Are you hiding your LinkedIn profile photo without realising?

DO YOU LOOK LIKE THIS?

It’s amazing how many people’s profile photos do look like this! I come across them all the time!?

Would you be inclined to connect with someone who is, well, blue, and has no face? Me neither. Give me a nice, presentable, smiley photo any day. One with eyes, a nose, and a mouth preferably!?

Your LinkedIn profile photo is a vital part of your LinkedIn profile. If someone knows what you look like, they feel closer to you. LinkedIn is about building relationships to get business, so by showing your face in your profile photo, visitors to your profile will feel like they know you better. If they know you better they’re already closer to doing business with you.?

If you want to know more about what makes a powerful profile photo, read my blog by clicking here

I come across profiles all the time on LinkedIn with no profile photo showing. You’ll notice I said ‘showing’. This doesn’t mean the person hasn’t added a profile photo but just that I can’t see it.?

This seems crazy doesn’t it? Why go to the bother of having a profile photo taken, uploading it to LinkedIn and most of the LinkedIn users can’t see it? Most people are not aware that their photo is being hidden; which is what prompted me to write this blog.?

LinkedIn set up some people’s profiles with a high security setting which means their profile photos are only visible to people who connect with them. Rather annoyingly, if your profile is set up in this way, you won’t be told by LinkedIn. The first you would probably know is if I notice it and send you a DM!

You can check if yours is one of these really easily, and if it is, good news, it’s a really easy fix.?

HOW TO CHECK IF YOUR PROFILE PHOTO IS VISIBLE TO NON-CONNECTIONS – AND HOW TO FIX IT!

1. Go to ‘me’ at the top of your profile and click on the down arrow
2. Click on ‘Settings & Privacy’ to take you to your settings

3. Click on ‘Account Preferences’

4. Click on ‘Showing profile photos’

It may well be that ‘your connections’ may be the chosen option. This means that only those people who are connections are able to see your profile photo.?

5. Change the setting so ‘All LinkedIn members’ is the chosen option

6. Refresh the page

Now, your profile photo will be there for all to see and visitors to your profile won’t think that you’re hiding!

It’s such a simple quick fix but can make a huge difference. !?

I had a meeting yesterday with someone whose profile photo wasn’t showing. I connected with him before the meeting and ‘ping!’ he appeared. It made the process of meeting him for the first time so much easier as I knew what to expect. I also knew who was who in the meeting.??

If you’re in a meeting with several people, knowing what the other attendees look like can really help with the initial introductions. This in turn can help the meeting move at a faster pace. The introductions may be shorter so it’s possible to get to the point of talking about business more quickly. This can be a huge time-saver in a large meeting!

Is your profile photo showing to ‘all LinkedIn members’? Why don’t you hop over to your settings and check. You don’t want to show up as a blue circle do you?!

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Thank you for reading!

Sarah ???