Spicing up your website with visuals can be challenging, but luckily you can combat these issues with proper strategies. After all, when you add images to your website, you want people to stop and take notice, rather than scroll past.
According to research conducted by Skyword, content with compelling images gets 94% more views than its boring counterparts. Another study indicates that content with visuals performs 4.4X better than exclusive text-based articles.
Given these hardcore facts, it makes sense why you should focus on using only the right images for your website.
But with so many image options out there, it can be hard to decide which ones will draw in an audience (and not just because of the cost!). That’s why we’ve compiled these top tips for choosing the perfect image for your website – so you can get serious bang for your buck!
1. Choose High-Quality Images
High-quality, professional images will help to set you apart from competitors and show potential customers that you take pride in your appearance and services. Poorly lit or low-resolution images are a big no-no – they can make it seem like your business isn’t credible or reliable. When selecting photos, invest in quality over quantity.
You can hire a professional photographer to do custom shoots for your brand. Since the pictures are customized for your brand, they resonate more with your audience.
However, remember that enriching your website with visuals doesn’t have to burn holes in your pockets. If custom photography seems out of reach, check out the library of stock images that offers high-resolution images for an affordable price. With a thorough search of the visual database, you will be rewarded with premium-quality photos that will inspire customers to learn more about your products or services.
The official website for the prestigious hotel chain Four Seasons is an excellent example in this regard. The website features professional photographs of the hotel’s properties, rooms, and amenities. The images showcase the luxurious and high-end experience guests can expect when staying at a Four Seasons hotel.
2. Use Relevant Images
Your website or blog content is invaluable when conveying your message, and the images you choose are no exception. Images can be an incredible way to put visuals directly into your content that speaks loudly and clearly about what you’re trying to say.
If you want to highlight a specific product or service, find an image that immediately catches the reader’s attention and ties in with your page. For example, if you’re a movie review blogger, using a relevant movie poster on your page will give readers a quick cue as to what they can expect.
Another example of a website that uses relevant images is The Pottery Shop. It is a company that sells artisanal, handmade pottery. The website features photographs of the various pottery pieces that are for sale, as well as images of the pottery-making process. These images are relevant to the business and help to give the user a sense of the products and the craftsmanship that goes into creating them.
3. Display Real People
People are the key to engaging potential customers with your website. Whenever possible, add pictures of real people on your page to engage the audience and create an emotional connection.
For example, you can use pictures of your team to portray the company culture. Or showcase your customers using (and enjoying) your product or services. This will enhance trustworthiness that’s otherwise lacking in impersonal images!
Warby Parker is an excellent example of this approach. Instead of using static images of their products, they include pictures of real humans wearing their glasses. This way, visitors get a realistic idea of what eyewear will look like when worn by regular humans. Investing some time here could mean more conversions, so let’s put our best faces forward!
4. Optimize the Images for SEO
Optimizing each image you upload for your blog, online store, or website is essential – and worth the effort. Gradual SEO efforts will rank your website in the first grid ranks.
The images must look good and have a meaningful name for search engines to find. Avoid confusing titles like “Photo1.jpg” or “Screenshot 2019-03-18 at 4.13.42 pm.” Instead, be consistent with the names you use – don’t include punctuation and spaces, and opt for hyphens instead of underscores. Get creative with it so people (and search engines!) can easily distinguish where each photo came from.
Further, optimizing images with an alt text or tag can also be beneficial on a few levels. It provides site visiors who are visually impaired or blind with the ability to understand what the image depicts. Plus, when done correctly, the text can even help Google algorithms find (and rank) your business.
5. Use Photos With a Call-to-Action (CTA)
If you want your customers or website visitors to take action, try adding eye-catching call-to-action images to your design. This strategy is beneficial for brands in the food industry, with an ever-changing menu of delicious options.
Take Starbucks, for example. Just one glimpse at their visually stimulating espresso picker tool gives customers a better understanding of the various coffee flavors available and encourages them to take the desired action. Don’t forget that sometimes a decision made easier with visuals is much more likely to be taken.
Final Takeaway
Images are an essential piece of every website design. Not only do they play a part in the user experience, but they can also help with your SEO efforts.
When looking for photos, know that using high-quality images on your site can create a more visually appealing design that helps keep users engaged on your pages. Many free stock photo sites are available online if you don’t want to pay for photos. But make sure to choose relevant pictures that boast good quality. At the end, don’t forget to optimize according to the best SEO practices to improve your site’s ranking in search results.
Feel free to contact us for more tips on creating an attractive and user-friendly website design!
