In today’s competitive digital landscape, the success of a website primarily depends on its ability to convert visitors into customers or subscribers. One of the most efficient ways to achieve this goal is by strategically placing images — photos or graphics.
As we all know, humans are visual learners and prefer this medium to textual content. The right picture not only attracts the audience but also engages them and helps convey your brand message more compellingly. A recent study also reports that customers find pictures extremely helpful in making purchase decisions.
With this in mind, let’s take a look at some strategies to increase website conversions with images.
1. Opt for High Quality and Relevance
The biggest mistake a marketer can make when choosing pictures for their website is neglecting to consider relevance and quality. Using visuals that don’t support your brand’s goal and message will confuse the visitors. Ultimately, they will feel overwhelmed and leave your page, ignoring the product/service you are offering.
Additionally, many businesses use heavily photoshopped and elaborated pictures to showcase the quality and aesthetics of their products. However, the consumers face disappointment when the same product is received and avoid purchasing from them again. They also leave bad reviews on their networks, warding off other prospects as well.
To ensure your business doesn’t reach a similar fate, always use visuals that are relevant to your brand. The pictures should also boast good quality. This means no grainy, pixelated, or blurry pictures for your business website.
2. Stop Using Generic Stock Photos
Today’s consumers are smart shoppers and more accustomed to online shopping than ever. They are also more connected to the digital world and can recognize a generic photo at first glance. And while it’s perfectly ok to use stock photos on your website if there are time and budget constraints, don’t fall for the overuse and cliche pictures plaguing the internet.
Instead, purchase images for your website from reliable sources only. Sift through the stock image libraries thoroughly to find unique visuals that closely align with your brand. Or edit, crop, and integrate custom layouts to stock photos and create visuals that alleviate your website’s aesthetic.
Remember, the goal is not to avoid stock photos altogether. The key is to use them strategically for a memorable and compelling user experience. Only then will you succeed in encouraging your audience to take action and convert into loyal buyers.
3. Take Care of Placement
The position of an image on a webpage is as essential as the visual itself. Website visitors typically spend most of their time on the upper portion of a webpage, known as “above the fold.” This area is the first visible part of the page without scrolling down. Therefore, it’s critical to position your best visuals or elements in this prime area to capture the audience’s attention.
However, when designing your ‘above the fold’ area, make sure not to clutter the space with pictures. Instead, keep it simple with a consistent and organized pattern. For example, take a look at the screenshot from the Levi’s website below:
The audience is greeted with different options and pictures for men’s clothing as soon as they enter the website. They will be immediately drawn to the product range and click on their preferences without the need to hunt for more information.
Statistics reveal 94% of first impressions are design related. And leveraging the power of above-the-fold content can certainly be helpful in making that impact. Just make sure you follow the right placement in both – desktop and mobile layouts.
4. Offer Multiple Views
The biggest drawback of purchasing from an online store is the lack of physical interaction with a product. To overcome this limitation and boost your conversions, make sure to add:
- 360-degree views that allow customers to rotate and examine the item from all angles.
- Zoom feature so prospects can inspect the fine details of each product.
- Alternate colors and styles for a real-time comparison of the options available.
- Real-life scenarios with models using your products in different circumstances so customers can envision how they will fit in their lifestyles.
- Before and after comparisons to demonstrate the results, transformations, and improvements experienced after using your product/service.
5. Humanize Your Brand
Another way to connect with your audience is to show the human side of your brand. You can do this by adding pictures of the people behind your business and the company culture. The genuine human interactions between your team members will enforce trust and loyalty with the audience. This will also help in increasing conversion rates.
You can also feature real customer stories and testimonials, along with their photos if available. Let them demonstrate how your product or service has positively impacted their lives. This will create authenticity and social proof.
For example, if you have a fitness brand, your clients can share the results they achieved with your regime. Or the marketing team of a travel agency can ask its customers to share happy vacation stories on their social media networks.
Seeing your brand’s ability to make a positive difference in people’s life will build trust, engagement, and, finally – a boost in conversion rates.
6. Provide Visual Cues
Visual cues are CTAs that guide the viewers toward your desired action. For example, icons like “Buy Now” and “Add to Cart” are common in an eCommerce venture. However, don’t simply add them here and there without considering their placement, typography, visual element, and color.
Here are some tips to help you create compelling CTAs that will aid in your conversions:
- Use bold and visible fonts.
- Colors should be in contrast with the design of your website.
- Use clear and strong, action-oriented verbs.
- Add directional cues such as arrows pointing towards your CTA to make them distinguishable.
- Create a sense of urgency by adding phrases such as “Limited Time Offer” and “Last Piece Left” to motivate visitors to act quickly.
- Test their placement. While above the fold is a good place, do check out other areas in your layout to find the ‘sweetest’ spot for your CTA button.
Final Words
In the digital era, the effective use of images can be a game-changer for your website conversions. Beyond mere decorative elements, images hold the potential to transform your website’s performance when utilized effectively. Whether you run an eCommerce platform, a blog, or a corporate website, images are an invaluable resource that can establish trust, drive engagement, and ultimately lead to higher conversion rates.
By following the above tips, we are sure you can unlock the true potential of visuals and achieve better conversion metrics in no time. Good luck!