As eCommerce gains its pace, we can’t help but wonder how to escalate our profits. If you have chalked out a digital marketing plan and skipped the visual element, you shouldn’t make it live yet.
In general, aesthetics have a way of convincing people. Images can communicate a message clearly and allows potential customers to get an insight into the final product or service. Sometimes, better than words!
Plus, visual content generates better engagement for a brand. And the more engaged your audience becomes, the more likely they will convert and maintain a customer status.
Psychologist Jerome Bruner has uncovered some interesting studies to show how people remember 10% of the things they hear, 20% of what they read, and 80% of what they have seen or done. Data from PewResearch proves that 35% of people also share images they find on the web.
With such figures in mind, we can’t help but think of ways to reap the most rewards by improving our image selection tactics. The following tips will help you get started.
1. Enhance the Emotional Appeal
Emotions are the biggest driving factor behind most sales. When an image attracts the prospect and appears to resolve their problems, it sparks positive emotions, and they are ready to give it a shot.
The perks of using images can be quite powerful. It relies on how much you allow the audience to feel those images. For instance, Coastal is an eCommerce store dealing in eyewear. They have embedded a “try-it-on” feature that lets prospects see how they will look in the chosen glasses.
You can provide 360-degree views and place them carefully on the website so customers can comprehend details about the product. This is especially required when your website deals in high-end products. Check out how Tigerdirect.com provides multiple product views to satisfy its customers completely.
2. Use Relevant Photos
Images should grab the attention and convey explicit messages that don’t need a translation. Hence, it is not enough to pick any catchy image and upload it on your webpage. If the photos don’t align with the context, it could offset many potential customers.
Users should feel connected to the images. For this, you can opt for customized photography from a professional. Or you can buy high-quality visuals from stock image libraries. The choice depends on your financial limits.
Further, you must find images that help your brand to meet its overall objective. Take the example of Beyond Meat in this regard. Its branding focuses on the good they do for the planet and its consumers.
By combining drool-worthy photos and cool graphics, they reveal how they save the planet while safeguarding consumers’ bodies.
1. Get Creative
Going creative with images means thinking out of the box while following all the rules.
For example, you can take studio shots of the products and let potential customers know what they will receive. Or you can take a detailed shot to display the delicate features and help potential customers to understand how the product looks up close.
Using creative photography can help your products to stand out. Customers can evaluate pros and cons and make informed buying decisions. Not to mention, such creative measures may leave a lasting impression on the audience.
2. Incorporate Video Testimonials
Blowing your own trumpet won’t bring you as much credibility as an endorsement from a celebrity.
Nowadays, people want a third opinion to believe in a product or a service. They don’t want to watch their hard-earned cash go down the drain. When they see that a product is solving the problems of real people, they tend to put their stakes on them.
A study found that testimonials increased sales by 34%. Even if your website has a small window of customers using the product and expressing their satisfaction, it convinces the visitors.
The founder of QuickSprout, Neil Patel, stated that his membership program with testimonials on the side converted 6.38% better than the one that didn’t have testimonials. This is because a verbal or a textual statement from satisfied customers and their happy faces works as social proof.
1. A/B Test the Images
As discussed, it is essential to identify the images and videos that resonate the most with the audience. Learning the pain points and desires of the audience will enable you to add relevant images and ensure that you are creating content that converts.
Thus, testing the images and figuring out what works for potential customers is vital.
Here are some ways to A/B test the images:
Once you have tested these and other website features, you can create a better conversion strategy. Keep optimizing the website by using the highest-performing photos to improve your conversions.
2. Embed a Call-to-Action (CTA) Button
CTAs are an incredible way to drive conversions and improve sales. When you add visuals along the CTAs, you grab visitors’ attention when they are the most engaged. A catchy CTA helps with decision fatigue and gives meaning to the content. Even when using a two-word phrase, users need direction to know what they should do next.
Take Versace’s example for the eCommerce CTA. The placement of the CTA and the color choice in the screenshot below show how there is no way that customers could miss the CTA button.
All these tips are meant to show you the right direction in the web space. Knowing that digital marketing is dynamic and prone to changes is crucial. It would help if you kept yourself in the loop to ensure you tweaked your visual strategy accordingly.
Placing your website on top of the search engine and leading the visitors towards conversions involves plenty of time and effort. The recipe is to work hard, stay patient, and win the game!