What is a headshot?
A professional headshot is widely known as a portrait that represents that individual’s personal brand, while reflecting the overall business/corporate brand.
How many times have you looked up a colleague, friend or business acquaintance online (LinkedIn, for example) only to find they look nothing like the photo in their profile picture? You may have found that it’s an outdated photo, a photo from a wedding or family gathering.
A professional headshot is widely known as a portrait that represents that individual’s personal brand, while reflecting the overall business/corporate brand.
OR…is that photo blurry, pixelated and does it looks like it was taken using outdated or inadequate equipment?
OR…do they even have a headshot at all?
3 Reasons You Should Have an Updated Headshot
- Refreshes your website, social media and any online presence without having to do major website updates.
2. Helps humanize your brand/company. People like to buy/work with/partner with real companies. Having a face they can associate with your company builds trust.
3. Oftentimes the first thing a person does is visit your website or research you online. Updated headshots on your website allow visitors to interact with you and know who they will be meeting with face-to-face. Having a photo that matches your current appearance is a small, but vital step when building trust with a client.
Things to Keep in Mind for Your Next Headshot
- A good plan is to update your headshot every 2 years. This will allow you to easily update marketing materials and continue to share fresh visuals for your company.
- Where do I take these? If you are in the agriculture field, take them out in the field. Own a factory? Take the photos on the factory floor for an industrial feel that matches the rest of your brand. Small Business Owner? Invite the photographer into your store to create portraits that are personal to you.
- What do I wear? Try to keep your brand colors in mind. Wearing brand colors are a nice way to keep everything cohesive and build a memorable site visit experience – especially when dealing with group photos
How to Leverage Your Investment of Professional Photography
During the planning process, we develop a shot list. This includes individuals, groups, locations etc., while setting the expectation of what to wear, the time alloted for the shoot and ensuring the proper equipment is at the location. While the photographer is at your business, ask about capturing candid photos. It is helpful to communicate this in advance, but we remain flexible as situations change. Photos of your staff can be used on social media for employee appreciation posts, press releases & blog content to build SEO value. Keep in mind that headshots work, as do the more casual photos of staff interacting.
If you need to update headshots for employees that are not based at one main location, simple options like removing the background to provide a clean white backdrop is always a good option. The photos can then be utilized in a variety of ways on your website to provide a cohesive look.
Interested in working with our professional photographer? Click here.