When you take the plunge and invest in a new car – whether it be brand new or second hand – it may be tempting to take a quick snap of your new pride and joy and upload the image onto Facebook so all your friends and family can see it.

However, a new study carried out by an online reputation management firm has revealed that this kind of behaviour won’t help you to make new friends. Instead, it is more likely to do the complete opposite!

The study shows that it takes an average of five-and-a-half minutes for a person viewing an online profile to form an opinion of owner, and photos are a vital part of individual profiles.

Shots which reportedly create a positive affect include wedding photos, pictures of children and beach snaps as well as images in which the subject is smiling.

Images which attract a negative reaction include photos of cars, which indicate a “boy racer” personality, bikini snaps, which suggest arrogance, and photos which display rude gestures and general anger.

So, when you do make that big purchase, it might be a good idea to refrain from splashing it all over your Facebook page and upload a nice picture of you smiling on the beach instead – but only if you’re wearing more than just a bikini of course!

Labels: car, Facebook, family, friends, photos, wheels