Using Your Headshot to Own Your Digital Image

Using Your Headshot to Own Your Digital Image

You've heard the stories. Raunchy photos result in people getting fired, kicked off the team or appearing less attractive to a potential mate.

But what if you could make the images people find online, great?

Innovative educators know you can with a headshot.

Amy Brougher Milstein captured "the awesome" of winners of the Excellence in #NYCSchoolsTech awards by taking their headshots which they can now use in all their online platforms to set the stage for their story. These educators know that their image should reflect how they want to be perceived by students, staff, colleagues, families, and even potential employers or partners. They dressed to impress and are conveying their personal brand.

Here's what they'll do next:

  • Upload image as your profile picture to your social networks (i.e. Instagram, Facebook, Twitter).
  • Crop it tight. Your face is often in a little thumbnail. You want people to see it.
  • Upload the image to photo sites like Picassa and Flickr.
  • Make sure it is public. It won't be searchable if it is not.
  • Tag your photo with your full name. Be consistent with your tags.
  • Cite the source. Photo credit to Amy Brougher Milstein

The end result will be a Google search that will eventually look something like this:

Because I actively control my digital image, when you search it, it conveys the story I want told. That is because I tag photos I like of myself and make them public. It also means I set tagging permissions so that I have to approve tags from others before they are published. Here is an example of how to do that on Facebook.

Owning your image is important. What story does your headshot convey?

Lisa Nielsen writes for and speaks to audiences across the globe about learning innovatively and is frequently covered by local and national media for her views on “Passion (not data) Driven Learning,” "Thinking Outside the Ban" to harness the power of technology for learning, and using the power of social media to provide a voice to educators and students. Ms. Nielsen has worked for more than a decade in various capacities to support learning in real and innovative ways that will prepare students for success. In addition to her award-winning blog, The Innovative Educator, Ms. Nielsen’s writing is featured in places such as Huffington Post, Tech & Learning, ISTE Connects, ASCD Wholechild, MindShift, Leading & Learning, The Unplugged Mom, and is the author the book Teaching Generation Text.

Disclaimer: The information shared here is strictly that of the author and does not reflect the opinions or endorsement of her employer.

Lisa Nielsen (@InnovativeEdu) has worked as a public-school educator and administrator since 1997. She is a prolific writer best known for her award-winning blog, The Innovative Educator. Nielsen is the author of several books and her writing has been featured in media outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Tech & Learning.  

Disclaimer: The information shared here is strictly that of the author and does not reflect the opinions or endorsement of her employer.