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.
If a picture is worth a 1,000 words, and you have outdated or poor photography, you’re website may be telling the wrong story.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.
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.
For further tips on how to properly optimize your images for the web, check out our post on optimization for the web.
Does your business place a strong emphasis on photography? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments!
Jeremy Jensen is a Professional Photographer and Freelance Writer based in Lake Tahoe, CA. His work is centered around photojournalism, nature and music, but also loves any opportunity to work with people. To view his portfolio or to follow him on Social Media visit JeremyJensenMedia.com