Top 3 Brand Photos Every Personal Brand Should Have
If you're a personal brand, you're not just selling your products or services. You are selling YOU. And your personal brand photos should reflect that in these 3 places...and I'll tell you why.
Updated brand photos are *essential* for any personal brand.
If you've ever questioned the power of a personal brand, let me ask you this: why do you think companies pay so much money for celebrity endorsements? Because it works! Compelling personal brands can translate directly into sales. As consumers, we're purchasing more than a product or service. We're purchasing the whole experience with that particular brand.
So remember, as a personal brand... you ARE the experience. And your photos should reflect that. Everywhere, all of the time.
When you are planning your next brand photo session (and you should do this at least yearly), think about how many photos you’d like to get from the session. Here are the top 3 brand photos that every personal brand should have - and where you’ll use them.
#1. A profile photo that can fit into a circle or square
If you're a personal brand, chances are that you've got a strong profile going on one or more social media platforms. Social media and other forms of content marketing are excellent ways to increase your visibility (gain a new audience) and nurture your existing audience without having to speak to each one of them personality. You get to have "conversations" with unlimited number of people!
During your next photo shoot, be sure to capture some head shots that can be easily cropped to fit the circle or square dimensions, which are common on social media platforms.
#2. A long and wide photo for your website header / banner image
Current website trends include a long and wide photo (landscape orientation) at the top of the web page. This location is called "above the fold" - a reference to newspapers (remember those?) where the biggest & catchiest headline was on the top half the folded front page.
In other words: "above the fold" will be the first (and possibly ONLY image) that your visitor ever sees.
So you want to make that image both powerful and intentional. Make sure you've planned with your photographer (whether it's me or someone else), what you'd like that header photo to display and what kind of "vibe" that you want the header photo to exude. Think of the visual and emotional impact of the experience your brand is selling.
Your photographer should also make sure there's plenty of "white space" in the long header image so that your website designer can overlay your headline text and still keep it readable. This will take some planning, but the forethought will payoff in a beautiful compelling and usable image.
#3. A variety of other images for social media and website use
You have the location, you've got the right wardrobe...it's time to make the most out of your photo session so that you can get a variety of images for all your marketing needs (even ones you don't know about yet!)
Here’s a quick (but not exhaustive) list of places where you might want updated brand photos:
- Sales page / landing page banner image - Cover photos (wide) for LinkedIn or Facebook - Marketing for upcoming workshops & paid offers - Module cover images for your online course - Thumbnails for your videos - Speaker sheet - Alternate head shots for speaking engagements (conferences, panels, podcasts, etc)
- Portraits for book covers
- Photos for other pages on your website (to avoid generic stock images that other people are also using) If ANY of these are important to you, communicate that to your photographer before the start of the session so they can prioritize for you. If you don’t have any pressing priorities, then just get creative and have fun with it!
Don't let your brand photos stagnate!
Think about your favorite personal brands that you follow... thought leaders, podcasters, influencers, authors, CEO's, public speakers... they don't just use a brand photo from five years ago. They keep their photo fresh and always up-to-date with their brand appearance (think hair color, wardrobe style, environment, etc).
This is by design. They understand that no matter how much momentum they have and how big a fan base they have, it's important to keep evolving. And their photos and content evolve too.
Does it sound like a lot? I promise, planning a brand photo shoot can be easy.
I put together this brand photo shoot planning guide for this very reason. For me, it's second nature. For my clients, this may be the first or second time they've done a photo shoot. With this guide, you can easily run through the checklist and we'll maximize your time to get the best possible photos.
You can download the brand photo shoot planning guide here: https://bit.ly/mcshanephotochecklist Ready to book your brand photo session? Let’s do it!
If you're in the Metrowest Massachusetts, Central Massachusetts, or Greater Boston area, book your personal brand photoshoot session with me today. Each session includes a free optional 20-minute virtual planning session - because I know you want the biggest bang for your buck.
I can come to you, or share all of my local photoshoot gems for you to choose from. Trust me, not only will it be productive, but it's a lot of fun.
Email me at christine@christinemcshane.com or set up a call to plan your next photo session. We'll make sure you get these top 3 personal brand photos...and then some! You'll be surprised at how many images you'll walk away with.