The price of professional photography may make you wonder if you can get by without it, whether you’re a new company creating a website for the first time or an established company updating your online presence. After all, why not just shoot some photos on your own? or utilise stock images? Your organization’s cash should be used for other, more vital things than professional photography, right? Wrong!
The truth is that having a good headshot of oneself online may help any business, regardless of the industry. High-quality photography and showcasing the people behind the business are valuable assets that will boost your overall branding and success, regardless of who your consumers are or what you are offering. Professional headshot photography should be at the top of the list of company costs that are unquestionably worthwhile.
You probably have a hundred or more excuses for not wanting to get your headshot taken. I understand that nobody enjoys being photographed, but it doesn’t have to be unpleasant! The secret to a fantastic shot and an excellent overall experience is to work with a professional that is knowledgeable in what they are doing. A perfect headshot should have you looking natural, have good lighting, and have real expressions. A professional should aid you with this process.
What are the top 10 reasons, then, for getting a headshot done by a professional photographer?
Professionalism.
It first and foremost lends you professionalism and credibility. Finding you online, whether on LinkedIn, your website, or even Facebook, increases the likelihood that potential clients, investors, and collaborators will take you seriously.
Initial impressions
Did you know that 11 seconds after first meeting or being seen, someone already has an opinion of us? Although it may seem strange, wouldn’t it be a good idea to make the most of those 11 seconds (or possibly much less online) and present your best self? Whether we like it or not, we do tend to judge a book by its cover. People prefer to work with others. Bring your best self to the table.
Customers Want to Know You Better!
A nice grin may go a long way, and a good headshot will offer potential consumers an indication of who you are. When they feel a picture shoot with a professional photographer could be out of their budget, several organisations look into stock photos as an alternative. That is not the most effective technique to promote your company. Why? because they don’t show you or your company in them!
People want to learn more about you when they visit your website! Stock photographs don’t help them with that and could mislead consumers about what you have to offer. Actual photographs of your company, your employees, and your products are the ideal method for potential clients to get to know your operation.
Confidence.
When you call on a potential customer, a fantastic headshot will make you feel certain and competent. I always advise getting your hair and makeup done by professionals. Since I work with local experts, you won’t have to go around town or attempt to prepare yourself before your appointment. It’s incredible how much more assured you may feel as a result. There’s no need to wait if you want to lose those 10 pounds because my retouching can make a noticeable difference by slightly slimming your arms or cheeks. Nobody, not even you, will be able to guess.
superior over the others, stand out You can stand out from the crowd on LinkedIn with a fantastic profile picture. You won’t believe how many people intentionally removed a picture of themselves holding an ex-spouse from a wedding. Usually a cropped, blurry image, this is not a good representation of who or what you stand for. The number of people who don’t even have a photo on LinkedIn constantly astounds me. Keep in mind that this is your initial line of introduction, so nail it!
Visual reminder of your identity
How often have you attended a gathering where you met someone you wanted to get in touch with for work? A strong, presentable headshot might serve as a visual reminder for someone to connect with you on LinkedIn.
Consistency.
Currently, branding your image is a hot topic. Although many people believe that branding is only relevant to big businesses, it also applies to people. I frequently come across individuals who are employed by major corporations but whose headshots are inconsistently taken by professionals.
Some are cutouts at weddings, have no profile picture at all, or are photographed against a wall holding a phone with unflattering facial shadows. Imagine opening a corporate profile, selecting an employee list, and observing how presentable every single person is. The value to the brand of the business is enormous. Since a company’s employees make it up, wouldn’t you want your business to seem favourably on LinkedIn and your website?
Images Can Aid in Your Online Visibility.
You may be familiar with search engine optimisation, or SEO, if your company has a website. SEO is the process of deliberately improving several aspects of your website in an effort to make it more effective in search engine ranking results. Images are one of many components of SEO.
Optimized images may improve overall search results and help your website appear in image search results such as Google Images. By keeping website visitors interested, they may persuade them to stay on your site longer or select you over a competition.
Professional photos are quite useful. “Content is king” when it comes to online corporate advertising. This has been true for a long time and will continue to be so. Many people, however, are unaware that pictures include information, and rich, versatile content at that.
Using online photos may significantly improve the appeal of your website. They can help you build your brand on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Google My Business, among others. There are various methods to include them into blog posts and publications.
Offline, photographs may be utilised in a variety of brochures and advertising materials. By making an investment in professional photography, you arm yourself with fresh, useful tools that can be applied to improve your marketing initiatives in a variety of ways.
There are a thousand words in a picture.
Most likely, you have heard this before. Nowadays, a picture may say at least a thousand words—if not more! Instead of discussing your goods and services to clients and consumers, show them through graphics.
People would rather see things for themselves before making a decision. This is now feasible thanks to the internet, making the images and videos of your goods and services more valuable than ever.
