social picture on the left was going to perform the worst because it was such a casual picture and not as professional as the others, but it performed SUPER HIGH because you look happy and smiley in it.
I’ve learned the power of a smile from the experiment!
Interesting post! I was just about thinking to change my profile pictures as I couldn’t figure out if they were good or not. I have one with a crocodile in my hands….!
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anoukcharles/?locale=fr_en
https://twitter.com/anoukcharles
https://facebook.com/anoukcharles
Hey Anouk, glad you liked the post!
Your social pics performed very highly, but your business pic did not:
My guess it that the business pic is WAY too dark and WAY too zoomed in. You can only see your face but your hair kind of blends into the dark.
I think a good business headshot is Courtenay who also left a comment here, the picture is of her smiling, bright, and you can see full head/shoulders:
Hey Man,
Great post. I wish I had this last month when I was setting up my profiles, but it’s never too late to make changes. If you want to run a test, here you go:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/boris-rapoport-8b441011/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004287751230
Thanks again. Your posts have been very interesting to read.
Hey Boris, it looks like your social pic did well (although points off because it’s hard on a small thumbnail to actually see your face in particular).
The business photo ranked quite low though. I was surprised how low. It must be because it looks like a regular photo where you cropped just your face.
Maybe time for some professional head shots?? :-)
Hey Nev, very interesting expose of the nuances of interpretation and expectation.
I’d be fascinated to see how mine rank if you have the time.
Thank you sir!
https://www.facebook.com/bevan.hirst
https://www.instagram.com/hosolof/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bevan-hirst-1a249199/
Hey Bevan, for some reason I couldn’t see your LinkedIn picture, it just shows up as a generic person icon.
However I tested your social pics, and it seems the snorkeling picture FAR outranked your other one!
Man you weren’t kidding, it’s all in the smile huh?
Not sure what’s going on with the LinkedIn thing.
Anyway, thanks for taking the time dude, I appreciate it!
Yeah it’s amazing how much better that snorkel picture did with the smile and the fun activity! I think it translates a whole lot more about you than the random sunglasses-and-not-smiling pic!
Oh man, this is so great!! I’ve been looking for something like this. The photographer gives you 100 to choose from and it’s mind numbing trying to choose! Here’s my LinkedIn picture:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cshipley
Hey Courtenay, it looks like the test showed your business profile worked pretty well!
I’m not posting my links because I already know my pics are deficient. Even though my business photo was taken by a professional. Thanks for introducing me to a way to test in the future.
But the article reminded me of something I’ve done well: my voice mail message. A long time ago when voicemail came on the scene a coworker made funny faces while I was recording the message — and I couldn’t help smiling while talking. I’ve heard so many positive comments about my Smiling Voicemail over the years. Funny that a smile works even when you can’t see it, hm?
Bahaha, that’s awesome! I’ve heard that one technique to train high end call center employees is they have a small mirror on their desk, and they should SMILE BIG before picking up each call.
It really comes through in the voice, good point Harmon!
Very interesting and helpful post. I assume my photo should score well for business: I”m smiling and it’s a closeup. So let please me know how it works out!
https://www.linkedin.com/in/francoisjanssen/
Hey Francois, this picture did about average:
Not super great, but I think these votes show it’s enough to keep as is!
Hmm, it’s fine but not as good as I thought. Thx for checking it.
Yeah I too thought it would rank higher….it seems like a perfectly fine photo to me.
The test DID get two notes, both indicating, “Would prefer it shot from a different angle.”
If 2 people out of 10 selected that, it might have something to do with the photo not being a normal head-facing-forward shot.
Hey Neville great article. It was so informative and very helpful. I love all the newsletters you send out. I always thought a small percentage of the pictures I took were good but photofeeler will definitely help.
http://www.facebook.com/keseanhenderson
http://www.instagram.com/keseanhenderson
Hey Kesean, the pics ranked average on social. I’ve learned that pics where it’s a little hard to see the persons face tend to do worse than where the face is front & center. Here’s how yours ranked!
I really need to get new photos
Do it and link them, I’ll test em!
http://www.facebook.com/januaryedward
This is my existing profile pic in all my accounts
Hey January, here’s how your pics ranked across all platforms:
It seems that even though your picture was rated super high for attractiveness, it didn’t do well on social or business.
Social = You look great in the pic, but not smiling, which typically does best for social.
Business = I think for businesses it looks like it was rated as too flirty.
Hi Neville,
Thanks for such an interesting post. I, too, would never have guessed which photos would have had the highest marks. It looks like I will be changing some of my social media accounts today. For example, I have a neutral landscape photo for my Instagram account instead of my face.
https://www.instagram.com/candaceburckhardt/
Interestingly enough, a friend of mine was just at a women’s empowerment conference in D.C. this weekend, and there were a number of photographers there who were selling their dating profile picture headshot services. I told my friend that I would be turned off by something that seemed so “inauthentic” but now wonder if they might be on to something after reading your post.
Here is my Linkedin profile. I wonder if the hair might be crowding the image frame too much? https://www.linkedin.com/in/candace-burckhardt-840b857/
My Facebook photo might actually be better for my Linkedin: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=8646412&lst=8646412%3A8646412%3A1496156745
Thanks!
Candace
Hey Candace, I think the generic landscape for a photo is probably not the best, as people want to see a face.
A good headshot would probably be good across all platforms!
Here’s my Twitter pic: https://mobile.twitter.com/Prigoose/photo
I use the same pic across pretty much all platforms. I wonder if it will be deemed unprofessional because of the setting & angle.
I have a theory that people prefer close-ups though, especially since the icons on most social media platforms are so tiny.
P.s. I love that ramit pic, it’s a classic. It’s interesting that it scores so well in the business category, even though his expression is wry. I think your dress and environment (e.g. your laptop sans Homer Simpson) contribute most to seeming business-like, and then your expression can show your personality or at least make you seem nice/happy (e.g. big smile)
Hey Priya, it seems the pic you use was very good for social, but for business (LinkedIn) it rated poorly. Maybe get a nice head shot for that one!
And yes, I agree you need to have a closeup because most people are seeing the small thumbnail:
SUPER COOL. Some of your results were totally unexpected (for me anyways), except for the results for the pic with the gold tips. My FAVOURITE pic is the one where you’re dressed Indian (LOVE IT). Fun and informative post as usual :)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jehnelle.johnson
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nkoma-johnson
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jehnjehn22/
Yeah I was pretty surprised by the results too. Looks like you got your social pictures down right, but maybe get a better headshot for you LinkedIn profile? That one was voted the lowest:
Man, I wanted to find a reliable way of choosing photos for my social profiles for so long!!!
And I read a study that said the way to go is to let your friends choose them for you, proving this service you used should work!
Here’s my profiles:
http://www.facebook.com/sergiuvlasceanu
http://www.twitter.com/sergiuvlasceanu
http://www.linkedin.com/in/sergiuvlasceanu
Well this is the perfect way for you then! And guess what…..I did the first part for you :)
Neville,
You always have a way of rocking the world with your practical, engaging, kool kontent.
Between you and Noah, some serious gratitude is due some day.
But until then, thank you.
Here’s your Twitter profile mission… should you choose to accept it:
https://twitter.com/michaelszapkiw
Thanks for the kind words Michael!
Here’s the results for your photos:
Looks like social and dating was fantastic, but business didn’t do as well.
This is awesome!
The takeaway is that smiling goes a long way.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MrZsok
Hey Bela, your pic was kind of hard to see clearly, so it ranked very very low for business:
Noah’s pic had me laughing, I’d def. go out with someone who is so themselves LOL
Smiling/fun pictures always have my vote.
Here are mine:
https://www.instagram.com/twiddledidlydum/ —- https://twitter.com/twiddledidlydum (same pic)
https://www.linkedin.com/in/annaroginska/
Hey Anna, looks like you chose correctly, as your pics did pretty well!
That picture of Noah had me dying lmao!!
It seems people have associated traits of Homer to the picture with him in it (which makes sense d’oh).
Homer vs Non-Homo
Confident: 85% vs 82%
Authentic: 81% vs 46% (-35%, possibly cos it looks more like a stock photo without Homer but Homer is still quite a straight up G)
Fun: 98% vs 87% (-12% no homo)
Smart: 92% vs 98% (6% without homer hmm)
Trustworthy: 95% vs 89% (-6%)
Attractive: 96% vs 89%
Competent: 58% vs 70% (-12% competency because of Homer)
Likable: 94% vs 93%
Influential: 69% vs 68%
Bahahah, great analysis Eric! It’s pretty crazy that a little sticker in that picture distracted from the competency level.
I mean, I get it …..these people are judging me from JUST a single picture, so any indication of childishness or goofiness will reduce their business opinion.
It’s pretty interesting to see it in numbers though!
As Joseph said, the beard & smiling photo is the best. It’s approachable and professional.
I’ve been using the same photo across all platforms and I would probably change it.
I just posted my photo on the site and the first few results are…. really bad. I have to do something about it :)
My twitter is https://twitter.com/jan_orsula
Hey Jan, I agree you should change this, my first impression was that you look like a scary Russian gangster in this photo! It’s a quality photo, but it looks like a passport picture or something.
Maybe a different photo would be better, as this one performed very poorly across all tests:
Scary Russian gangster? Ohh my gosh, Neville!!! I’m just an ordinary guy! :D
I’ve cleared my schedule for tomorrow’s afternoon… I’m going to do something about it :)
Thank you so much for this eye-opening experience!
No worries Jan! I personally HATE this photo of you also, but the data also shows other people do too. Definitely could use a change :)
Hey Neville,
Great article, it was really cool ! I love your casual and friendly writing style.
And this type of post with real tests that really help us, I find it awesome. So thank you for sharing good content like this :)
For your pics, I’d say my fav are the one where you have a big smile (Yiha !) and the other one where you’re working on your laptop.
Personnally, my pics are these one :
1) https://twitter.com/BloggingEnchant
2) http://bloggingenchanteur.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/loin-2.jpg (that I use on my blog)
3) and this one : http://bloggingenchanteur.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/photo-théo-rossi.jpg (which I once use in a Facebook ad)
I’ll go taking some branding photos soon, because I wear sunglasses too much on these and I’m not sure it’s good :/
P.S : Sorry if some sentences are weird, I’m french
Thank you Theo for the compliments! I think these photos all seem pretty amateur, you’re not smiling, and you can’t see your face too clearly like a typical headshot.
I went through the same thing where I posted the pics of me not smiling thinking they were the coolest looking, but the results clearly show otherwise.
Here’s how your pics tested:
Hey Neville,
Thanks a lot for testing my pics, I can see that it’s really not good now.
Waiting for the photoshoot for having more professional pics, I have taken a pic yesterday where I put a big smile on my face. Here’s the pic : https://twitter.com/BloggingEnchant
Maybe it will be more likable :)
Keep up the good work !
Théo
That smile will probably work much better Theo!
Fascinating experiment. Thanks for sharing! I’m thinking I need to go take more pictures of myself smiling with my teeth! ;)
facebook.com/jessicadanae7
Hey Jessica, your photo did pretty well in the votes, I wonder how much of an impact the purple/pink hair makes!
Hi Neville,
I’ve never written to you before, but you and I are going to be friends one day. I’m just waiting to have more to say before I ever write you an email. I bought your book and read it in one sitting on a train in Berlin! It’s great stuff. I’m also not finished reading the Boron Letters and J. Sugarman’s book.
For now, I just want you to know that I really appreciate the effort you make to create the best quality content. Thanks for everything you do.
Until next time,
Your future friend Keemia
http://www.instagram.com/keemiakay
https://www.linkedin.com/in/keemia-kaboli-9b695277/
Glad you liked all the material in the book Keemia! Here’s how some of your pictures rated on the site:
Hey – I’m struggling at the moment with this profile pic thing!
Here’s my twitter one: https://twitter.com/Quinzelinator
I look like my eyes are slowly melting or something (and I hate showing my teeth in pics)
Here’s my Quora one: https://www.quora.com/profile/Kat-Quinzel
I like it but I’ve heard tell that I look like my face is about to explode!
Hey Kate, I like the Twitter picture, but the Quora pic is hard to see and the lighting doesn’t seem so great. Maybe just use the same pic from Twitter on Quora? It ranked quite high!
Hey everybody. A great resource for pics/head shots is Peter Hurley on YouTube. He’s kind of the king in that field and has lots of videos about what makes a great headshot.
Thanks for the tip Steve!
Hi Neville,
Your post has come at just the right time because I’m in the process of revamping my site and social media sites. I like your photo in the Indian dress best but I guess I’m biased. :-)
Here are mine:
https://www.facebook.com/rohi.shetty
https://twitter.com/rohishetty
(I’m planning to change them.)
Thanks again and have a great week.
Hey Rohi, this did not do so well in the business category. Maybe get some professional headshots taken?
Hi Neville,
Thanks a ton, I’ll do it asap. It’s on my list.
Awesome, glad this was helpful Rohi!
I like the picture of you with homer on the laptop the best. :-)
I’m just about the least photogenic person I know, (Someday I’ll get around to getting brand photos :-/ ). Interested to see how this turns out…
https://www.facebook.com/katedostercommunication
Hey Kate, for some reason that Facebook link didn’t work!
Thanks Neville. Forgot the s — https://www.facebook.com/katedostercommunications
There it is!
Very cool. Never thought about split testing my profile pictures. I just thought they needed to look good. Turns out they need to look right. Here are a couple of profiles:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmbullis/
https://www.facebook.com/jmbullis
I’ve been using the LinkedIn one for a year or so and just started transitioning to the one on Facebook.
Hey James, I thought both those pictures were pretty good, here’s how they rated on the site:
Thanks, Neville. I’m feeling pretty authentic and likable now. ;)
Bahahah, are you as authentic as THIS??
This is fascinating!!
I work in direct response, and test every aspect of a package, but didn’t think to test myself.
I’ve had the same LinkedIn photo for a couple years (https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-highfield-1397739/?ppe=1) never thought about whether or not it’s actually professional enough. Going to investigate! Thanks :)
Thank you Steph, glad you found it cool like I did :)
Looks like your business photo on your LinkedIn did pretty well. The business category seems to be the hardest to please on PhotoFeeler!
Awesome.
Though, after rating a few myself, I feel a bit icky. Like you have to very consciously combat your unconscious bias. I’m sure an older white dude would do quite well on the influential score, because that’s what we’re used to. I’m sure I do well because I’m an attractive woman. Unless you’re actively self aware of your biases and actively working against them, this would be hard to overcome as a scorer…
Yeah, that’s why it’s kind of cool to get multiple reviews from many people who don’t know you…THE TRUTH COMES OUT!!
I like the beard photo where you are smiling the best. It makes you seem approachable.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephensminger/
This is the only professional photo I own.
Hey Joseph, this pic looks pretty professional to me. Here’s the rating (I wrote as your profession “Software Engineer”):
Thanks! I really appreciate it.
I am not terribly surprised by the results and I’ll one hundred percent be using this platform in the future.
I am trying to kickstart my copywriting business on the side.
Thanks for the great post!
You’re welcome Joseph, glad to have turned you onto this service :)
Cool article Neville! I just finished reading Vanessa Van Edwards’ new book Captivate: the science of succeeding with people. The body language and business aspects of that book have been on my mind, and your photo experiment is interesting!
What do you think of mine? Twitter: @andreamagee13
Hey Andrea, I found this super interesting too! I checked out your Twitter profile and did some quick tests on it, good photo pick!
Loved this post man.
I have so few photos, let alone professional photos. I think I need to go out and hire someone to take some for me.
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jordan_ayres
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanayres/
Glad ya liked it! The LinkedIn photo looks good and professional.
The Instagram pic is alright, it’s just really hard to see your face! I ran some tests and here were the results:
Looks like the Dating and Social picture with the cigar did quite poorly. The Business one on LinkedIn did below average, perhaps since you still look quite young, and that might bias people :)
Thanks for doing this, mate.
Yeah I figured it would do quite poorly. I actually ending up running a test on that website when I came across your post, and the notes said I looked “arrogant.” I can’t argue with that :)
Time to get a new dating photo!
Bahahha, yeah anything with a dude in a blazer smoking a cigar would probably look kind of arrogant!
The photo was great, if you just had one maybe smiling instead of smoking the cigar it would probably perform much better.
I appreciate this blog post.
I’ve tried photofeeler several times.
I did notice that you base your research on only 10 votes. This is not that accurate.
I think at least 20 votes should be counted for an average result.
For mine I had 40 votes which is rated as “precise”.
I’ve only used the dating category and I noticed an interesting trend.
I just changed clothes and noticed that when I was wearing t-shirts, I would get a very high attractive rate. When wearing a suit or a business shirt, it would be a tad lower.
I think people will associate a rich look with being a douche and the “poorer” look is generally preferred.