I thought the recommendation to post a picture from head-to-shoulders was interesting, I suppose this implies the picture was not cropped and it's authentic.
I appreciate the recommendation to not only send an overall announcement to all students welcoming them to the course by the end of the first day but also an individualized personalized message based on each student's bio that would let the students know as an instructor you have taken the time to read each bio to get a better understanding of them as an individual.
I intend to apply that tidbit of 'introductions' to the courses I teach.
