A good picture can make anything interesting.
It’s not even debatable. Then, why do we see so many bad photos in brochures, e-commerce, and other marketing materials?
We understood that good pictures could really help sell a product. But there is often a lack of understanding of why and how they do this. This subtle misunderstanding usually means that marketers and entrepreneurs cannot choose photos that work for them.
Here are some of the fundamental reasons good photos are essential.
3.) They allow you to show products in context
A simple product photo might be “good enough,” but showing how it is actually used can help your customers understand how it can relate to them. These photos can also drive home a point you might want to make.
This is true even when your customers already know the product.
For example, which makes a more convincing case:
This…
…or this?
Of course, not all pictures on your e-commerce page and print ads must be action shots. More detailed images are great when you want customers to be able to compare similar items. But action shots make a huge difference if you make something stand out more.
Even normally intangible services can use imagery for effect. Insurance ads, for example, are known for giving poignant visualizations of an otherwise abstract idea.
2.) Good photos show off the finer details
filson.com
This widely circulated image commissioned by Filson underscores an important point. Compared to just a generation ago, we are far more likely to want things done our way. As far as the consumer market goes, mass marketing is now much less important than it used to be. Mass customization and niche marketing are now far more feasible for a wider range of goods and services. Executing strategies that hinge on these requires intimate knowledge of the small details customers find essential.
charlesdaughtry.com
These details can be very subtle. Something as small as the differences in the sheen of a car’s paint job, the neatness of the stitching on a pair of jeans, the graininess of the ceramic coat on a crock pot, or the serial numbers and aging on a secondhand musical instrument may not be necessary for most of us. Still, it could mean everything to the right people.
This leads us to the next point:
1.) Good pictures build credibility
Low-quality pictures aren’t just a sign that you’ve stopped trying. To your customers, they might signal carelessness or dishonesty — because if your product is so great, why aren’t you showing what it’s like?
The finer details in the previous point also help build credibility, especially for customers who know what they’re looking for. Many denim heads, for instance, generally give higher value to selvedge jeans made on old-style looms. These jeans have typically white fabric at the edges of the material.
heddels.com
This feature eventually became a short-hand indicator for quality (though it really isn’t, necessarily). Naturally, this led to a few brands creating fake selvedge.
This means that anyone that wants uses “quality” as a selling point should invest in the means to showcase it properly.
Saddleback Leather, for example, isn’t exactly known for selling products everyone can afford. But they aren’t exactly a luxury brand either. So when they sell a wallet for $84, their pictures try to show precisely what you’re getting for your money. It would be not easy to communicate why it’s worth that much money if it weren’t for the photo.
saddlebackleather.com
Other things to consider:
SEO-friendliness
You want people to find your pictures, don’t you? When incorporated as part of a coherent SEO strategy, alt tags and image tags can help make this happen. Using these tags is a no-brainer and won’t take much time. These tags also offer a convenient way to add short pieces of content or to quickly index images, depending on what you need them to do.
File size
Make sure to optimize image file sizes when they’re put up on your site. If your page takes too long to load, you can quickly lose a significant proportion of potential converts. This is especially important if your audience lives in areas without reliable internet speeds. If you use WordPress, you can try any of several image optimization plugins for free.
Consistency
Images should all have a similar feel, preferably related to your brand. This could be easily accomplished by using the same backgrounds and the same kind of lighting and editing. The relative sizes of your products in the frame and the way the images are cropped should be reasonably uniform to help customers compare different items and to make everything look more professional.
Consider using videos or GIFs if they work better.
Sometimes, photos may not be the best way to present or demonstrate a product. Video production is now far more simplified than it used to be. And a lot of the equipment and expertise needed to shoot quality product photos can also be used to take decent videos.
We don’t mean you have to produce a full-blown ad, but sometimes a simple GIF can explain what the best-produced static image couldn’t.
For example, this GIF shows the liquid repellent qualities of Neverwet, a chemical that helps fabrics resist stains.
Now compare it to a static pic that showcases the same product.
Sure, the static picture has better composition and actually shows off the branding and packaging. But the first one, in our opinion, actually shows off the product’s core benefit a lot better.
We’re not saying you should just shoot videos or make GIFs. But at the end of the day, great product photos — like everything else — are just another tool to help sell your products and services.
Don’t get hung up on just making great photos; always consider… the bigger picture.
What other reasons for shooting quality product photos can you give? Comment below!