Everything on your website should serve a purpose, from the design and navigation, to the photography. Far too often, companies fail to invest in the crucial elements that lead to business success.
Sixty five percent of our entire population identifies as being a visual leaner; therefore, the majority of people who visit your site will have a strong inclination towards your visual elements.
Many people tend to underestimate the importance of choosing the right photography when designing a new website. The content of your site is not just limited to words – people are visual creatures and photography plays a crucial role in creating a great experience for your visitors.
If a picture is worth a 1,000 words, and you have outdated or poor photography, you’re website may be telling the wrong story. Here’s why having professional photography on your company’s website is so important.
Create A Favorable Perception
Like it or not, humans are incredibly conditioned to make snap judgments, sometimes only on a subconscious level. When it comes to the appearance of a business website, cleanliness and a professional appearance makes us feel like we can trust the company.
As an example, think about searching for a restaurant in a town you’ve never been to. If the photos on their website are blurry and were clearly taken without effort, subconsciously we may think the restaurant doesn’t value quality. Would you want to eat somewhere your perception is telling you is low-quality? Probably not.
The same concept translates across any industry. The way people perceive your website through imagery can determine whether or not they commit to your service.
STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY VS. PHOTO SHOOT or PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY
You have a few different ways of getting new images for your website. The path you choose will be determined by your budget, timeline, and goals.
Stock Photography
There are plenty of stock photography websites with millions of photos to choose from – all for a relatively low cost. Stock photos can be wonderful if you are on a tight budget, short timeline, and need somewhat general photographs.
However, a few problems present themselves with stock photography. The biggest one being that there could be hundreds or thousands of other people using the same exact photos. If your website visitor has seen these photos elsewhere before coming to your website, they may think more negatively of your business than they otherwise would have.
Another major problem with stock photography is that your visitors may spot the stock photos pretty easily. There are some great stock photos out there, but there are also a lot of bad ones – and it’s easy for a photo to feel inauthentic if it is obviously a stock photo. Lack of authenticity on a website can lower trust levels.
Professional Photo Shoot
If your website will require a very specific type of photography, this is the clear way to go. Custom photos will elevate your visitor’s experience on your website and will build trust – which, in turn, leads to higher sales and leads!
Hiring a professional photographer will obviously cost more, but it’s the best solution to ensuring that your photos are custom and representative of your brand. Not only will they get the right content to photograph, they will have great knowledge of lighting, composition, working with models, and more.
Taking the photos yourself, or in-house, is also an option. With how affordable technology has become It may be worth it to purchase a good camera and some quality equipment if you or an employee can take great shots. YOUR SMARTPHONE IS NOT THE WAY TO GO!
Strong Photography Creates More Conversions
Looking beyond the perception your photos create, good photography is also incredibly important on a practical level. Many of you may be running an eCommerce store, in which the only way a customer will be able to know what they’re buying is by having high-quality photos that will make them feel confident in your items.
If you’ve ever tried finding something on Craigslist that either didn’t have enough photos, or you couldn’t tell what was being pictured, then you’ve already experienced how bad photography can lead to lost customers. In order to convert the most sales, we recommend hiring a professional that can effectively capture your inventory. However, if you feel like you want to try the DIY approach, remember to do the following:
Capture Your Items At All Angles: Since online shoppers lack the ability to hold your products in their hand, take as many photos as possible, at all angles, close up and far away
Get Set-Up With The Right Equipment: In order to make your photos stunning, check out our post on Effective Product Photography.
Improve Your Website’s SEO
Image searches on Google can be a major source of traffic for your website. According to an in-depth study of search traffic generated from image searches, results showed that up to 60% of web traffic can come directly from Internet users finding your images first.
The trick to making that happen is having images which captivate potential visitors while they browse through hundreds of results. By stocking your website with only professional quality images, you’ll greatly increase your odds of getting noticed.