Sometimes, you can’t see the forest for the trees. Other times, you’re too busy looking at the forest that you miss the trees. 🙂

The devil is in the details, my friends. Yes, you need a well-thought-out social media strategy, but sometimes, you need to take a step back and consider the details.

Take your Twitter avatar, for instance. (It’s the small image that appears on your Twitter profile and beside every Tweet you post.)

A default Twitter avatar

If you don’t upload a profile photo when you first set up your account, your Tweets appear with the Twitter default image. It looks like an egg – you’re a Twitter newbie, ready to break out of your shell. And do you know what most people think when they see a Tweet to them with the newbie egg? They think spammer first, and newbie second. You don’t want to start off a conversation with someone with the proverbial bag over your head, right?

The next question becomes, do you use a corporate logo or a picture of a real person? I suppose there are two schools of thought on this. For example, @Starbucks and @DunkinDonuts are two that use their logo. I would argue that in these cases, that’s acceptable, because these brands are 1) Super recognizable and 2) their Tweets are so personable and conversational that it makes up for the stiff corporate logo. 3) In the case of Dunkin Donuts, they have multiple Tweeters for their account.

Using social media is supposed to help you humanize your brand. So I really hold the opinion that you should try to humanize your avatar. I always like to know that I’m talking to an actual person! Perhaps there’s a way to compromise. I really like how Scott Monty (@scottmonty) of Ford has blended his smiling face with a small Ford logo in the corner. Corporate (because he’s representing Ford) and personal – love it!

If your account will have multiple Tweeters, I would still suggest something other than a logo – especially if your logo is not easily recognizable. Be creative! Maybe it’s a mashup of your Tweeter’s faces. Or all of their eyes. Or all of their left pinkies. 🙂

I can’t wait to see your avatars! Tweet with me over at @SocialMedBtrfly and let me see!