As humans we are very visual, we tend to notice images before we notice text and that is why imagery is so important on a website. Images communicate quickly and effectively what could take paragraphs of text to convey. Consumers create an opinion on your brand through the look and presentation of your site, and imagery plays a huge part in this.
If you wish to stand apart from your competitors, clean professional imagery can help you do so. It makes your brand look professional, established and trustworthy. If possible use a professional photographer who knows how to bring your brand message and values to life through your imagery. If a professional photographer is a stretch too far consider exploring stock libraries. They provide a high quality, cost effective solution. Be careful not to use cliche, very blatantly stock images though, you want to be seen as authentic.
Top photography tips would be to include positive imagery, which excites and amplifies your written messages. Stay authentic to your brand, ensure images are relevant and in keeping with your brand identity. A great place to explore photography is your hero image, the main banner, typically below your navigation. This is a great opportunity to capture the attention of your visiter, and persuade them to navigate through your site further. Another tip is to include people within your imagery, it adds a personable touch and represents you as a very welcoming, open, and trustworthy business. An easy way to do this is to include a ‘Meet the team’ page where you include photos of your team, maybe accompanied by a little bio. An easy way to generate trust between your business and your visitor instantly.
Another tip is to consider other elements of visual content marketing. Graphics and illustrations are also of equal importance. Icons for example are a great tool to break up paragraphs of text. This also provides a great opportunity to solidify your branding and create bespoke icons. All elements work together to represent your business as professional, expert and trustworthy.
It is important to understand that low quality, generic, boring images are doing your website absolutely no favours. You represent your business as uninterested, unorganised and unprofessional, and consequentially you will lose conversions. It may seem like an additional expense to invest in professional photography, but it is just that, an investment. You will go on to reap the rewards. For further advise on utilising imagery to boost your site to the next level please feel free to contact us.