A study by the Georgia Institute of Technology revealed that images containing faces are 38 per cent more likely to receive likes and 32 per cent more likely to receive comments on Instagram than photos without faces.
There is also a neuroscientific reason for this.
How often you remember someone’s face but not their names? I would say quite often if not remarkably.
Research shows that people often remember faces, but not details like jobs and names.
According to Le Chang, a neuroscientist from California Institute of Technology, there is a part of our brain called Temporal Lobe that is dedicated at recognising faces.
When someone’s Temporal Lobe suffers an injury, they may remember the voice body shape but not the face.
No matter how good your content is, your audience may not remember you. You need to identify yourself because there’s a lot of noise out there. When you use a photo of yourself in written content, you build a sense of familiarity with your audience.
That sense of familiarity is fundamental in building trust.
Remember that our subconscious brain speaks in images. It will process the associated emotion with photos.
Real human photos with the focus on a face are impactful as it has a stronger emotional connection. Stock photos do not have the same effects.
Our brains are fascinating, and for this reason, I remind myself to use more photos of my face and you should too!
Even if you’re like me, the type who enjoys being in the moment and a little shy about taking selfies in public places.
10 months ago, I was that girl who hated selfies, and I look constipated in them too.
But I know it’s something I need to do. Fast.
So, I put on my big girls’ pants and start taking those photos. It was awkward and uncomfortable but…
But there is a solid strategic reason for doing. Knowing the reason motivated me to get over my hesitation for selfies.
Here’s a tip; use a tripod with a Bluetooth remote control when you take your photos.
It is less intimidating if you are uncomfortable with taking selfies.
Think of your photo as an engagement tool in your marketing. It was the game changer for my clients and me.