What's the whole idea of a Facebook picture?

How often do you change Facebook pics?

From a study of 500 000 facebook users, the average Facebook user will change their profile photo 18 times this year! That’s three times as often as in 2006. Women twice as often as men. 
Why is this important? If you are reaching people through Facebook, you need to know what will reach them!

Have a look at this amazing infographics about Facebook and photos and the commentary on it. A few interesting facts:

• people seem to "recognize that having an online presence is now the norm and maintaining it is important"
• smartphones with "extremely powerful cameras" are the norm
• everywhere you go people are watching the world "through their cameras"
• 80% of Gen Y will "digitally manipulate" their pictures as they post compared to Gen X
• Under 30s will post pictures "anywhere and everywhere" compared to over 30s who are very careful where they post pictures
• People understand what a profile picture is and have come to expect other users to have realistic and current (very current) profile pictures, especially given the likelihood of their attending an event recently in which they probably took pictures with their smartphones.

Think about this. How often have you gone to a see a singer or a speaker or an author and their pictures are very much older than they are? I have been fascinated by how many people have commented when I have met them at conferences: "you look like your photo" or in some cases "you look much better/younger" (thank you) than your photo. Whereas I would get one comment like that a month at a conference, I now get it multiple times. People are looking at my pictures on multiple social networking sites. What is even more fascinating is that many of the same people who have instantly recognised me in a lift (elevator), conference centre corridor  or conference room have been  surprised to learn that I am Australian. While they have remembered my photo, some have clearly not taken everything in from the accompanying bio. 

Conference participants from NCVS 2011 this year. 

From some research undertaken on a  community newspaper by Abbie Schmid, Lauren Pinder and Harumendhah Helmy: "When a video or photo is uploaded to Facebook (not just linked to) people are more likely to participate in conversation and to read the story. If there is a visual aspect to the story, make sure at least one photo is uploaded."












Implications for a not for profit:

• we are a visual generation- think visual for everything- but also be aware some people are not naturally visual
• if you dont have an online presence, you are invisible (what I say in my trainings a lot)
• if you dont have a policy regarding photos for your agency, get one
• if you have not changed your online photo recently, then you will be seen as dull/irrelevant/out of date
• if you want to recruit people to volunteer for you, think what your pictures say about you!
• "Keep the community in mind when posting pictures or galleries" (Schmid et al)
• always make sure your hair and make up is good! LOL

Excuse me, while I go and change my photos (hows this one?)!