Why Good Photography Is Important For Your Brand
You’ve heard the saying a picture is worth a thousand words. The photography you use on your site speaks volumes about your company, its values, your target audience, and your brand’s story. By using high-quality images and consistent messaging throughout your website, you can speak to the personality and goals of your business.
Start Out On the Right Foot
The images you use on your website and social media profiles are the first thing that users see when they visit. While content is important, it’s considered secondary to the visual impression users get. Did you know that it only takes 60 seconds for users to form an idea of your company? Images can communicate multiple ideas and emotions quickly without the need for text, making them an invaluable part of cultivating your brand’s image within that first 60 seconds.
“‘You’ll never get a second chance to make a great first impression.’” We’ve all heard that an interviewer, or a stranger at a party, will form an impression of you, your character, your personality — an impression that is nearly indelible — all within the first 60 seconds of meeting you.” – Eric Wargo for The Association for Psychological Science
Consider what the images on your website and social media might be saying about your brand. Does the image represent your ideal customers? Does it connect with them emotionally and add value to the page? Ultimately, will the photos you’re using engage users enough to prompt them to scroll down, click on another tab, or contact your business?
Stock Photography Will Only Take You So Far
Stock photos are royalty-free images that you can purchase or download for free and use on your website without infringing on anyone’s copyright. These are helpful for startups and small businesses that don’t have the resources to create their own high-quality photos. It’s important to remember that stock photos only go so far in terms of branding and communicating with your audience.
Remember that the photos on your website tell your brand’s story in a way that your content cannot. Stock photos are usually very generic and aren’t tailored to your company’s personality, color scheme, etc., so they do a poor job of adding value to your website’s real estate. Ideally, you should hire a professional photographer or take good photos yourself. Then, you can use these photos in all of your marketing materials to characterize your brand.
Don’t Skimp On Photo Quality
You shouldn’t skimp on photo quality under any circumstances. Photography can be a significant expense, leaving many small businesses and startups tempted to slash their budget here. But sacrificing quality for cost will do more harm to your brand than good in the end. Invest in quality photos that do an excellent job of representing your company. You can then reuse them in different marketing campaigns to get the most value for your money.
Photo quality doesn’t just refer to the crispness or color saturation of the photo. You need to know how your website images appear across multiple devices. Compress the file sizes so large images don’t increase the load time on your site. Make sure that the image is responsive on multiple screen sizes and breakpoints. Add additional value of the photos by including ALT image tags and descriptions to increase the chances of your brand being found in search. Attention to these seemingly small details will improve SEO, accessibility, and performance of your website as a whole.
Solidify Your Brand Identity With Black Tie Digital Marketing
Choosing the right photographs for your website can be intimidating, especially since investing in high-quality images is costly. You need to know that the images are making the most of your marketing dollars and bringing value back into your business. Having a digital marketing agency on your side that can help navigate the in’s and out’s of good photography will undoubtedly help your overall marketing goals.