Let me ask you something.
When was the last time you actually looked at your LinkedIn profile photo? Not glanced at it. Really looked at it and thought: does this still look like me?
Because here is the thing. Your headshot is doing more work than you probably realise.
Research from Princeton University (Willis and Todorov, 2006) found that people form a judgement about your face in just 100 milliseconds. That is one tenth of a second. Before anyone has read your headline, your about section, or a single word of your latest post, their brain has already decided whether you look trustworthy, competent, and approachable.
On LinkedIn specifically, the numbers are even more striking. Profiles with a photo are 21 times more likely to be viewed and receive 36 times more messages (LinkedIn, 2023). Three days after someone visits your profile, they will remember 65% of what they saw visually but only 10% of what they read. Your face becomes the anchor. When your name pops up in their feed weeks later, they do not remember your job title. They remember your face.
And here is something most people never think about. Body language expert Vanessa Van Edwards, speaking on Steven Bartlett's Diary of a CEO podcast, explained that visible hands in a photo increase trust. The reason goes all the way back to our prehistoric ancestors. If you could not see someone's hands, your brain flagged a potential threat, because they might be holding a weapon. That instinct has not gone away. When your hands are hidden in a photo, whether they are cropped out, in your pockets, or behind your back, the viewer's brain registers a subtle discomfort without even knowing why.
So your headshot is not just about looking nice. It is about trust, recognition, and the split-second decisions people are making about you before you even know they are looking.
I asked my good friend Emma Murrills from EBM Photography to share her expert perspective on what actually makes a good LinkedIn headshot, and she absolutely nailed it.
EMMA MURRILLS, EBM PHOTOGRAPHY
Have you ever experienced walking into a networking event and spotting someone on the list that you've connected with on LinkedIn. You recognised the name straight away… but you can't recognise the face.
When they introduced themselves, it suddenly clicked. The photo on their profile had clearly been taken years earlier: different hairstyle, different glasses, different everything. It's one of those moments where you feel slightly awkward because you're not quite sure if you should admit you didn't recognise them.
It's actually amazing how often this happens.
I regularly see LinkedIn headshots that are:
* clearly 10+ years old
* cropped from a wedding or night out
* badly lit selfies
* or increasingly… AI-generated images
The intention is usually good. People want something that looks polished or professional, but the problem is that if the photo doesn't actually look like you, it can unintentionally break trust.
Your headshot is often the very first impression someone has of you. It's the moment someone decides whether you feel approachable, credible, and familiar. And when someone meets you in real life (at a networking event, on Zoom, or in a client meeting) they should recognise you immediately.
A good headshot isn't about vanity, it's about clarity and connection.
If your profile photo could do with a refresh, here are three simple things to keep in mind:
1️⃣ Keep it current
Ideally update your headshot every 2–3 years, or sooner if your appearance has changed.
2️⃣ Lighting matters more than you think
Good lighting instantly elevates a photo. Harsh overhead light or dark phone selfies rarely do you justice.
3️⃣ Dress how your clients would expect to see you
Your headshot should reflect the version of you that people meet professionally.
The goal isn't perfection, it's recognition.
Because the best headshots make people think:
“Ah yes, that's exactly who I expected to meet.”
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I could not have said it better myself.
This is exactly why I have teamed up with Emma for a LinkedIn Photography Day on Monday 20 April at Elmslie House in Malvern.
It is not just a photo shoot. It is a full day where you get LinkedIn training with me and professional brand photography with Emma, so you walk away with a profile that looks as good as the strategy behind it.
The day costs £497 and includes both the LinkedIn training and your professional photography session. You leave with images you can use across LinkedIn, your website, and anywhere else you show up online.
If you have been meaning to sort your LinkedIn photo (and deep down you know it needs doing), this is the day to do it.
Book your place here: https://onlinemediaworks.co.uk/b/linkedinlook
References:
Willis, J. and Todorov, A. (2006) 'First impressions: Making up your mind after a 100-ms exposure to a face', Psychological Science, 17(7), pp. 592-598.
Vanessa Van Edwards on The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett, December 2024.
LinkedIn profile photo statistics: LinkedIn Business Blog, 2023.