Smiling in Profile Pictures Can Make a Difference, Study Finds

A study has shown that whether a person smiles or not in their profile picture matters to other people and can even affect how much money they earn.

The study published in April’s Journal of Consumer Research looked at the profile pictures of Airbnb hosts and how their smile affects other people’s perceptions of them.

Amazingly, Airbnb hosts who do smile saw a 3.5 percent average increase in bookings. Forbes reports that is an additional $673 extra annual income just for wearing a smile.

But not all smiles are equal and there is a difference between the sexes. Whether a female host smiled or not didn’t matter anywhere near as much as smiling males who saw an 8.7 percent increase over their non-smiling counterparts. The researchers say that is because of “the greater uncertainty surrounding interactions with male hosts.” A smile puts a potential customer at ease.

Smiling Helps on Other Platforms

Forbes notes that this is not the only study to affirm that smiling in profile pictures has a positive effect. Smiling on LinkedIn also matters, one study found that profiles with over 500 or more connections are more smiley than those with less.

However, the smile itself matters. A large, laughing type of smile can actually put people off, and so can an inauthentic smile. The research says that a smile that is forced is less effective than one that involves the entire face when the person’s eyes light up and “crow’s feet” appear at the corner of the eyes.

But again, there are differences between men and women. A study by the Hinge dating app says that on relationship platforms, women smiling while showing teeth are 76 percent more likely to get a like than those concealing their teeth. But for men, it is the other way around: those smiling without teeth were 43 percent more likely to receive a like than their teeth-baring peers.

The researchers say that smiling is a sure-fire way to signal approachability and safety. People are more likely to trust people who smile.

Nevertheless, different contexts may require different smiles. For example, for those who want a leadership role a more subtle smile might be better than a large flashing smile to show both approachability and authority. But for those dealing directly with customers, a bigger smile may come across as more personable.

Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.