17 January 2008 | Commentary & Analysis | Josh

There’s always been some discussion about whether or not portraits are important for the provider profiles. I firmly believe that they are – and I’m happy to see some providers have used the portrait to really market themselves well. Consider these portraits:

– This says to me that the provider is professional, can functionally use Photoshop, and gives me a sense of his style.

– I like this one. It shows both individualism as well as the corporate brand of the oDesk affiliate company.

– Another well done portrait showcasing the company name and brand as well as the individual.

– This one makes me feel like she’s already thinking about my design.

– Ok, this guy knows his stuff, a true computer geek with disassembled parts in the background.

– Nice touch, but would prefer more of the face. If I’m looking for an animator, I’m intrigued.

– A bit impersonal since no face, but I like the clever sense of style.

– Hmm. Nothing like showing off a little local scenery I suppose.

– Professional, casual, sincere. I get a sense of the individual as well as the workplace. Quite nice.

Compare the portraits above to this one:

What do you think potential buyers would prefer?

So, upload a portrait. Exercise some creativity, but keep it personal and individual. You only have a brief second to impress buyers in the search results and a good intriguing portrait can capture that attention.