How to Choose Good Profile Pictures for TikTok?

TikTok had 232 million downloads worldwide in Q4 2023. With TikTok becoming such a popular platform for people of different generations, making it big is more challenging than ever. The competition is strong in all communities, and going viral is not as easy as you imagine.
One of the main things you need to succeed is creating quality content that stands out in the crowd. However, there’s one more aspect that often gets overlooked by those who wish to be famous – choosing a good PFP for TikTok.
Maybe an aesthetic picture for your profile may sound irrelevant, but it’s actually one of the critical things that may help you get a niche public and show off your personality. So, how do you get cool TikTok profile pictures? Here are some tips and ideas.

❓ Why Is It Important to Use a Good TikTok Profile Picture?

When you’re trying to become successful on TikTok, the profile picture is probably not the first thing you consider. After all, viewers look at the content.
The quality of the videos is the main thing to be concerned about, but having a captivating profile picture definitely shouldn’t be overlooked. Believe it or not, the algorithm catches on your user profile picture.
It will notice when you have a great TikTok profile picture that attracts more people to your page. It will then push your content to more users’ FYP, meaning you get more views, which leads to increased followers.
TikTok profile pictures are a critical part of your page. They allow the platform’s users to recognize your account and remember it. Not only that, but a visually appealing photo can also help you create your own style and brand.
It pretty much defines you as a creator and/or brand and how you want others to see you. Once a photo begins to be associated with your account, everyone will recognize you and be more excited to watch the new content that you post.

📢 Mistakes People Make When Choosing a User Profile Picture on TikTok

Most people don’t know how to select aesthetic profile pictures for TikTok. Some are aware that the right avatar picture can make a change, but they never seem to find the perfect recipe for success. More often than not, people who are starting their journey on TikTok don’t have creative profile picture ideas or don’t know how to use various editing apps to obtain beautiful profile pictures.
If you want to make your profile stand out and build a strong TikTok presence, you must use cool photos that show your own voice and personality and maybe you can indicate what type of content you make. Here are some of the mistakes users make when choosing a profile picture on TikTok:

1. Not Choosing a Photo – Choosing no image as an avatar when getting started is one of the most common mistakes people make. When browsing through TikTok, you may see a lot of accounts relying on the default TikTok profile picture. Most likely, you don’t take them as seriously as you take accounts with a TikTok PFP – the same can happen to you if you try to run your account without having a profile picture. People recognize creators by their PFP, so if you don’t edit profile features and select an image to represent you, you might not make a lasting impression and reach your desired followers anytime soon.
2. Constantly Changing the Picture – It’s normal to get bored with your profile image after a while and change it or want to select a new photo with a better quality. However, some users change their PFP too often, and that’s not good either. You might confuse all followers if your profile picture is different every other day.
3. Low-Quality Photos – People are not fans of images that are not qualitative. When selecting a new profile picture, it should be clear and sharp, not blurry or pixelated. Otherwise, your profile will look unserious, and you will find it harder to succeed as a content creator.
4. Not Reflecting Any Personality – One way to build a personal or brand image is to show some personality. This can help a TikTok creator reach their target audience. But if the PFP has no personality, you’ll have fewer chances of making it big.
5. Not Cropping Properly – Since TikTok displays a round-shape profile picture, it must be cropped accordingly. Not all TikTok users do this, which is why they can’t be successful.

🖼️ TikTok Profile Picture Ideas for Choosing a Good Avatar

A successful TikTok account depends on a few factors, such as providing unique, quality content, interacting with the audience, and being active. Besides all these, having a good TikTok profile picture is also crucial. Check these profile picture ideas that will bring you more likes and views on TikTok:

Good Picture Quality

Good quality is necessary for TikTok profile pictures. You cannot choose something that is blurry, pixelated, or something people will have difficulty understanding. Ideally, it should be clear enough and easy to recognize.
If you don’t have a good image in your gallery already, you should take one.

Here are some tips that could help:

• If you take a selfie or professional headshot, choose the best angle and show off your greatest features. Try posing until you find the ideal angle.
• Take the photo in good lighting. Natural light is usually the best, but if you can’t make it good enough, you can brighten up your facial features by putting a white paper sheet in front of your face.
• Take the picture with a good camera. Depending on what you own, you can use a cell phone or a professional camera. It should also be a high-resolution image.
• Use editing apps to improve the quality of the image.

Background and Composition

Even though the subject of the profile picture is the most important part, you shouldn’t ignore the background altogether. So you don’t distract the followers, try to have a plain and clean background.
This means that the background shouldn’t be too busy or cluttered – keep it simple. If possible, it should actually allow the subject to stand out more rather than take attention away from it. So, try to stay away from distracting backgrounds.

Unique Style and Expression

A unique, interesting photo has the potential to help you reach a broader audience. It’s a way to express yourself, and you should take this opportunity to make your photo more engaging. The good news is that you can use many photo editing apps and tools to obtain an image that helps you stand out.
The picture you choose for your TikTok profile should represent you or your brand. There are countless options. We’ve prepared a few TikTok profile picture ideas that will let you express your own personality:

• Cartoon character profile picture
• Anime character profile picture
• Brand logo
• Abstract pictures
• Meme profile pictures
• Memoji profile pictures
• Photos of cute animals
• Funny pictures

⚙️ Choosing the Right TikTok Profile Picture – Technical Aspects

Besides planning your TikTok profile picture accordingly in order to make it unique, you must also consider some technical aspects. Otherwise, you might not obtain the effect and success you want. So, keep in mind these technical details:

Filters and Photo Editing

Photo editing tools and filters can increase the quality of an image and make it stand out more. The good news is that there’s a large variety of apps you can use to make minor adjustments or do some more professional edits depending on the case.
For instance, if your current image doesn’t look good enough, you could always download an editing app and adjust aspects such as contrast, colors, brightness, saturation, and more. Even better, some applications have cool, unique filters that save you a lot of time on editing.
While you can edit your TikTok profile picture, it’s essential not to go overboard with the changes. An overly edited photo will make you look less serious, and viewers might not want to hit the “follow” button.

The TikTok Profile Picture Format and Size

You should also ensure you have the proper TikTok profile picture size. The recommended size is 200 x 200 pixels, so it should be a square image.
Fortunately, you can find programs and websites that crop your picture for you so it can be the perfect size for TikTok. This way, you don’t have to worry about the sizing anymore.
However, you can choose photos as well as videos. The latter is useful if you want a profile picture that reveals a featured video loop. The video can be of yourself or something representing your content, such as a cute animal or an animated brand logo. An animated version of the avatar is undoubtedly an excellent way to keep people intrigued.

📸 Several Tips for a Cool Photo Session

A photo session specifically done for your TikTok profile picture can ensure you have the perfect, most attractive photo. Check these tips that should help you get that flawless image for your TikTok profile.

Getting Ready for the Photo Shoot

If you already have some TikTok picture ideas, it’s time to prepare for the photo shoot. Find the best spot, whether that’s indoors or outdoors, and always use the best lighting and background.
In case you’re looking to include various items as part of your photo, make sure you have them ready. It’s better to grab them in an instant than search your whole house just as you’re about to shoot your pictures.
Decide how you’re going to shoot your pictures, too. Are you using your phone or a special camera? Also, if you are taking photos of yourself, how will you do it? Do you have a Bluetooth remote that lets you take pictures from afar, or are you using a timer? Plan everything carefully.

Showing Your Emotions and Posing

If you want to make your profile picture more impactful, you must pose properly and express emotions.
Here are a few simple ways to do that:

• Focus on your eyes
• Give yourself something to do, like holding an item or looking towards something
• Take your photo in an environment that you know well
• Use expressions that can capture the essence of your TikTok profile and niche

📱 Getting Rid of the TikTok Default Profile Picture

Wondering how to change TikTok profile picture? Luckily, the process is quite straightforward. You should follow 6 steps to change your profile picture on TikTok:

1. Click the cool TikTok logo to open the application.
2. Tap on your Profile icon in the bottom right corner.
3. Tap on the profile picture, and then tap on “Edit profile”.
4. You’ll end up on a page where you can change your profile details, including your avatar. Tap on “Change photo”.
5. Decide whether you want to take a photo on the spot or upload one from the gallery, and click on the option you’ve chosen.
6. Crop the new image to fit your profile picture, then click “Save”.

The Bottom Line

Don’t use a boring default profile photo – an appealing TikTok profile picture is one step further on your path to success. Whether you go for a cartoon character, company logo, cute animal, or a professional picture for your profile, keep in mind that this is going to be your image.
The best thing to do is choose something representing you or your brand, then edit and resize to obtain the perfect avatar. There are many TikTok profile picture ideas you could try out – you just need to find the one that suits you the most. Once you follow the tips in this guide, you’ll be ready to take over the TikTok app.