A website without pictures is a website without personality; unless it is the only one in a niche, it is also likely to be a website without many visitors.
Whether you're a startup with a blank slate or an established company looking to refresh your online presence, hiring a professional photographer may be seen as an expendable expense when deciding how to allocate your marketing budget.
You may think that using your mobile to take images or buying stock photos is an easier or cheaper solution, but this sort of thinking is a mistake.
This article discusses why amateur and stock photography simply won't cut it in the cutthroat world of online commerce.
The Importance of Using High-Quality Original Imagery on Your Website
Putting your best foot forward is essential in marketing, as it will help you attract your desired audience, increase brand recognition and loyalty, and increase the number of leads and sales you receive.
It's no secret that a company's website is one of the most important promotional resources, as it's frequently the first point of contact between the business and its target audience.
According to online behavioural studies, ninety-four per cent of users will abandon a site with poor graphic design and cite that photography affects how a site or landing page looks and feels.
Quality Custom Photography Improves Conversions
The popularity of eCommerce has been rising at an astounding rate; therefore, for products sold online, high-quality photographs are crucial.
With online customers, the quality and substance of the images they see on your website will play a significant role in their final purchasing decision. This is because online buyers cannot physically examine your products, so they rely heavily on visual and auditory content like photos and videos to satisfy themselves that your product is what they want.
A professional photographer, in contrast to an amateur, produces custom product photos that are high-quality and well posed to effectively showcase the item. They adjust lighting, shadows, and colour to make the subject "pop" and can create a sense of continuity and harmony between products in your catalogue to align with your branding goals.
Potential customers are far more likely to purchase if they see accurate pictures of your products and services on your website, and this can be achieved with professional custom product photography.
Professional Photography Increases a Website's Credibility
Consumers can easily distinguish between professional and amateur photographs no matter how great your smartphone's camera is or how many filters you apply.
Unfortunately, you can't compete with established online retailers if you use low-quality photos. If your images aren't up to par, visitors will quickly leave for another site, and they certainly won't buy from you if they don't trust you to take care of your company's reputation.
That may sound extreme, but countless studies show that online shoppers decide whether to stay or leave a site in mere seconds. If your company uses amateur photos, customers will assume you lack credibility.
Investing in professional custom photographs allows even a small business to compete with big retailers.
Using Stock Photography VS Professional Custom Photography
To get things rolling, many small businesses turn to stock photos for their website because let's face it, any image is preferable to none at all.
Stock photo services are extremely convenient; they provide a massive library of licensable images for just about any concept imaginable.We sometimes even use stock photography for visual storytelling in our articles. Stock photo libraries are great when you're in a bind and looking for high-quality assets quickly.
When branding your business, professional custom images, on the other hand, can take your message to the next level and will outperform stock images in most cases. Using stock photography on your website carries with it the genuine possibility that other businesses (potentially even your competitors) will use the same image.
Of particular risk is using generic 'corporate team' images because customers will often recognize the photos as stock and disregard them. Visitors may start to suspect that your company is not genuine.
Clients prefer to know they are interacting with real people in a real business and not some fly-by-night operator.
Hiring a professional photographer to take portraits of your employees and shots of your workplace is a great way to boost your business's profile.
The proper lighting can do wonders for highlighting your best features. They will also ensure everyone is comfortable and at ease in the shots by adjusting the camera and poses accordingly.
When your business uses custom branded photography, you can control the message being sent and the narrative being told.
And you get to keep the photos! Your intellectual property cannot be used without your express consent.
Custom Photography Helps With Cohesive Branding
Professional photographs, in addition to being more trustworthy, are also aesthetically superior to amateur or stock photos.
Consistent photographic representation lends an air of professionalism. Consider a page like "culture" or "meet the team." When there is a sense of continuity in the composition, lighting and background of head shots and team photos, it's easier to focus on their job description and other relevant details.
Maintaining a consistent visual identity serves a dual purpose of enhancing the consumer's browsing experience and strengthening your brand to showcase who you are as a company.
When you hear the word 'brand' it's easy to think of a company's logo and colours, but as marketers, we know that it's so much more than that.
Customers are influenced by 'brand essence', which includes the core characteristics of your business, such as your mission, values, and how you want customers to regard your business.
Is there a particular vibe you hope to convey? How do you want people who visit and use your website to feel? A professional business branding photographer can produce thoughtful, well-staged photographs to help communicate the subtlety of this information effectively.
Custom Website Photography Can Be Repurposed
Your company can put its branded, custom photo library to good use beyond just your website.
Examples of this could be:
- Marketing Materials
- Social Media
- Signage
- Product Packaging
- Presentations
- Stationery
The list goes on, and repurposing these assets is a great way to increase brand awareness.
Final Thoughts
Fresh photos are a great place to begin when updating your company's online presence. However, it is easy to fall into the trap of having a website that looks like everyone else's due to the abundance of stock photography.
If you rely too heavily on stock photo libraries, you may lose credibility with customers and miss a chance to promote your company's unique qualities.
Professional photography can aid in achieving your marketing objectives, telling your brand story and attracting the target audience you seek, especially in the competitive online space.
If you're interested in learning about Zeemo's professional business photography services in Melbourne, call our friendly team to schedule an introductory planning conversation.
We can show you what we have done to elevate our clients' websites with custom team and product photography and discuss how we can support your company with professional branded photography.
