Social Profiles for Lawyers - The Profile Photo

Tip # 1 - Start with a good picture

When we think of social networking profiles, whether they are personal or professional, we tend to think of this standard dictionary definition - an informal biography or a concisely presented sketch of the life and character of a person. More relevant to this post perhaps, is this definition - profile is a picture or representation of the side view of a head.

The first and most important part of your profile is YOU! Sure, you can wax poetically about your educational background and your most recent victories in court but the first and most important thing that people are going to see and remember is that profile picture of you.

So of course it makes sense to post the best picture possible. Even though it may be tempting to whip out the ole point and shoot and have your secretary take a snap shot indoors with the flash, here are a few key suggestions to consider when creating and uploading your attorney profile picture.

Neutral backgrounds are best - Typically we don't tend to pay much attention to the background but often backgrounds can make or break your photo. Unwanted and distracting lines, shapes, colors and textures can take away from the visual impact of your image. TIP: Stand as far away as possible from the background and then have the photographer stand as far back as possible from you, and then zoom the camera lens in all the way!

Facial expressions are key - It's not just smile vs. frown. It's all about communicating emotion. If you want to show people you are a happy person, think of something that makes you happy and then smile. If you want to communicate strong and aggressive, think about strong and aggressive emotions.

Get a second opinion - It's always best to have a couple of your favorite images to choose from. Pick your two or three favorites and then Try a couple different expressions and a change of wardrobe and background.

Hire a photographer - When all else fails, go with a professional. Since your image is so important to your online persona, consider this small but important investment and hire a photographer. In most towns and cities both large and small you can usually find a decent photographer from online classified listings like Craig's List that will do headshots for less than $200 a session. This is usually a small price to pay for someone else to focus on you and to get you quality images of yourself that you can use for both business and pleasure.

A good headshot should just show you; your face, head and shoulders and nothing more. You might want to do some full-length body shots in addition but the primary goal is a good single shot of you.

Finally, you should try and keep your profile picture as current as possible. Sure, we all have that one picture that we like from ten years ago but 21st Century web 2.0 lawyering is all about who you are in the here and now.