Who would you prefer to connect with? Are you someone people would like to connect with?

This article isn’t just about your social networks, it’s also about what kind of people, personalities would you lie to be connected with?

Just as you are navigating on line on the Social platforms, it’s important to build trust online like a head shot of yourself, how and what you say if anything all, in the networking groups you belong to. This gives people to ‘see’ you and you become more visible.

One of the challenges we all face is to be known and found, especially if we want to be known and found in ‘marketing’ or ‘promoting’ how we can be of service to others.. with our products or services. Whether you are writing articles, Blogging, networking on-line or off your profile picture really needs to recognizable. People would rather get to know you when they can ‘see’ you.

Are you one of those people who are looking for a job and don’t want to put up your current picture of yourself?

Your comic or plain avatar instead of a the real you isn’t a very good way to establish a relationship – it tells me you really don’t want to be known, so why would should I reach out to know you?

Wendy Soucie went once to meet someone at a coffee shop the person she was meeting posted a comic avatar. She was in the shop for 20 min and didn’t see anyone who even resembled the cartoon avatar. She had to Tweet this girl that I was there. She didn’t even come close to looking like the picture. This person came over to introduce herself to Wendy. The avatar was a girl with long blonde hair, the real person had short dark hair and quite a different appearance.

What’s appropriate an avatar or a real person? The rules apply as well for a company logo in a personal professional network vs say Facebook on your personal profile. In a business setting I would say your personal picture or profile is always better. Not a logo, either.

There are other reasons that you may want to consider before you upload your next picture..

• Do you want people an opportunity to instantly want to connect with you?
• Do you want your personality to shine through?
• Do you really want to be known and found so that people really would like to connect with you?
• Do you want to have the ability to have instant rapport with people?

Our business logo’s have their place in business – just not in a professional networking group or platform. I have always said, “people do business with people not their avatars or logo’s.” Social Media is all about socializing, about relationships to grow our businesses.

What some other people have commented on avatars:

Patricia Ogilvie
If I were selecting profiles as clients or as business associates, I would expect a real picture.


Wendy Soucie
Expects the picture to match with the person, she would rather see someone show that they are older if that is what they are.. It shows that you have experience.

Mari-Lyn Harris
I dislike avatars..that’s why I wrote this post..in an age where we expect transparency, we expect people to be honest and trustworthy..we all need to do is show up and be who we are and not hide behind an avatar. It’s like someone’s halloween costume, there is place for this too, not in a professional network like Alignable, Linkedin, Business Pages on Facebook to name a few..

How do you feel about avatars?

If you enjoyed this article reach out to me on LinkedIn, let’s have a chat