--- title: "Friending cats and following eggs: On social networks you ARE your photo" image: https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/file-1604629557-jpg/blog-files/6a00d83451f23a69e20167678401e8970b-200wi.jpg --- [Skip to main content](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/2012/06/on-social-networks-you-are-your-photo.html#maincontent) [ «  View All Posts ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog) # Friending cats and following eggs: On social networks you ARE your photo June 14th, 2012 2 min read By [David Meerman Scott](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/author/david-meerman-scott) ![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/file-1604629557-jpg/blog-files/6a00d83451f23a69e20167678401e8970b-200wi.jpg?width=200&height=576&name=6a00d83451f23a69e20167678401e8970b-200wi.jpg) [![Fb 1](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/file-1604629557-jpg/blog-files/6a00d83451f23a69e20167678401e8970b-200wi.jpg "Fb 1")](http://freshspot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451f23a69e20167678401e8970b-pi)**On social networks, you ARE your photo.** Your image is important! The photo you choose to represent you says a great deal about who you are as an individual. It is your personal brand. I love meeting people in person at conferences or cocktail parties and then connecting with them on social networks like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Sometimes I search people out and connect and other times they find me. But when somebody has an image that is not an actual photo of them, I hesitate and usually do not connect. Why are they hiding? Why use a dog or flower or building, or famous person, or logo instead? The images in this post are all Facebook profiles of people who requested to become friends with me. Who are they? I don’t know because the photos are not of them. So I did not connect. Same thing happens on Twitter. And then there’s the default "egg" on Twitter and silhouette Facebook. The default says: “I can’t be bothered to upload an image. **There are many choices when it comes to an image to use:** **You can use a casual shot taken by a friend. ** This is a great option for many people. But there are many different approaches and each says something important about you. Are you in a casual setting (like on a beach)? Or more formal like an office? What are you wearing? [![Fb 2](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/file-1604629572-jpg/blog-files/6a00d83451f23a69e201676784044c970b-200wi.jpg "Fb 2")](http://freshspot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451f23a69e201676784044c970b-pi) *Always think: What does this photo say about me and my personal brand?* **You can have other people & things with you in the photo. ** Your child and/or boyfriend. A random famous person. Props like your dog, a fishing pole, or a beer in your hand. What about your company logo? *Always think: What does this photo say about me and my personal brand?* **You can use a formal portrait. ** This is what I do. But the choice of style and clothing says a lot about who you are. Close-up or wide shot? (Wide shots are difficult to see in the postage stamp size on sites like Twitter). Smile or no smile? How close do you crop? For men: tie or no tie? Jacket? *Always think: What does this photo say about me and my personal brand?* **Many people use an avatar such as a graphic representation of themselves.** This approach is appropriate for some people. *Always think: What does this photo say about me and my personal brand?* I just don't connect with random images is also used by some. Your cat. Bart Simpson. A surfboard. You're certainly narrowing down what you want people to think of you if you go this route. *Always think: What does this photo say about me and my personal brand?* **You ARE your photo** [ David Meerman Scott ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/author/david-meerman-scott) David Meerman Scott is a business growth strategist, advisor to clever entrepreneurs who are building emerging companies, and the international bestselling author of a dozen books published in 30 languages. David’s high-energy keynote presentations, masterclasses, and virtual events educate, energize, and inspire. Connect: [mailto:david@freshspot.com](mailto:david@freshspot.com) Topics: [ Social Media ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/social-media) [ Personal branding ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/personal-branding) [ Best Practices ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/best-practices) Don't forget to share this post: ## Related Articles [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Artemis%20earthset.jpg?width=5568&height=3712&name=Artemis%20earthset.jpg) ### Nasa’s Artemis II Lunar Mission: A PR Triumph for the USA April 11th, 2026|2 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/nasas-artemis-ii-lunar-mission-a-pr-triumph-for-the-usa) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Moltbook.jpg?width=1536&height=1024&name=Moltbook.jpg) ### Moltbook: A Social Network for AI Agents Where Humans Can Only Watch February 3rd, 2026|2 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/moltbook-a-social-network-for-ai-agents-where-humans-can-only-watch) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Screenshot%202025-10-29%20at%2010.27.19%20AM.png?width=835&height=466&name=Screenshot%202025-10-29%20at%2010.27.19%20AM.png) ### Don’t Fly Wizzness Class Video from Dave Carroll October 29th, 2025|2 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/dont-fly-wizzness-class-video-from-dave-carroll) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Chef%20Todd%20Edwards.jpg?width=1500&height=1010&name=Chef%20Todd%20Edwards.jpg) ### Pulling Back the Curtain to Show What Happens Behind-the-Scenes October 15th, 2025|2 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/pulling-back-the-curtain-to-show-what-happens-behind-the-scenes) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/DMS%20BM%20hybrid%202004.jpg?width=1432&height=966&name=DMS%20BM%20hybrid%202004.jpg) ### The Fandom Playbook: My New Book and Companion AI Chatbot September 24th, 2025|2 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/the-fandom-playbook-my-new-book-and-companion-ai-chatbot) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Stefano%20Paciotti.jpg?width=1500&height=1084&name=Stefano%20Paciotti.jpg) ### The Ham Whisperer of Rome: How Stefano’s Honest Videos Won the World’s Heart June 24th, 2025|2 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/the-ham-whisperer-of-rome-how-stefanos-honest-videos-won-the-worlds-heart) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/LinkedIn%20comments.jpg?width=1114&height=737&name=LinkedIn%20comments.jpg) ### Comments Are the Key to LinkedIn Engagement January 29th, 2025|2 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/comments-are-the-key-to-linkedin-engagement) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Kolkata%20Chai%20Ani%20and%20Ayan.jpg?width=1236&height=858&name=Kolkata%20Chai%20Ani%20and%20Ayan.jpg) ### Brewing Authenticity: How Kolkata Chai Co. 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