When it comes to building a digital presence, your profile photo isn’t just a box to check—it’s your first impression.

And if you’re trying to position yourself as a thought leader, founder, or industry expert, that tiny little image on Instagram, LinkedIn, or your website matters a lot more than you think.

Here’s how to know whether your profile should feature your face or your logo—and why the choice is bigger than just aesthetics.

Why Your Profile Photo Matters

Before we get into faces vs. logos, let’s be clear about one thing. Your profile photo tells people what kind of brand you’re building before they ever read a word about you. If someone lands on your Instagram or LinkedIn and sees a face, they instantly know there’s a person they can connect with. If they see a logo, they expect a company.

Your profile image is the first signpost of what relationship you want to build with your audience.

If You Are the Brand: Lead With Your Face

If your business is built around you—your expertise, your story, your voice—your profile photo should always be your headshot. You’re the founder, the expert, the thought leader. People want to connect with you, not just a brand name.

Showing your face creates instant trust. It tells your audience that you stand behind your work and that there’s a real person they can learn from, hire, or collaborate with. This is true whether you’re building a personal brand, consulting, speaking, or publicly leading a smaller business.

If Your Company Is Bigger Than You: Use Your Logo

If your brand has grown beyond you—maybe you have a full team, multiple departments, or you’re scaling a company that’s not solely dependent on your personal reputation—your logo makes sense.

You want to create a brand identity that stands apart from any one individual. You have multiple spokespeople or employees. The company’s mission is broader than just your personal story.

A logo builds brand consistency across platforms and tells your audience they’re interacting with a full organization—not just one person.

LinkedIn Rules: Face vs. Logo

On your personal LinkedIn profile, you should always use your face. LinkedIn is built for personal thought leadership and networking. People expect to see who they’re connecting with—not just a company logo.

On your company LinkedIn page, your logo is the right choice. This page represents the business brand, so your logo belongs front and center.

Instagram Rules: Face vs. Logo

On a personal brand Instagram account, your face should lead. Even if you have a business name, if you are the main voice, strategist, or public-facing leader (like I am with Her Digital Legacy), your audience needs to connect with you. Your profile photo should reflect the human being they are building trust with—not just a brand name.

On a company brand Instagram account, your logo often makes more sense. If you’re showcasing multiple people, different services, or offers—and the brand isn’t tied solely to your story—your logo becomes the front door to the brand identity. It signals that the business is larger than just one person and helps create consistency across platforms.

Real Example: Her Digital Legacy

Even though my business is called Her Digital Legacy, my face is still the first thing you see. That’s because I’m the strategist, the voice, and the guide behind the brand. My audience isn’t just connecting with a company—they’re connecting with me.

But if I expanded this into a full agency tomorrow—with a team of designers, strategists, and account managers—you might see the logo move forward instead. The brand would become bigger than just me, and the logo would help represent the collective expertise of the team.

It all comes down to this: if people are buying you, show up as you. If they’re buying the company, lead with the brand.

But Wait—Your Personal Brand Still Matters

Even if your LinkedIn or Instagram is more company-focused, your personal brand should always exist behind the scenes. It’s how you build trust as the leader, how you open doors for speaking opportunities, media features, and leadership roles, and how you stay recognizable, even as your business grows.

People want to know the leader behind the logo. That’s why building your personal brand is never optional—it’s essential.

And if you’re ready to build a digital presence that finally reflects your reputation, my Digital Presence Management services can help. We work closely with female founders, executives, and thought leaders to craft a powerful online presence—so you can show up with clarity, confidence, and authority everywhere you go.

Final Thought

Visibility isn’t just about being seen. It’s about being known. Whether you’re running a personal brand or leading a major company, your digital presence starts with one simple decision: will people recognize you—or will they only recognize your logo?

Choose wisely. Your future opportunities are already watching.

Want to build a personal brand that opens doors?

Download my FREE Personal Brand Playbook — your step-by-step guide to clarifying your message, showing up with confidence, and creating a digital presence that actually reflects the expert you already are.

Grab it right here.

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Written by Erin Hoy
Founder & CEO of Her Digital Legacy, Erin is a Personal Brand Strategist helping high-achieving women build legacy-driven, reputation-focused personal brands that open doors to bigger opportunities. Through tailored digital presence management, she helps leaders step out from behind their businesses and into the spotlight where they belong.