Scrolling through social media sometimes feels like a commercial. Every other business account feels impersonal and like it’s just trying to sell me the next lose-all-of-your-fat-in-one-day pill.

I have nothing against businesses trying to stay afloat, but I do think a business deserves to be more than just a place to buy things. It should be a friend that helps you get what you need — like a replacement for your lost water bottle or a taste of your favorite burrito.

There’s always something slightly off about some businesses that just immediately impact your trust in them. One of those things is the first impression made (of the company, or of the content they’re posting) via the visuals used to communicate.

Related: Social Media Marketing | Negative Effects You Need To Be Aware Of

Your Small Business Profile Picture Matters

Your small business logo is an important aspect of your brand identity, but it’s not a one size fits all design for everything.

Using a generic, uninspired logo as your profile picture can make it difficult for your business to stand out and make a lasting impression on potential customers. Instead, consider adapting your logo to meet the platforms’ expectations.

I took some time to look through the most followed brands on Instagram — like Nike, Apple, and Netflix — and noted my observations.

Here are my major takeaways from how these successful brands created impressionable social media profiles.

Profile Picture Best Practices for Businesses

#1. Avoid using generic logos that won’t stand out.

Don’t copy what other brands are doing with their logos. If every business did that, there would be thousands of variations on a theme.

Using a generic, uninspired logo as your profile picture can make it difficult for your business to be recognized and remembered. Instead, consider alternative options that better reflect your unique brand and values.

Adobe does this great with its main profile and each of its software's individual profiles. They embrace Photoshop, Premiere Pro, and Adobe color schemes by filling the entire profile picture with color instead of on a white background.

#2. Consider the dimensions and cropping

Every social media platform has different dimensions for profile pictures, make sure to crop and adjust your image accordingly to fit the platform and avoid any image distortion.

Most importantly, make sure your profile pictures fit in a circle. If your text or logo gets cropped, your page could appear unprofessional.

#3. Be mindful of the size of your text and elements

A cluttered profile picture with too much text or elements can be overwhelming and hard to read, keep it simple and easy to identify.

The New York Times Instagram page does this best. Instead of trying to squeeze in their beautiful typeface logo, they opt for just the capital letter T that still makes them identifiable.

#4. Be consistent with your brand and values

Your profile picture should align with your overall branding and values, choose an image that represents your brand and its message.

Apple embraces simplicity and elegance within its branding by keeping its profile picture simple as well. They only use neutral colors and refrain from any busy text or clutter.

Related: Is Social Media the Key to Exploding Your Brand Awareness and Outshining the Competition?

#5. Consider using a photo of your logo in the real world

Maybe you have a thousand-dollar neon sign of your logo hanging on your wall that you aren’t using to your advantage here. And if you don’t, you should consider it.

A photo of your logo in the real world, such as on a sign or product, can make it more relatable and memorable for potential customers. This is a bit trickier to pull off, however. You need to make sure it still pops as much as a graphic and doesn’t mesh in the photograph.

The best example of this is the Tomorrowland Music Festival, which has a picture of its logo on top of a flag as its profile picture.

Conclusion

Your small business’s profile picture is a critical aspect of your online presence. It serves as the first impression for potential customers and can make or break their decision to engage with your business.

By following the best practices outlined, you can ensure that your profile picture represents your brand and values in the best possible light.

From avoiding generic logos to being mindful of dimensions and cropping, these tips will help you create a profile picture that stands out and makes a lasting impression.

By taking the time to create a visually appealing and recognizable profile picture, you’ll be well on your way to building a strong online presence for your small business.

If you found this article helpful, please consider buying me a coffee as a token of your appreciation. It helps keep me fueled and inspired to continue creating content for you!