Everyone agrees images are essential in e-commerce. Images have the power to build trust and educate the consumer. And words can’t compete with the ability of engaging photographs to make an immediate, emotional connection with the viewer.

Approaches to creating and using product images vary widely. What works best? How many images should you show for each product? Do you show the product in real life? The answers depend on what you’re selling and where.

Ground your strategy in fact

A clearly defined image strategy will guide you in the development of the right visual assets to drive sales of your product. Your image strategy should align with business goals and objectives, and meet the interface requirements of specific resellers. It also should take into consideration the competitive landscape and consumer expectations and preferences.

Our approach is to start with a deep understanding of the product. Manufacturers inform us of the product’s features, benefits and unique value proposition. We rely on our own marketing expertise and industry experience for positioning, creative direction and content. Resellers dictate platform requirements.

Tell the whole story

We examine the product closely, exploring how to showcase relevant details. Our goal is to define the set of images necessary to tell the full story of the product.

Let’s take an office chair as an example. Beyond the primary product shot, here are additional details we would consider including in an image set:

  • Fabric
  • Color and style variations
  • Hydraulic system
  • Stackable feature
  • Ergonomic qualities
  • Real-life settings

Use appealing images

To show the product at its best, we determine how to best light the product, look at it from different angles and use clean, simple backgrounds. We also employ editing techniques to enhance image quality.

Leverage the persuasive power of visual storytelling

In the online shopping environment, first impressions matter. Within seconds of landing on page, shoppers decide whether to stay or continue searching.

A set of high-quality photographs with a consistent look and feel make a strong, immediate and comprehensive statement. When product images appear together but look completely unrelated, they can result in a confused, disjointed first impression.

Need some help developing an effective image strategy for your products? Give us a call at 847-541-4626 or send an email to [email protected].