Product Photography for E-Commerce Businesses
Visually Rich Products Sell Better
For small businesses looking to expand into the burgeoning world of online retail, there are many factors that contribute to a successful strategy. Key among them? Projecting a modern, professional image with high-quality product photography.
Why is product photography so vital to e-commerce success? Because today’s web is a visually rich medium – and if you’re not leveraging the strengths of that medium by putting high-impact product photos front and center, you are simply not meeting the expectations of today’s online shoppers.
So, let’s take a minute to look at a few ways to use product photography to build a top-notch online storefront…
Give Your Category Pages a Consistent Look
You want your website to project an image of competence and professionalism, and key to this is making sure your category pages are orderly and consistent. Each page should be a cohesive display; all images should use the same type of shot (studio shots are a safe call for most products) with similar composition and lighting.
Include Plenty of Photos on Product Pages
With more consumers today opting for a fully online shopping experience, it’s crucial to include plenty of product images to inform their purchasing decisions – generally, it’s considered best practice to have at least three or four on each product page. Show your products from multiple angles, and be sure to include a variety of shots to add vital context.
Give Customers an Up-Close Look at Your Products
When shopping online, customers can’t simply pick up your product for a closer look – so, bring that experience to them with your selection of product photos. Use up-close shots to highlight key product details, include alternate shots of different styles or colors, and give site users the option to zoom in for an even closer look.
Ensure images are optimized for the web
“Under the hood” attributes may be invisible to users, but they can make a big difference. So, don’t neglect the more technical aspects of your website’s product photography. Use appropriate file formats to speed up load times and improve site performance, and be sure to optimize your images with alt tags and descriptive file names for a critical SEO boost!
Now, you may be wondering – is it best to go with a professional photographer, or is the DIY approach a good call? Many small business owners are tempted by the DIY option, and sure, if you’ve got the technical and creative skill to pull it off, you can get decent results on a smaller budget. But the fact is, quality photos are so integral to e-commerce success that this is one area where cutting corners can lead to truly disastrous results. So unless you’ve got loads of skill, experience, and a solid comfort level with digital cameras and photo editing software, we strongly recommend going with a pro!
The bottom line? E-commerce is more important to small businesses than ever – and quality product photos are at the center of today’s e-commerce experience. So, if you’re looking to step up your e-commerce presence with top-flight product photography, contact Rosie’s Creative today. We can provide photography for local clients, or we can offer a referral from our extensive inventory of talented product photographers.
Ready to get started? Contact us today! Remember, with Rosie’s Creative, your first consultation is always free!