Profile Photo and Banner

People decide credibility before reading your bio. Visuals are not vanity — they are legibility.

Profile photo rules

Face fills ~60% of circle (if personal brand)
Logo centered with padding (if brand account)
Readable at 48px — squint test
Consistent across platforms
Updated if appearance changed significantly (trust)

Avoid: sunglasses hiding eyes, group photos, distant vacation shots, low-res logos.

Logo vs face decision

Use face	Use logo
You are the product	Established brand recognition
Consulting, coaching	Shop, SaaS, collective
Founder-led sales	Franchise locations

Banner / cover image

Purpose: reinforce niche or current campaign. Effective:

One line value prop
Social proof ("Trusted by X")
Event or launch date

Skip:

Busy stock photos
Illegible text on mobile crop
Inside jokes strangers will not get

Safe zones differ per platform — keep text central.

DIY photo setup (no studio)

Window light, face toward light
Plain wall background
Phone rear camera, timer
Crop consistent in one editor

Refresh cadence

Photo: every 1–2 years or major rebrand
Banner: each quarter or campaign

Visual checklist

Tie back to Profile Checklist.