profile picture The importance of having a great profile picture

[smashradio]

When you're selling on Fiverr, a good profile picture is essential. I see many sellers who look like they're using mugshots from the nearest police station.

Not looking your best can quickly turn buyers away. The amateurishness of your profile picture can easily be viewed as a reflection of your abilities. 

When I see some of the dreadful pictures sellers upload to their profile, I think to myself: "This individual lacks a connection to reality and doesn't understand the market they're in."

Trust is key

In other words: If you look like a criminal who has just been arrested on drug charges, people won't trust you. 

Your profile picture tells a story about who you are. People instantly judge others based on looks, no matter how much we try to pretend we're "better than that." No, we're not. 

Your image should reflect who you are, your personality, and your professionality. 

It should have great lighting and be crisp and clear. Dress like you mean business. 

That means: 

• No facemask.
• No blurry photos.
• Don't look angry.
• Don't look like you're a dangerous criminal.
• Dress nicely.
• Make sure the lighting is excellent. Natural sunlight/overcast in the late afternoon tends to work best. Avoid camera flash or overhead lights. You don't want your forehead to look like a disco ball. 
• Choose a nice background – not your aunts' bedroom, your kitchen, an ugly road, or worse: the toilet (yes, I've seen a couple of profile pictures taken while sitting on the toilet). Make sure the background is not too bright and preferably soft colors or a nice, blurred background. 
• No mirror selfies where you can see the camera, mirror, or camera flash (preferably no mirror selfies, period)
• No photos with anyone else: it should be you and you alone
• Focus on your face. Smile if you want to, or at least look friendly
• Top of your shoulders and head only. 
• If you can, hire a pro photographer. You wouldn't hire a plumber to do your accounting, right? 

 

Edited August 7, 2022 by smashradio

[digitalavinash]

Presenting self as original is another level of confidence in personality. But it seen on FIverr so many seller don't like to have self great profile picture but their sale is pretty good and they business well.

Also i have seen so many Buyers also not using self profile picture. But they order gigs many times, Having great reviews also.

[vickieito]

As always, great topic @smashradio! 🤩

16 hours ago, smashradio said:

I see many sellers who look like they're using mugshots from the nearest police station.

I see many who take "glamour" shots (some full body) that are very revealing! (not very business-like)

16 hours ago, smashradio said:

Dress like you mean business. 

Exactly! ...but not that business ⬇️! 😂

16 hours ago, smashradio said:

I've seen a couple of profile pictures taken while sitting on the toilet

My first profile picture was terrible. It was a selfie and I took 200 shots. Out of that, only 1 was okay to post (but still terrible). My husband complained for many months, saying exactly what you are saying right here:

16 hours ago, smashradio said:

When I see some of the dreadful pictures sellers upload to their profile, I think to myself: "This individual lacks a connection to reality and doesn't understand the market they're in."

The headshot was exactly that - all head and no shoulders. That made my face too big and scary. And since it was a selfie, one eye was closer to the camera than the other, so it gave me a "half-crazed" look.

And yes, my forehead looked like a disco ball. I definitely "lacked a connection to reality." But I worked so hard to get that bad headshot that I didn't want to do another photo shoot. I had also added that photo onto every single gig video, and I was too lazy to update all seven videos.

16 hours ago, smashradio said:

• If you can, hire a pro photographer. You wouldn't hire a plumber to do your accounting, right? 

So ... about that. *ahem* My current photo was taken by my 13-year-old son on his way out the door to school. He only took one picture and applied a black background so that "no one could see my messy hair." So that's the only reason why the background is much darker than I'd like.

This picture was a big improvement from the last one and I did see an increase in sales after changing it. I even had a buyer who I canceled an order with in the past, place a new order thinking I was a different person. As soon as he found out who I was, he canceled the order. Luckily it was before the order requirements and he did an "ordered by mistake" cancelation. So it didn't affect my seller stats. He was unfortunately, one of the orders I had to cancel in April because I was offering unlimited revisions and I couldn't do more than 8 revisions (I had a spike of 87 orders that month).

[smashradio]

9 hours ago, digitalavinash said:

Presenting self as original is another level of confidence in personality. But it seen on FIverr so many seller don't like to have self great profile picture but their sale is pretty good and they business well.

Also i have seen so many Buyers also not using self profile picture. But they order gigs many times, Having great reviews also.

Yes, you can have a succesful Fiverr business without a great profile picture. But it all depends on what you consider to be succesful. Perhaps those sellers are undervaluing themself, offering ridiculously low rates etc. For all you know, they could have increased their revenue tenfold by having a better profile picture. But of course, it depends on who you want to work with. If you're selective about your clients, projects and rates, you will find it much harder to do so if you're not putting your best foot forward, so to speak. 

I prefer to work with enterprise clients on larger projects. I would never be taken seriously by the freelance talent managers at these companies, if I looked like a drug criminal on a toilet or used a silly cartoon as my profile picture. 

You seem to know this yourself, given that you have a great profile picture. 

6 hours ago, salmanarif1 said:

Would you please take a look at my profile and suggest some improvements? 

Your profile picture has this weird blue ring around it. I would probably go for a slightly darker background and remove that blue ring thingy. 

Your gig thumbnails could use a re-design. Less text and a sleak, modern look. You're selling in the design categories, which makes the design of your thumbnails even more important. 

I recommend hiring a proofreader for your gig descriptions and profile descriptions. You claim to be fluent in English, but your sentence structure and wording indicates that this is not true. Lying about your skills and qualifications does not work. 

For one of your flyer gigs you're using some horrible elevator music. I would change that. For another gig, you're using somber and dramatic piano music. Doesn't fit well, in my opinion. 

Your gym, fitness workout yoga personal trainer diet plan flyer gig has a music track that works well enough. I'd just use that for all your gig videos, and perhaps hire a voice-over actor to help with engagement in your gig videos.  

Please keep in mind that you're not a "pro" just because you know how to use Canva. Canva is made for people who don't know how to design. You could grow your business and skills by taking some classes and online courses in design and social media marketing. Learn.Fiverr.com is a great place to start. 

24 minutes ago, vickieito said:

As always, great topic @smashradio! 🤩

Thanks 😄 

24 minutes ago, vickieito said:

I see many who take "glamour" shots (some full body) that are very revealing! (not very business-like)

Yes, haha. I actually advised a female on the forum a while back. Very glamour, to say the least. She claimed it got her orders, so who am I to argue? I surely wouldn't order from a seller who feels the need to show as much cleavage as possible in order to get orders. It doesn't impress me. 

24 minutes ago, vickieito said:

Exactly! ...but not that business ⬇️! 😂

One should always strive for optimal results in that department. Preferably without a camera. 😂

24 minutes ago, vickieito said:

The headshot was exactly that - all head and no shoulders. That made my face too big and scary. And since it was a selfie, one eye was closer to the camera than the other, so it gave me a "half-crazed" look.

And yes, my forehead looked like a disco ball. I definitely "lacked a connection to reality." But I worked so hard to get that bad headshot that I didn't want to do another photo shoot. I had also added that photo onto every single gig video, and I was too lazy to update all seven videos.

My old photo was from a time when I was the manager of a vape shop. I looked very.. hipster. Had a proper mahogny pipe! In hindsight, this was not one of my best moments. We've all been there at some point. My worst performance must have been in my teens, when I used a profile picture where I was dressed in a bright red t-shirt and a visor hat, holding a huge Beretta and making a duckface. 

24 minutes ago, vickieito said:

So ... about that. *ahem* My current photo was taken by my 13-year-old son on his way out the door to school. He only took one picture and applied a black background so that "no one could see my messy hair." So that's the only reason why the background is much darker than I'd like.

This picture was a big improvement from the last one and I did see an increase in sales after changing it. I even had a buyer who I canceled an order with in the past, place a new order thinking I was a different person. As soon as he found out who I was, he canceled the order. Luckily it was before the order requirements and he did an "ordered by mistake" cancelation. So it didn't affect my seller stats. He was unfortunately, one of the orders I had to cancel in April because I was offering unlimited revisions and I couldn't do more than 8 revisions (I had a spike of 87 orders that month).

Your profile pic ain't that bad. If I have one critique, it would be that your background is a bit too dark. You're dark haired, so you blend into the background. Maybe it's preferable to your...morning look...? 😄

All in all, I think your picture is more than good enough. 😄

Edited August 8, 2022 by smashradio

[katakatica]

My profile picture used to be the awesome illustration that I still have as my picture right now, but then... the Fire Nation attacked I mean, we had to switch off our pictures to, eh, real-life ones. 

The good thing is - I have blue hair now, which definitely helps emphasize the 'quirky writer' look. The picture could definitely be a bit better but I'm okay with it for now (I'm getting a new hairdo next week though AND it's still nice weather outside most days so I might switch it up soon!)

I've been debating what to do for my banner thingie on the business profile though (thought of getting some pixel art done, or just something else) but then... we got a typewriter. It doesn't work but it looks cool so now I want to use it (and maybe my setup) for something!

Definitely interesting topic though. I actually used to be told (when I had cartoony pics) that I was chosen for the job because I look 'cool' - now that has changed I guess, but yeah. A good looking(ish) profile is quite important!
(That being said, to this day I see several 'k-pop/international idols' that I recognize. Using fake pictures is so strange. Like, who'd believe that you're, idk, Madonna or something?)

[smashradio]

7 hours ago, katakatica said:

My profile picture used to be the awesome illustration that I still have as my picture right now, but then... the Fire Nation attacked I mean, we had to switch off our pictures to, eh, real-life ones. 

The good thing is - I have blue hair now, which definitely helps emphasize the 'quirky writer' look. The picture could definitely be a bit better but I'm okay with it for now (I'm getting a new hairdo next week though AND it's still nice weather outside most days so I might switch it up soon!)

 

Your blue hair certainly makes you look like a quirky writer. Not a bad look to have in your niche! 

7 hours ago, katakatica said:

 

I've been debating what to do for my banner thingie on the business profile though (thought of getting some pixel art done, or just something else) but then... we got a typewriter. It doesn't work but it looks cool so now I want to use it (and maybe my setup) for something!

Being original can certainly have advantages. If you can do something cool with the banner, I say go for it! 

7 hours ago, katakatica said:

Definitely interesting topic though. I actually used to be told (when I had cartoony pics) that I was chosen for the job because I look 'cool' - now that has changed I guess, but yeah. A good looking(ish) profile is quite important!

I think it depends on your clients, too. Sure, a well-made cartoon can be eye-catching and cool, but if you're working with business clients, they are more likely to look for dependability, trust, and professionalism. I can see categories where a cartoon or super-quirky profile picture would make sense. 

7 hours ago, katakatica said:

That being said, to this day I see several 'k-pop/international idols' that I recognize. Using fake pictures is so strange. Like, who'd believe that you're, idk, Madonna or something?

I often come across sellers from certain countries with stolen photos. If the picture is too perfect or generic, it might have the opposite effect by giving off that "stock photo vibe." Even worse is using celebs. 

[vickiespencer]

On 8/8/2022 at 8:28 AM, smashradio said:

I recommend hiring a proofreader for your gig descriptions and profile descriptions. You claim to be fluent in English, but your sentence structure and wording indicates that this is not true. Lying about your skills and qualifications does not work. 

Fiverr limits what I, as a proofreader, can do when I proofread profiles and gig descriptions. I must not 'rewrite' any of the text. I guess Fiverr does not want the seller's English-speaking skills to be masked. It is also against Fiverr's TOS to write gig descriptions for sellers.

 

8 hours ago, katakatica said:

My profile picture used to be the awesome illustration that I still have as my picture right now,

My Forum profile picture is from COVID days when I wanted something fun, so I had @zeus777 create a Jedi image for me so I could be a Jedi proofreader/copyeditor.

On 8/7/2022 at 3:42 PM, smashradio said:

If you can, hire a pro photographer. You wouldn't hire a plumber to do your accounting, right? 

When Fiverr asked us to change our profile images to prepare for my Fiverr Business profile, I had my hubby take my portrait. He is a master photographer and used his iPhone, so it did not cost me anything.

 

[smashradio]

46 minutes ago, vickiespencer said:

Fiverr limits what I, as a proofreader, can do when I proofread profiles and gig descriptions. I must not 'rewrite' any of the text. I guess Fiverr does not want the seller's English-speaking skills to be masked. It is also against Fiverr's TOS to write gig descriptions for sellers.

 

As I understood it, this was only an issue if you're doing it for someone offering services in the writing categories? I might be mistaken, though. I've never had to deal with this, since there aren't that many Norwegian sellers on Fiverr, so I've never been asked to proofread a gig description before. 

Where in the terms does it specify that you can't rewrite or write gig descriptions? I like to think that I know the ins and outs of the terms pretty well, but I can't remember seeing anything about that. 

The only thing I could find that could possible affect this is: 

"Your profile information, including your description, skills, location, etc., while may be kept anonymous, must be accurate and complete and may not be misleading, illegal, offensive or otherwise harmful. Fiverr reserves the right to require users to go through a verification process in order to use the Site (whether by using ID, phone, camera, etc.)."

But would it be misleading for a video animator to hire help with their gig description? We can't all be professional at everything, and hiring other professionals to help grow your business should be completely acceptable. For example, it's ok for me to hire a designer to help with my gig thumbnails, a video editor to edit my gig video and so on. I'm not working in the video category or design category, meaning it wouldn't misrepresent my skills to do so. It might be separate rules for proofreaders, but I couldn't find anything in the terms about it. 

  

46 minutes ago, vickiespencer said:

When Fiverr asked us to change our profile images to prepare for my Fiverr Business profile, I had my hubby take my portrait. He is a master photographer and used his iPhone, so it did not cost me anything.

Your profile picture is great! 

Edited August 9, 2022 by smashradio

[web_laab]

Trust is important when you invest your money and time. And we can't trust the person if we can't see him even your work related profiles. So a good profile picture is a must.

[vickiespencer]

27 minutes ago, smashradio said:

As I understood it, this was only an issue if you're doing it for someone offering services in the writing categories? I

Various SPMs have referred me to their clients to proofread gig and profile descriptions in multiple niches. I was concerned about the parameters of doing so because I remember one Fiverr Forum member who had their gig removed for offering to write gig descriptions for other sellers.

Therefore, I asked my SPM if proofreading gig descriptions for other sellers was allowed. My SPM said he would find out for me. Once he had done his research, he told me proofreading was allowed, but I could not do any rewriting; I could only proofread. He did not indicate that this guideline was only for the writing category.

I proofread a handful of gig and profile descriptions but then asked my SPM not to refer me anymore because, as a retired teacher, it was too challenging for me only to proofread for other sellers. It grated on my nerves not to be able to rewrite parts that were not as well written as they could be. Plus, I worried I might unintentionally slip into the 'rewriting' category and get into trouble with Fiverr's TOS.  

 

Edited August 9, 2022 by vickiespencer

[smashradio]

18 minutes ago, vickiespencer said:

he told me proofreading was allowed, but I could not do any rewriting; I could only proofread. He did not indicate that this guideline was only for the writing category.

Interesting. Good to know in case someone asks me to proofread their gig description. Thanks!

[newsmike]

2 hours ago, vickiespencer said:

I guess Fiverr does not want the seller's English-speaking skills to be masked. It is also against Fiverr's TOS to write gig descriptions for sellers.

Meanwhile... hundreds of these: "Perfect in English" is kinda funny though.

Edited August 9, 2022 by newsmike

[vickiespencer]

23 hours ago, newsmike said:

Meanwhile... hundreds of these: "Perfect in English" is kinda funny though.

And every one of them is breaking TOS. I used to report them, and they always were removed, but I have better things to do. 🙄 Plus, once I reported them, new gigs offering the same service would pop up like weeds!

23 hours ago, newsmike said:

hundreds of these: "Perfect in English" i

Yes, most of them are from countries where English is not their first language. But they have google translate and Grammarly!

Edited August 9, 2022 by vickiespencer
to add text

[Guest freelancerjabir]

I agree, but I don't have a professional image yet. Got no time to capture one. Doing hard work for last 3 months with less sleep and higher stress 

[smashradio]

On 8/11/2022 at 6:10 AM, freelancerjabir said:

I agree, but I don't have a professional image yet. Got no time to capture one. Doing hard work for last 3 months with less sleep and higher stress 

Stress is no good! Take a day off for your mental health. It can do wonders. If we work too hard, we risk ending up with burnout.