There is a lot to think about when it comes to building or redesigning a website.
Important details such as content, search engine optimisation (SEO), site navigation and graphic design are often the focus – and rightly so – but photography is also an important detail to get right (and one that can be overlooked in the planning process).
Website projects involve lots of tasks and various members of the team at different stages, and sometimes business owners can forget about photography until the last minute – and this is something that should be avoided at all costs. Images for your website need to be prioritised or you risk damaging the overall brand story you have worked so hard to create.
Throwing together some stock images can leave your brand’s overall impression looking inconsistent, and lead to missed opportunities and lost business.
Here are six more reasons why you should be using professional photography for your website project:
# High-quality images help to amplify your written content
The power of visual storytelling cannot be understated, which is why consistency between the written word and your photography should be a priority. One is not more important than the other and so equal attention should be given to both. However, the right image can help to make a much more powerful impression than words can on their own – after all “a picture is worth a thousand words” as the old saying goes.
A lot of focus is sometimes put onto website copy as being the key to conversions, and while it is extremely important, images carry equal weight with consumers. Therefore, your website photos should complement your copy and contribute to the flow of the message.
After all, if you have lacklustre images, it doesn’t matter how award-winning your website copy is – your audience may miss the message you are trying to communicate.
#Attention to detail ensures a polished end product
Using a professional photographer, like the team at Zool, means you will have access to the technical understanding required to bring your brand message to life through the use of high-quality images. Technical understanding of composition, lighting and staging help to add depth and texture to your images, which will ensure your website images stand out from the competition.
You may have someone on your staff who says they are handy with a camera but that does not mean they necessarily have the technical experience required to make your website photography great. The best choice is always to use an experienced photographer who understands the brand message you are trying to get across and can then execute the creative representation of that.
#Your existing pictures may not work on your new site
Sometimes people want to use the photographs from their existing site on their new (or refreshed) site but doing this can detract from our efforts to refresh your brand presence. Using photos and images that your customers are used to seeing could cause a disconnect with the launch of your new site.
As well as this, it is also important to think about the size the images should be on the new website we are building. If we are redesigning your existing site, it may be that the pictures you have are too small and so will appear pixelated.
Using a professional photographer will ensure images work properly within the context of the redesigned site.
#Having unique photos helps distinguish your website from the competition
The photographs on your website should be in alignment with your brand story, and unique. Websites that rely on stock photography to represent their brand tend to miss out on the opportunity to differentiate themselves from their competitors in a visual way. Using stock photography is okay at a pinch, but it tends to be more profitable in the long run for you to use images that are exclusive to your brand and that cannot be replicated.
Another problem with using stock photography on a website is that it is widely available to anyone, and so your competitors may use the same images. Stock imagery also tends to look generic, and it won’t contribute positively to any brand story you are trying to tell.
Using a professional photographer for your website images will mean you have a seamless visual representation of your brand story which complements the messaging on your new website.
#Visual storytelling makes a memorable impression on website visitors
Studies have shown that the human brain processes images 60,000 times faster than text and 90% of the information that is transmitted to your brain is visual. These two statistics alone should underline the importance of using professional photography on your site!
The human brain will always look for the easiest way to process information, and so it is vital that you make it as easy as possible for your target customers to understand what you are saying. Our professional photographers not only capture unique images for your business but also work with the wider creative team to ensure the photographs make the strongest visual impression on your website visitors.
#Professional website images can help to build brand confidence
Your website is the main method of communication you have with your customers, and people will almost always look at your website before they contact you for more information. They tend to be looking to see if they can trust you with their business.
Having poor quality and generic images on your website that are inconsistent with your overall brand messaging, can mean potential customers view you as having a lack of commitment to quality – and they may take their business elsewhere.
If you have any questions about website photography, Zool is here to help. Whether you need a site built from scratch or just want a refresh, our designers can advise you on every aspect of imagery associated with that. We can also audit your current website and offer ideas for ways you can improve it to help you to stand out from your competition.
Please contact us today, to find out more.
6 reasons you need professional photography for your website
Creative Photography / Jan 4, 2021
There is a lot to think about when it comes to building or redesigning a website.
Important details such as content, search engine optimisation (SEO), site navigation and graphic design are often the focus – and rightly so – but photography is also an important detail to get right (and one that can be overlooked in the planning process).
Website projects involve lots of tasks and various members of the team at different stages, and sometimes business owners can forget about photography until the last minute – and this is something that should be avoided at all costs. Images for your website need to be prioritised or you risk damaging the overall brand story you have worked so hard to create.
Throwing together some stock images can leave your brand’s overall impression looking inconsistent, and lead to missed opportunities and lost business.
Here are six more reasons why you should be using professional photography for your website project:
# High-quality images help to amplify your written content
The power of visual storytelling cannot be understated, which is why consistency between the written word and your photography should be a priority. One is not more important than the other and so equal attention should be given to both. However, the right image can help to make a much more powerful impression than words can on their own – after all “a picture is worth a thousand words” as the old saying goes.
A lot of focus is sometimes put onto website copy as being the key to conversions, and while it is extremely important, images carry equal weight with consumers. Therefore, your website photos should complement your copy and contribute to the flow of the message.
After all, if you have lacklustre images, it doesn’t matter how award-winning your website copy is – your audience may miss the message you are trying to communicate.
#Attention to detail ensures a polished end product
Using a professional photographer, like the team at Zool, means you will have access to the technical understanding required to bring your brand message to life through the use of high-quality images. Technical understanding of composition, lighting and staging help to add depth and texture to your images, which will ensure your website images stand out from the competition.
You may have someone on your staff who says they are handy with a camera but that does not mean they necessarily have the technical experience required to make your website photography great. The best choice is always to use an experienced photographer who understands the brand message you are trying to get across and can then execute the creative representation of that.
#Your existing pictures may not work on your new site
Sometimes people want to use the photographs from their existing site on their new (or refreshed) site but doing this can detract from our efforts to refresh your brand presence. Using photos and images that your customers are used to seeing could cause a disconnect with the launch of your new site.
As well as this, it is also important to think about the size the images should be on the new website we are building. If we are redesigning your existing site, it may be that the pictures you have are too small and so will appear pixelated.
Using a professional photographer will ensure images work properly within the context of the redesigned site.
#Having unique photos helps distinguish your website from the competition
The photographs on your website should be in alignment with your brand story, and unique. Websites that rely on stock photography to represent their brand tend to miss out on the opportunity to differentiate themselves from their competitors in a visual way. Using stock photography is okay at a pinch, but it tends to be more profitable in the long run for you to use images that are exclusive to your brand and that cannot be replicated.
Another problem with using stock photography on a website is that it is widely available to anyone, and so your competitors may use the same images. Stock imagery also tends to look generic, and it won’t contribute positively to any brand story you are trying to tell.
Using a professional photographer for your website images will mean you have a seamless visual representation of your brand story which complements the messaging on your new website.
#Visual storytelling makes a memorable impression on website visitors
Studies have shown that the human brain processes images 60,000 times faster than text and 90% of the information that is transmitted to your brain is visual. These two statistics alone should underline the importance of using professional photography on your site!
The human brain will always look for the easiest way to process information, and so it is vital that you make it as easy as possible for your target customers to understand what you are saying. Our professional photographers not only capture unique images for your business but also work with the wider creative team to ensure the photographs make the strongest visual impression on your website visitors.
#Professional website images can help to build brand confidence
Your website is the main method of communication you have with your customers, and people will almost always look at your website before they contact you for more information. They tend to be looking to see if they can trust you with their business.
Having poor quality and generic images on your website that are inconsistent with your overall brand messaging, can mean potential customers view you as having a lack of commitment to quality – and they may take their business elsewhere.
If you have any questions about website photography, Zool is here to help. Whether you need a site built from scratch or just want a refresh, our designers can advise you on every aspect of imagery associated with that. We can also audit your current website and offer ideas for ways you can improve it to help you to stand out from your competition.
Please contact us today, to find out more.
