When last did you update your profile pic, bio? MisRed

Melissa Mpofu, Showbiz Editor
When was the last time you updated your social media profile, like your bio or just the profile and cover picture?

The way we communicate has changed over the years as more and more people are now communicating through social media platforms, be it for family purposes or business.

For this reason, regularly updating and having appealing social media profiles is a must, especially for personalities and brands if they are to be taken seriously by those they are engaging with. In fact, I would recommend personalities get professionals to handle their social media pages to give them that wow factor as this will go a long way in the development of their brand, only unless if they are a jack of all trades like comedian Carl Joshua Ncube.

The first point of call is the profile picture itself. Whether one chooses to put a poster or a picture of themselves, it is key that it be an image that presents the brand well. Drunken looking and blurry pictures are a big no, explaining why all personalities who take themselves seriously need to go for a photoshoot, well at least at the beginning of each year.

On many occasions when we run stories of varying personalities, we face serious challenges with images. Sometimes, depending on the location and availability of the subject, a photographer is deployed to go and take current pictures. But this is not possible for everyone as some will be out of our reach so we have to rely on them to supply images. And when they send these images, sometimes you realise you were better off without them as they will not be of high quality with the angles a bit off.

Running poor quality images or those where the personality will not be dressed well messes up one’s brand as it belittles it. Never judge a book by its cover they say, but unfortunately when people see a shabby looking person or a funny-looking picture, they naturally doubt the brand.

Question is, in an era where the world has gone digital, how are personalities failing to have at least one good picture of themselves? Just one. Is it that they are not big on pictures or it is an issue of one neglecting their brand?

Sandra Ndebele-Sibindi has been doing very well as she has been consistently taking quality images, be it of her off-stage or her clad in her set attire. Personalities Pokello Nare and Mbo Mahocs also do not compromise when it comes to images. Almost all their posts seem like photoshoots. Another doing well in this regard is Nceku.

Recently, media personality MisRed (real name Samantha Musa), whose brand is growing tremendously, sent me her profile and a fresh set of professional images. Why was she sending me this profile after all these years of covering her? I asked myself. Had we been getting some information wrong? It was only after I read her profile that I understood why.

For starters, her surname has one S, yet all this time we have been writing it as Mussa. However, she later explained to me that she is the one who adds the other S for emphasis. Only those into showbiz will understand this emphasis.

Looking at her well-detailed profile which contained information about her social media pages and their followings, her recent notable engagements and philanthropy work, I was left impressed. Here was a person taking her brand seriously. Likely this is why she is outstanding as she ensures that all aspects of her brand are taken care of.

Why can’t most of our personalities/artistes have this kind of package that they will share with media houses each year so as to keep journalists and even corporates updated? This will not only benefit personalities but the general public as they will get current information and fresh images of their favourite personalities instead of always seeing a 2010 version of a person.

So, if your profile has an image from five years ago, kindly make an effort to refresh it by taking a fresh one. If you cannot afford a professional photoshoot, take one with your smartphone and upload. But, on the issue of costs of photoshoots, I have realised that there are many young photographers sprouting, especially in high-density suburbs. And wow, their pictures which they are taking mostly at family gatherings, weddings, and parties are very impressive. For as little as $5 or $1 for one image, the youngsters can take an image of you that will change the game.

It is time to stop admiring profiles of artistes in developed countries yet we all have access to cameras. They are selling the dream and nothing stops you from selling yours, go and get that picture to beautify your profile and rake in the likes and followers. Do not forget to update your bio as well because I am sure there have been changes in the past five years.

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