Energetic Headshots For Your Personal Brand

-The Power of Energetic, Expressive Headshots For Your Personal Brand-

We hear it all the time… “Should I smile?”

It’s a normal question with a complicated answer that depends on what you’re trying to convey in your headshot. Your online presence speaks volumes about your personal brand and can greatly impact your professional opportunities. If you’re in a creative industry or your work revolves around building relationships, you’ll want to show off your personality. Therefore, it is recommended to use energetic and expressive headshots for your personal brand. 

There’s also some science behind this too, and if you’re up for a longer read, here is a LinkedIn article that goes in depth. 

The Purpose of Personal Branding Headshots

Determining your primary purpose for using headshots for your personal brand is crucial. Are you looking to enhance your networking, attract potential employers, or establish credibility within your industry? After answering these questions you’ll be able to envision your use and purpose of your headshots. This purpose will influence the tone, style, and overall message you want to convey through your headshots.

Know Your Audience

Not every industry is going to call for expressive headshots, therefore it’s important to know your audience. Legal and financial institutions are serious business, so headshots and portraits need to match this tone. Same goes for government, politics and conservative corporate environments. While energetic headshots can be refreshing for personal brands, these industries may prioritize a more restrained and polished approach to their online profiles.

However, in creative industries you’ll see a lot more energy and expression in people’s headshots. Anyone working in entertainment, advertising or design will value individuality and self expression, making energetic headshots an ideal choice. Similarly, marketing and public relations professionals might want to inject some fun into their headshots. And of course, freelancers such as artists, writers or muscians are going to want their personality to shine. 

In contrast to the conservative corporate environment, tech startups and entrepreneurs will benefit from showing off some energy. In the fast paced world or technology, expressive headshots communicate enthusiasm which is highly valued in that industry. 

Here’s a few more careers an industries that lean more towards energetic headshots for their personal brand:

• Coaching and Personal Development
• Social Media Influencers
• Education and Training
• Event Planning and Hospitality
• Wellness and Fitness
• Media and Broadcasting

In these industries, energetic headshots can effectively help individuals and businesses establish a distinct personal brand and create a memorable and positive impression on their target audience.

Your Headshots Are About YOU

Utilizing vibrant headshots can significantly contribute to your brand’s success, allowing you to stand out in a competitive digital landscape. By considering your purpose for your headshots and the audience, you’ll be able to determine how much energy you’ll want to show. 

Below is an example from Casey’s headshots session. She is a UX designer and needed a few different headshots for her professional profiles. From the jump, she was looking for a variety of expressions to show her personality.