Photographer taking profile picture of woman

There are lots of ways to make your Etsy store stand up out from the oversupply. And photography is one of the best.

Whether it's taking the time to create consistent branding for your store or using a good profile photo, customers call up visual images a lot faster than even the proper name of your shop.

And these days, with an increase of more Etsy sellers, your profile photograph is 1 fashion to connect with your customers before they make a purchase.

Simply what is a contour photograph?  Your contour photo is the picture that appears nether "Shop Owner" and your name on the right hand side of your shop's website.  Information technology's also the same photo that shows up under your public profile when you store on Etsy or mail in their forums.

When doing business online, everyone likes trying to lucifer a shop with a face.  Information technology makes potential customers feel continued with you.  And helps instill confidence that you'll send them an astonishing product.

So, it turns out that choosing a good contour photograph tin can actually increase your store'south sales.  And who doesn't want more store sales.

Merely, information technology isn't always like shooting fish in a barrel to decide on a profile photograph to use for your Etsy shop.  This is why I think a lot of people keep utilise their generic gray silhouette or choose an avatar graphic prototype instead.  Maybe it'southward a little lack of self confidence or shyness that makes us want to hibernate our faces.

Close up of camera on desk with the text overlay "How to choose your profile photo for your Etsy shop"

Coming from someone whose hemmed and hawed over which profile photo to use for years, getting a expert picture of ourselves isn't like shooting fish in a barrel. Here are some ideas to help you choose a proficient profile photo for your Etsy store.

Think Round

For your Etsy profile photo, you volition need 400 by 400 pixel photograph.  A square sized photograph.

But once you upload the proper photograph size, Etsy puts a circular frame around it.

Yep, that'southward confusing.  And so when choosing a good profile photo, call up round.  How will a round frame look around this picture?

There are some photos that look better in a square.  If you think that your face or other important elements of the photograph will be cut off when it's cropped, cull a unlike photo.

Smiling Intensity

It seems that the verdict is out on smiling in profile photos.  More than smiling makes for amend relationships online.  At least in the social media world.

Simply I think this correlates to the profile photo that y'all choose for your artistic business organization.  The more than yous grinning the friendlier people will call back you are.

How much you lot smile in your contour photograph will probably exist determined by how comfy y'all are in the photograph.  Your profile photo is 1 the commencement fourth dimension potential customers meet yous. What kind of impression do you want to requite them?

However not sure?  Call up about it this way.  If yous were selling at a arts and crafts fair, what kind of smile would you requite someone who walked up to your berth?

Try that smile in your profile photograph.

Check out this awesome smile guide from Orbit Media showcasing the openness of different smiles.  See which one you like best.

Skip the Stock Photo

I recently saw a tutorial for setting up an Etsy store.  They were suggesting to skip the profile photo birthday and just use a stock photograph.

Now, please notation that these were men trying to sell their designs on Etsy.  They view the marketplace as a woman'due south domain and didn't retrieve people would buy from them if they new they were male.

Sounds ridiculous to me, but to each his ain.

When choosing your profile photo, skip the stock photo.  Unless, maybe, if you have something to hide.

Your profile photo should represent who you are and build your make.

Plus, if your shop actually takes off and you were contacted by a visitor for a wholesale contract, y'all'd hate to see the shock on their face when you weren't the stock photo.  Talk about starting a human relationship on the wrong foot.

Consider Branding

When choosing a good contour photo, think almost your shop'southward branding. What colors do you use in your logo and branding materials? What kind of feel and look does your shop have?

Consider means yous tin can add your business branding into your profile photograph.  You could include a bit of your function in the background.  Or you could wear your brand's colors.

Another idea is to add elements of your craft.  If y'all are a photographer, vesture your camera.   A painter could take a paintbrush in their hands or a pigment palette.

These subtle hints of your brand will make your contour photo more memorable and assistance your customers connect with you lot.

Show your Human Side

I went through a phase many years dorsum when I didn't want to testify my face to people online.  So, instead, I chose profile pictures for my social media accounts that showcased my back or landscapes.

The thing is that showing your face up is ane of the key parts of your contour photo.  No 1 wants to buy from a shop where they're looking at someone's back.  Information technology makes you lot await like you've got something to hide.

When you cull your profile photo, show your human side.  Cull a photo where yous are looking straight at the photographic camera.  Or peradventure at an bending.  But, no matter what, your face you be clearly visible.

Distance Matters

The pull a fast one on when choosing a good profile photograph is that distance matters.  No 1 likes looking at a photo that'due south too shut.  Or one that's too far. Y'all need simply enough distance between yous and the camera to create the perfect contour pic.

When taking your profile photo, accept enough distance to let y'all zoom in when you crop the photo into the circle shape.  Caput space around the photo helps give room to make changes in the editing room.  If your photo is too shut around your face, you have a better likelihood of cutting yourself off when you crop it.

At the same time, brand certain you aren't so far away that you can't run across your face clearly.  You want to be recognizable to your customers.  A tiny confront way in the background won't requite your customers a good fashion to place you.

Woman's hand holding up camera on pink background with the text overlay "How to nail your profile photo for your Etsy shop"

Simplify your Groundwork

When taking your contour photograph, brand sure to keep your background simple.  You lot don't desire a lot of dissonance in your photo.  Keep in mind that the photograph is near you and your confront – not where yous're located.

Choose a quiet background.  A wall, work infinite, natural setting.  Nothing with too much activeness behind y'all.

The more than simple your background, the more probable you tin make edits to your photograph subsequently.  Instead of irresolute your face, you can switch out the groundwork and add dissimilar colors if you desire to jazz up your photograph in the futurity.

Ask your Audition

Still not sure which contour photo you should choose?  Why not leave it up to your audition to determine?

Post the options on social media and get feedback from your audience.  You can even ask them to share why they chose a specific photograph. There might be a proficient reason they like i over another.

Another idea is to send a survey to your email list and permit them vote.  Your audition will be touched that you asked for their opinions and feel included as y'all grow your business.

Once you have the feedback, let their opinions aid you make your concluding decision.

Put on Repeat

One time you select the perfect profile photo, use it across your Etsy shop.  The more people encounter the same image, the more recognizable yous will become.

Utilize the aforementioned photo on your social media profiles, other online shops and web log.  Over fourth dimension, your audience will first to associate your brand and you lot with that photograph.  Await at that.  Instant recognition.

Final Thoughts…

When setting up your Etsy shop, choosing the right profile photo is of import to helping your customers connect with your brand.

But you can't just choose whatever photo.  You need to select a pic that showcases y'all.

Remember, don't exist shy.  This is a photo that will show up on your shop'south communications and represent you online.  Y'all want to contour photo that makes yous look friendly and the shop to practise business with.

In one case you select your photo, be sure to use information technology on all of your contour images.  This consistency will help your customers recognize you lot and make your shop stand out.

Prepare to start your own Etsy shop? Cheque out this tutorial about how to fix your Etsy shop during naptime.