Today’s Toronto Star newspaper did a business story about local artisans who sell their products to a worldwide audience using only a web site. The newspaper’s (print) headline included “Photos key to online selling.” Some of the business owners pointed out that, “having excellent photographs helps…” and “you can’t sell without a decent picture.”
We knew that, right?
So why do so many businesses, both large and small, fail when it comes to website photography?
Photography gets attention. Consumers look at the pictures first, not the description, not the price. The ad copy supports the photography, not the other way around. Better quality product photography commands more attention. The longer a viewer is involved with the ad, the more likely they will buy.
When it comes to product pictures, there are three general types:
(a) Product photography – from plain photo of product on white, to very elaborately-styled “hero” pictures of the product.
Product photography is used to inform the reader, to show detail and information about the product. Depending on the product, these pictures can really be worth a thousand words. Don’t tell me about the product, show me.
Product photography (aka catalogue photography) is good for common items such as books, office supplies, hardware supplies, tools, and any other commodity-type of product.
(b) Lifestyle photography – from the product simply placed in its expected environment, to “action” pictures of the product in use.
Lifestyle photography is used to create an attitude, support a brand, build and maintain reader interest and, yes, even to entertain readers, (nothing wrong with that).
Lifestyle photography is best used to illustrate features or benefits which may not be obvious from just looking at the product. Lifestyle photos are good for clothing to show how the garment fits or how the clothes may be styled with other items.
Lifestyle photography may also be used to help elevate a commodity-type of product, for example, shampoo: a lifestyle picture of a model running through a field of flowers or doing almost any activity is often used instead of a product shot of the bottle.
(c) There’s a third type of product photography where the product isn’t even shown.
This type of “product photography” often revolves around portraits of happy customers or confident-looking company executive. In this case, the product or brand name has to already be reasonably well-known.
This is often used where the product isn’t tangible such as insurance, electricity or home heating and financial services.
These three types of product photography can often be combined across web or print page(s). But the product itself may dictate which type of photography is best.
Customers can’t be bored into buying something. They have to be interested enough to buy.
