Put your Headshot Content to work: Useful Strategies customized for your goals

Maximizing the use of compelling, brand-centered professional headshots online can significantly enhance your corporate brand’s visibility and engagement. It really pays off: content featuring compelling images garners 94% more total views than content without visuals.

Need tips on how to maximize those new headshots? Here are some effective ways to leverage your new visual content to its fullest potential depending on your unique goals.

Goal: Use Headshots for an overall branding update:

When you revamp your visual branding, don’t forget about headshots. Headshot style should enhance, not detract from, your new brand identity.

1. Professional Communication: Incorporate headshots into email signatures, phone contact images, email avatars, and all social profiles, Professional communication with a personalized touch enhances rapport, branding and overall trust with recipients.
2. Avatar Updates: Refresh avatars in email inboxes to personalize communication and distinguish your company in crowded inboxes. Your care and personalization in the details will facilitate better recognition and engagement.
3. Internal Communication Platforms: Update profiles on internal communication platforms such as Slack, Monday, or HubSpot to add a human element to workplace interactions, fostering a sense of camaraderie and collaboration among team members. This is especially important in industries with a high percentage of remote workers.

Goal: Use Headshots to Boost Sales:

People want to work with and connect with other people. Showing clients who they’re doing business with goes a long way in building connections. .

1. Email Signatures: Encourage team members to incorporate their headshots into their email signatures to humanize and enhance online sales interactions, as well as build on those that happened in person. A warm, relatable photo can make a world of difference in the success of a cold outreach as well!
2. About Page Enhancement: Revamp your company’s About Us page with your branded headshots. When you give potential customers insight into the faces behind the brand, you cultivate a sense of familiarity and trust, especially if they’ve have met or will meet in person.
3. Proposals and Pitch Decks: Integrate headshots into proposals, estimates, and pitch decks to humanize interactions with clients, instilling confidence and reinforcing relationships. Feature teammates’ photos in email marketing to improve personalization. Use headshots alongside quotes, testimonials and more.

Goal: Use Headshots in Marketing

You’re proud of your people. Use their images in your marketing to show off the backbone of your company.

2. PR: Whether your team is featured in articles, doing speaking engagements, hosting a podcast, or are members of boards or networking groups, use the opportunity to remind people of your brand. A taste of your brand can drive interest and add credibility to your company.
3. LinkedIn Profiles: Ensure all employee profiles on LinkedIn feature their new headshots, fostering a branded, more personal and approachable online presence to both your company LinkedIn page and individual profiles.
4. About page: Did you know that the About page is the 2nd most visited page on your website? Boost engagement by showing your viewers who you are with attractive, cohesive headshots.
5. Marketing Collateral: Incorporate headshots in marketing collateral like brochures, flyers, and business cards to boost professionalism and authenticity. Updated professional headshots give a sense of who you are, which significantly increases trust.
6. Email newsletters: Feature an employee in a spotlight interview, use your CEO’s headshot when you announce new products or important company updates.
7. Social Media Campaigns:

• Personalized Posts: Use headshots in social media posts to introduce team members, share their roles and perspectives, and highlight their achievements. Adding a face to your brand fosters a personal connection with your audience.
• Event Promotions: Feature team headshots in promotional content for events, webinars, or live sessions to increase interest and attendance.

1. Client Presentations and Proposals:

• Professional Introductions: Include headshots in client-facing presentations and proposals to create a professional yet personal touch. This helps build trust and rapport from the outset.
• Team Pages: Highlight the team involved in the project or proposal, showcasing their professionalism and the value they bring to the client.

1. Website Banners and Sliders:

• Dynamic Display: Use headshots in website banners or sliders to feature key team members, especially during specific campaigns or initiatives. This can draw attention and add a dynamic element to your site.

1. Virtual Meetings:

• Branded Backgrounds: Include headshots and your company logo in virtual backgrounds for a professional and cohesive appearance in video calls.
• Profile Pictures: Encourage employees to use their professional headshots as profile pictures on meeting platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams.

1. Customer Testimonials and Case Studies:

• Humanize Testimonials: Add headshots when customer testimonials mention your team. Use headshots as thumbnails for video testimonials, creating a consistent and professional look.
• Case Studies: Include headshots of the team involved in case studies when you include them on your website and in marketing materials to add a personal, relatable element.

1. Press Kits: Include CEO and key team-member headshots in your media kits, ensuring that journalists and publications have high-quality images for their articles and features.
2. Attract your ideal clients: Clients are more likely to work with people they feel they can relate to. Headshots that portray warmth, friendliness, and approachability can make potential clients feel more comfortable and connected. This is supported by the principle of similarity-attraction, where individuals are drawn to others who they perceive as similar to themselves

Goal: Use Headshots to Recruit Better Candidates

The best candidates are carefully assessing career opportunities to make sure they join a great team. Don’t just tell them; show them.

1. Enhance Job Postings:

• Visual Appeal: Incorporate professional headshots into your job postings to create a visually engaging and inviting presentation. High-quality images of your team can attract candidates by providing a glimpse into your company culture and the people they will be working with.
• Humanize the Experience: Featuring headshots in your recruitment materials helps potential candidates feel a stronger personal connection with your company, making your organization stand out in a competitive job market.

1. Boost Social Media Recruitment:

• Personalized Content: Use headshots in social media recruitment campaigns to highlight team members and their roles. This adds a personal touch to your recruitment efforts and encourages potential team members to imagine how they could fit in with these specific people.
• Increased Engagement: Posts with images generally receive higher engagement on social media platforms. By showcasing your team’s professional headshots, you can attract more attention and interest from potential candidates.

1. Create an Inviting Recruitment Page:

• Showcase Team Diversity: Display headshots on your recruitment page to highlight the diversity and inclusivity of your workforce. This can appeal to a broader range of candidates and reinforce your commitment to an inclusive work environment.
• Team Introduction: Introduce key team members and leaders on the recruitment page with their headshots and short bios. This helps potential candidates see who they will be working with and builds a sense of connection even before they apply.

1. Leverage Employee Testimonials:

• Visual Testimonials: Combine headshots with employee testimonials to create compelling and authentic recruitment content. Seeing the faces of real employees sharing their positive experiences can significantly influence potential candidates.
• Video Testimonials: Use video testimonials featuring employee headshots as thumbnails. This approach can provide deeper insights into the company culture and the day-to-day experiences of your team, making your recruitment efforts more effective.

1. Personalize Recruitment Emails:

• Email Signatures: Encourage recruiters to use their professional headshots in email signatures. This personalizes communication with potential candidates, making the interview process feel less intimidating and more relatable.
• Introduction Videos: Include short video introductions in recruitment emails where recruiters introduce themselves and talk about the company. Using headshots as video thumbnails can increase open rates and engagement, as well as help candidates feel more connected to your recruitment team.

Sources:

• LinkedIn Talent Solutions: Highlights the importance of visual content in recruitment and how it enhances engagement and appeal.
• Glassdoor: Discusses the impact of showcasing company culture and team diversity on attracting top talent.
• HubSpot: Provides insights on the effectiveness of personalized content and employee testimonials in marketing and recruitment.