It is possible to speak a lot about
great avatars, but it is impossible not to determine which avatars are bad for being used. If you wish your avatar conveyed only positive information about your personality to your friends and other users you should avoid the usage of some of them. Namely, the speech is about the so called Flash-generated Japanimation style avatars. We are sure you know what avatars we mean now. The matter is that such avatars are too simple, too common and they lack originality. In other words appliance of such avatars will not distinguish you from the enormous number of other users which choose them. Of course, you may customize your avatar, but it still won't differ you from millions of other people. It is better to use your own photo in such a case. Even plain picture will look more original.
Not animated avatars and especially pet avatars are bad choice of yours. The only exception is when you're joking or provide a line of your products. In other case it will look like a channelling of your favourite hamster. Generic avatar isn't a good solution either. It will be even worse if you apply a generic
avatar which the social network suggests without any customization. In this case even awful unclear picture of your dog will be better variant than that. Anyway, you should decide yourself what avatar to choose and apply.
Of course, it is possible for you to use the avatar on which your favourite cat is depicted, especially if it is incredibly awesome. Or apply funny and cute photo of yours when you were five, for example. But you should remember that a current photograph or caricature of yours will be much better solution as it conveys more realistic and true information about your personality.
It is especially important point for those people who have some developed business or trend and not for those they think they have. To apply your photo instead of avatar is appropriate act in case people stop you on the street to tell what business you have, which is a very rare occasion nowadays. We mean if your trend is already developed, it is better to use your own picture so that other persons could recognize you at your avatar. However, there are cases when avatar shows several bulldogs and people have no idea how its author looks like in real life. But they follow him! It's a real success! In case you wish to hide your identity from other people or produce unreal personality or facade, then you shouldn't follow these rules. But when your intention is to be recognized, to be heard and to make a famous brand your avatar should be as personal as possible. In other words it should be only yours. That's why you shouldn't hide your face behind bad dog avatar! You have to be better than that!