Source: depositphotos.com
Besides being worth at least a thousand words, the right image on your website holds another, even more important value — lots of clicks and conversions.
The visuals you choose for your website are more than just pretty illustrations and decorations. Their purpose is to capture visitors’ attention, show them your products in the best possible light, and get them to take action, which is usually placing an order and becoming paying customers.
And to achieve this, you can’t simply plaster any lackluster photo or video on your website. Only carefully created and strategically selected visuals will cut it and contribute to the success of your marketing efforts.
Here are some tips that will help you optimize your visuals and transform your website into a high-converting engine.
High-Quality Images Are a Must
The quality of your images is non-negotiable. Blurry, pixelated, or poorly lit photos can instantly turn off potential customers. There’s much more to aesthetics and visual appeal than you realize. According to research, almost 50% of consumers evaluate the credibility of a website based on its visual design, including color schemes, typography, and page layout.
Think of it this way: you wouldn’t walk into a physical store with a dirty, unkempt storefront, right? The same principle applies to websites. A visually unappealing site doesn’t exactly inspire trust or confidence.
So, if your visuals leave much to be desired, your website visitors won’t perceive your brand as trustworthy enough and they’ll bounce off.
Never skimp on professional-looking visuals and website design, as it’s an investment that will pay off in the long run.
For a great example, check out Shay & Blue’s perfume for women collections page. The brand understands the importance of putting your best foot forward when it comes to visuals, so their product photos are perfectly styled and eye-catching. The choice of vibrant colors matches the brand’s mission of championing diversity, inclusion, otherness, and self-expression.
Source: Shay & Blue
Another fantastic example comes from the Raintree Nursery Apple Trees collections page, whose images of ripe and luscious fruits are super-inviting. They compel visitors to imagine the joy of enjoying the (literal) fruits of their labor after planting one of the delicious varieties of apples that the brand offers. Very wholesome!
Source: Raintree Nursery
Embrace Minimalism
Clutter is one of the biggest enemies of conversion. When a potential customer lands on your site and is bombarded by lots of different elements — visuals, text, and calls to action, all competing for their attention, they can quickly become overwhelmed and lose focus.
As a result, they will be more likely to abandon their shopping cart or leave your website altogether.
If we follow our previous physical store analogy, it would be similar to entering a thrift shop packed with all kinds of goods from the floor to the ceiling, making it nearly impossible to find what you’re looking for, let alone feel motivated to buy anything.
Negative space, a frequently underrated web design element, is a great way to avoid such a scenario and make your website look elegant and slick. Also known as white space, this “empty” area surrounding other web page elements can be a powerful tool to guide the visitor’s eye, emphasize critical elements, and create a sense of balance and harmony.
In a way, it gives your visual content some breathing room, allowing each element to stand out and shine rather than get lost in a chaotic jumble.
Vitamart leverages high-quality, detailed visuals of their products on their Vitamin D supplements page, accentuating them with lots of white space and contrasting colors. This way, the focus is on the product itself and the call-to-action button.
Negative space makes it easier for visitors to navigate the page and absorb the essential information. The orange-colored CTA grabs the attention right away, and this entire visual synergy creates a streamlined and more organized user experience.
Source: Vitamart
Use Zoom-In Functionality
High-resolution images offer a wealth of detail that might not be immediately apparent at a glance.
Implementing zoom functionality on your product images allows potential customers to explore intricate details, textures, and finishes. It’s the next best thing to holding the product in their own hands and trying it on. This not only enhances their understanding of the product but also adds an interactive element to their browsing experience.
Let’s not forget that this lack of the ability to touch, feel, and see what the product looks like on them (or in their space) when purchasing online can be a major hurdle for potential customers. The zoom feature helps bridge this gap by allowing them to virtually try on the product, scrutinize it in detail and check its texture, craftsmanship, and quality.
Take a look at how Andar provides a zoom-in option on their money clip wallets page. This enables potential customers to inspect the wallets closely and see the leather and fine stitching themselves. They can practically feel the supple leather and admire the impeccable stitching. This makes the product description more of a confirmation of what they’ve already seen, making the purchasing decision easier and more confident.
Source: Andar
Provide Additional Context
While product images are essential, they often don’t tell the whole story. Providing additional context through lifestyle images or videos can significantly enhance the customers’ understanding and appreciation of your product.
And it’s not just about adding a human touch by including people in your visuals, which is known to create a stronger emotional connection and make your products more relatable.
Lifestyle visuals showcase your product in real-world scenarios, demonstrating its functionality, versatility, and how it fits into the customer’s life.
Let’s say you’re selling a stylish backpack. A simple product shot on a white background is informative, but an image of someone wearing the backpack while commuting or exploring a new city tells a more compelling story. It helps potential customers visualize themselves using the product and imagine how it could enhance their own experiences.
For example, Infraredi uses this approach on their LED Light Therapy Mask page. This way potential customers can see what it looks like to wear the brand’s products. The images demonstrate that it’s even possible to read while you’re wearing it, thus giving the target audience an idea of how easy to use the product is and how seamlessly it can be incorporated into their daily routines.
Source: Infraredi
Main Clinic Supply knows that visuals are key when showcasing a product like their portable oxygen concentrators. After all, this isn’t just any device — it can seriously improve someone’s life. So, they use images to show off how compact and portable it is.
People who need oxygen therapy don’t want to be tied down or confined to their homes. They want to keep living their life to the fullest. Main Clinic Supply’s visuals reassure potential customers that they can still take walks, travel, and even hop on a plane without a hassle. This is a key differentiator for people who rely on these devices, as it means they can maintain their independence and keep doing the things they enjoy.
Source: Main Clinic Supply
Understand (and Accept) Your Audience
Science says that 95% of our purchasing decisions are subconscious.
In other words, it’s not the brain that controls this process but emotions, feelings, and deep-seated desires that are the real driving forces behind our choices. Long story short, your customers’ purchasing decisions aren’t as rational as you might think.
That’s why it’s crucial to take a moment to really get to know your target audience before you start creating and picking website visuals. Think beyond the basics, like age and gender. Delve deeper into their preferences, interests, lifestyle, and pain points.
What kind of imagery speaks to them?
What kind of stories do they connect with?
Many brands make a big mistake by leaving out certain groups of customers from their marketing efforts as it’s a surefire way to alienate them.
Inclusivity is a big deal these days, and for good reason. Your visuals should reflect the diversity of your potential customers. Make sure they represent a wide range of ages, ethnicities, body types, abilities, and backgrounds. This both shows that you value diversity and helps potential customers feel seen and understood by your brand.
By tailoring your visuals to your specific audience, you create a more personalized and engaging experience that goes beyond just showcasing your product. This approach will help you connect with your customers on a deeper, more meaningful level, which leads to increased engagement, brand loyalty, and, ultimately, higher conversion rates.
Glossier, for example, doesn’t shrink from showing the images of real people using their products, as you can see on their dry-touch oil mist page. This way, the brand acknowledges different cohorts of their audience and boldly promotes body positivity. Stretch marks aren’t airbrushed away or hidden, wrinkles aren’t smoothed out, and diverse skin tones are proudly displayed. This authentic representation fosters a sense of community and acceptance, making customers feel like they belong and that their individual beauty is celebrated.
Source: Glossier
Enhance Authenticity with User-Generated Content
User-generated content (UGC) is a goldmine for brands looking to build trust and authenticity. When customers share photos and videos of themselves using your products, it acts as powerful social proof. Instead of boasting about how your products or services are awesome and game-changing, let your happy customers say that.
Encourage them to post their content on social media or create a dedicated section on your website to showcase UGC.
When it comes to visuals, UGC adds a layer of realism and relatability that professional photos often lack. Seeing real people enjoying your products in their everyday lives is incredibly persuasive. It shows potential customers that your products are not just for models or influencers but for everyone.
So, UGC doesn’t have to be perfectly polished. In fact, the raw, unfiltered nature of user-generated visuals can be even more appealing.
To harness the power of social proof and UGC, Fjällräven created a hashtag #SeeYouOutHere so that their customers can share their photos on social media and be featured on the brand’s official website. Paired with professional product shots, this section offers a comprehensive look into the quality and durability of Fjällräven’s activewear and gear.
Source: Fjällräven
Wrapping Up
Remember, your website’s visuals are a powerful tool for influencing purchasing decisions and building a lasting connection with your customers. That’s why they should be carefully thought out and executed. Rely on these tips to point you in the right direction and inspire your visual content strategy.
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