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PhotoFeeler is headshot quality analysis software.
Platform(s): Browser agnostic; mobile responsive
Ideal for: Any size brokerage or agent team
Top selling points
- Honest feedback in a “safe” environment
- Free
- Activity-based credit system
- User controls allow for careful testing
Top concerns
- Collection and probable sale of photo feedback data
- Vanity
What you should know
I was made aware of PhotoFeeler by a colleague here at Inman who is often struggling with the low-quality headshots we receive for articles and content.
Graphic designers can be easily irked by the poor technical quality of customer or reader-submitted images; most often it’s an issue of resolution. (Universal tip: You can’t just type “300” in the image edit window to make an image 300 dpi.)
However, visual professionals like my co-worker are also concerned with actual photographic quality. In short, is it a good picture?
PhotoFeeler is aiming to help people help us by crowdsourcing the professional headshot feedback process.
Ask the audience
In a carefully controlled interface, users upload an image of their choice and when ready, submit it to the PhotoFeeler community for feedback.
Only users who are logged-in and have the appropriate volume of credits can comment. There is a very firm mandate from developers about offering only constructive, professional critiques.
Clearly, this is a service with more than enough potential to become a snark-fest, especially when exacerbated by the stigma of real estate agent portraiture.
But PhotoFeeler avoids this by making all users feel equal and doing so under the auspices of science.
While the voting is done only by people, the site reports that algorithms are used to analyze “past voting behavior and rating distributions to optimize the results from voting, for statistical accuracy far beyond what a small number of votes could normally provide.”
Each photo you submit is “ranked” in three specific categories against others on the site: likeability, competence and influence. Your rating will fall within a percentile of other users.
Each photo you submit is ‘ranked’ in three specific categories against others on the site.
This allows agents to test several photos before deciding which one to put on their website. One would want to shoot for a ranking beyond 50 percent in each category.
Pictures can be ranked for use within different online environments, like dating, business or social.
A serious contender
Many may be smirking a bit at the existence of such a tool — but don’t kid yourselves about the influence of personal appearance in business and life.
LinkedIn has become a testament to the value of the professional headshot. The more professional and put-together, the more connected you appear. There’s a reason people prevent tagging on Facebook.
I told our graphic designer this column could be dangerous for me to write. After all, I like to poke fun whenever I can. What larger target is there than vanity?
After giving this tool more thought, I found more value in it.
I think agents should give it a headshot.
Have a technology product you would like to discuss? Email Craig Rowe.
