WritingThoughts

20 responses so far ↓

• 1 James Chartrand - Men with Pens // Apr 23, 2008 at

  At first, I believed the same as you because people told me that a photo creates a bond. The reader feels he knows you personally.

  However, after a few years of successful business, the lack of a photo has done me no harm that I can see. Stir up curiosity? Oh sure. We get asked a *lot* what we look like. Ahhh, a mystery…

  But readers *still* feel like they know us. They read our tone in our emails. We’re open, so they learn a little about our lives. Our blog is quite bare-all regarding personality, and many a reader there can probably describe me down to a T minus a few details.

  I think if you can convey your personality effectively in other ways, you don’t need a photo to do business. At least, I don’t.

  But the question you don’t answer is this: What immediate effects did YOU notice from using a photo versus NOT using a photo? That’s what I’m interested in – measurable results.

  I have a feeling you’re going to tell me it didn’t make a drastic difference… am I right?

• 2 Laura // Apr 23, 2008 at

  Good, thoughtful response James!

  It’s hard to separate the effect of publishing my photo from the effect of accepting paid blogging gigs.

  As I think back, there were a few times that I did publish a photo (such as this one for a portrait that Mig did of me https://www.writingthoughts.com/?p=135) before the paid blogging.

  I did get some comments then to the effect of “wow, is it really you?”

  After I started blogging for pay, my traffic on this site actually went down. I believe that’s because I started dividing my time between promoting this site and others.

  I guess the photo thing is one of those blogging myths that everyone has expected.

• 3 Randa Clay // Apr 24, 2008 at

  I personally am much more likely to be a more involved reader of a blog if there is a picture of the author. I feel as though I “know” the person in a way that you I just don’t get without a picture. That is not to say that a blog can’t be successful without one – that is obviously not the case, but we’re all looking for ways to draw the reader in and connect with them. This is an easy one.

• 4 Harrison McLeod // Apr 24, 2008 at

  The other night I was watching Dateline. They were investigating insurance scams. One company they investigated offered certain tools their salesmen could use to close a deal. Among them were Photoshopped magazine covers, with the salesman’s picture on it and a phony article, written by a ghostwriter accredited to the salesman.

  They did the same for books. They even went so far as to offer scripted radio interviews each salesperson could do and give to potential customers.

  All of this in the name of building a sense of trust and credibility.

  So how much is a picture worth? Not a hell of a lot these days. We build our trust and credibility through the quality of our work and delivering on time.

• 5 Matt Keegan // Apr 25, 2008 at

  I wouldn’t worry about the photo. If someone wants to do business with you, they’ll go over what you read to make a decision on whether to use you or not.

  BTW, I’ll be 50 this year — sometimes my photo helps, sometimes it doesn’t. I am very aware of age discrimination too.

• 6 Laura Spencer // Apr 25, 2008 at

  Hi Randa, Harrison, and Matt!

  I think these are good comments that show all aspects of the question.

  Randa, I do think that a lot of people feel the way you describe because I still see the advice to include a photo on your blog.

  Harrison – your point about con men using photo shop was just plain scary, but a very good reminder that not everyone online is who they seem to be. We should always be cautious.

  Matt, Your point about discrimination is well-taken. It’s not just age discrimination either, there are all kinds of discrimination that including a photo could cause. To be honest, one of the things that I initially liked about the Internet was that it leveled the playing field and caused people to be judged mainly on merit (at first). With photos and now podcasts, however, that is going away.

• 7 Lori // Apr 25, 2008 at

  Matt’s right – discrimination is something we unconsciously practice. Sometimes a photo can do more harm than good. I know of a few blogs with photos, and the owners do not appear to be terribly photogenic or the photo is not the most flattering… I know I’ve formed opinions of bloggers based solely on their words, and I think that’s a much better way to be “seen.”

• 8 Jeanne Dininni // Apr 27, 2008 at

  Laura,

  Either way is fine with me. I’ll admit that I enjoy seeing the person whose blog I’m reading and knowing what he or she looks like. But this is by no means a requirement for me to enjoy and become involved in a blog. After all, most bloggers are writers, and writing is the main attraction of any blog–with the exception of photo/video blogs. Most bloggers express themselves in words, and those words–along with the information, inspiration, or resources they convey–are far more important than what the blogger looks like.

  It may be true that some people find it easier to connect with a blogger when they have a photo to look at. But it isn’t the photo alone that creates that connection; the words the blogger writes are also a critical part of the connection equation.

  Interesting topic!
  Jeanne

• 9 Bob // Apr 28, 2008 at

  I dont care about the picture. I base my opinion on content and/or style.

  I don’t have a picture on my blog, but I’ve got a pretty good trust factor in my niche because of my knowledge.

• 10 Laura Spencer // Apr 28, 2008 at

  What an interesting discussion that has turned out to be!

  I notice that most posters who are writers are saying that photos are unimportant. I wonder if this has to do with learning style?

  Maybe those who have a visual learning style would answer the question differently…

• 11 Jeanne Dininni // Apr 30, 2008 at

  Fascinating question, Laura!

  Jeanne

• 12 Jacinda // Apr 30, 2008 at

  Laura, I’m a very visual person and am able learn much quicker that way. With that said, it really doesn’t matter to me if a blogger has a pic posted or not. Sure, it helps you get an idea of who it is that’s writing, but it doesn’t necessarily make the blog any better. Plus, there’s the possibility that the pic isn’t even them.

• 13 Solomon // Apr 30, 2008 at

  Hi Laura,
  I’m glad I came to some good blogs thourgh you: the Seth Godins, Dosh Dosh, Men with Pens…
  I’m enjoying reading those blogs. Thank you so much for the info.
  Regarding, the pic I always want to see the person I’m reading (listening) to. I like if I see visually how the person looks like.
  Solomon

• 14 Vivienne Quek // May 1, 2008 at

  Agreed with Matt that photo is a double edged sword. I was wondering how you looked like before I first saw your photo at MBL. However, that did not deter me from re-visiting your blog and be a loyal reader. Your writing and the personality that came through the words speak louder.

• 15 Laura Spencer // May 1, 2008 at

  Hi Jacinda, Solomon, and Vivienne!

  Jacinda – you make a good point that the picture might not even be them. I remember reading a blog about a year ago where the author kept changing the photo – and it wasn’t them!

  Solomon – I think what you’re describing is natural. It’s normal to want to “see” who you are talking to. But, like Jacinda pointed out, this is the Internet. It might not be real.

  Hi Vivienne! I am also thinking that the discrimination factor might be a reason why audiocasting on blogs hasn’t really taken off. Bloggers might not be comfortable appearing “live.”

• 16 LS // May 2, 2008 at

  Personally, I don’t like pictures on blogs. Once you get to “know” someone through their words, a picture can ruin that understanding. My learning style isn’t visual, though.

• 17 Sebastien // May 2, 2008 at

  My blog is a very personal blog. It’s all about what I like/hate and stuffs like that so I do have a picture on my about page. My blog visitors are mainly my friends anyways…

• 18 Matt Tuley, Laptop for Hire // May 9, 2008 at

  I’ve got a photo on my about page, but that’s it. There was a discussion about this over on the Freelance Switch forums, too. Same kind of thing: some do, some don’t.

• 19 AN // May 14, 2008 at

  Oooh I am so glad I found this post – I am just putting together my own website and toying with the idea of setting up a blog (since apparently all freelance writer/editors ‘should’ have one) and I was wondering whether or not to put a photo up. Even one that partially hides my face. My website is not going to be personal at all, but of course a blog will have to be. But I have found that I too have preconceived notions about people through their words and sometimes the photos don’t match my ideas. Like characters in a book! Do I want a client or potential client to feel that way?

• 20 Chris Brown // May 25, 2008 at

  When I first started blogging I didn’t use my photo, but instead uploaded an icon. It seemed weird to me to have my photo out there. However as my blog grew and people started quoting me, I was discouraged when they referred to me as “he” when I’m obviously female. Then it occured to me. It’s not obvious when you use an icon and have a name like Chris.

  Since then I’ve found that having a photo is a big boost. I like to visit other blogs that use MyBlogLog widget in the side bar and then I see the photos of my “friends” — other branding or marketing bloggers that I’ve built relationships with. It helps to humanize the blogosphere.

  Chris Brown