6 Photos your website needs to convert visitors
As an ex-web designer I am in a unique position to say what type of images a website really needs in order to convert visitors to followers or clients. Social media can be referred to as ‘hopeful marketing’ – you are at the mercy of ever changing algorithm’s, what your audience sees depends on what they search for the most and if that’s not your industry or service type, you can say goodbye to them seeing your posts. It can feel like speaking to an empty room.
But! Serious businesses have one magic weapon in their arsenal…..
Yes, their website! You have 100% control over your website. You decide what content goes on it, you decide how often to update it, you decide what forms and lead magnets to include. OK, you don’t have control over how often GoogleBots crawl it and index it but if it’s updated with well written, engaging blogs often enough, you’re should do fine in search results. Utilising all the data Google Analytics collects can also really help you in making changes to your website to convert visitors.
With both web designer and photographer hats on, I can tell you that your choice of imagery will make or break your website. Web designers often recommend clients have a professional photoshoot before or during the website build. And for good reason.
Good (or awesome!) imagery can be planned into the site build, certain images can be used to add text overlays at critical points in a page. It’s easier to set container sizes when you know what the images look like and which images will go in specific locations on the site.
Good images will add value to the words and the words will add value to the images.
They work in harmony.
Naturally, your imagery should represent your brand identity, incorporating your colour palette in a style that suits your brand and builds recognition and trust. (Remember last months email on the importance of colour?!) In short, your website, and your business, benefits hugely from unique brand images created specifically for you.
So what images do you need to catch attention and convey key messages?
1. Relaxed and fun professional headshots
This need not be a stuffy, boring, corporate headshot, they are OUT! You can have a personality-driven professional headshot, laced with your own flair, but it does need to be an uncluttered headshot of you facing the camera, looking at your audience. It creates connection, expresses who you are, enables your audience to see you and that you are trustworthy. They want to see the face of the business!
This is the shot you’d typically use on your about page. You could also use the same photo for social profile pictures, it creates consistency and recognition!
Top Tip: always use a portrait that faces straight on or you are looking towards your website copy, i.e. never place a portrait of you facing the edge of the page.
2. Wide environmental portraits
This could be your typical ‘hero’ shot used on your homepage, composed with negative space to allow for text overlays without covering your face. They work best with a bit of movement, captured while changing position or moving in some way to express energy and remove any awkwardness.
Top Tip: if your main menu will display over the image, make sure there is enough contrast, or the image is light/dark enough so the menu can be read easily. (Hence why photoshoots during website planning are a good idea!)
3. You, doing your thing
90% of all information we transmit to our brains is visual, so you need to show some photos of you doing your work. That’s capturing images of you delivering your services, working with a client, or creating your products. This shows your audience how you work, what’s involved, whether you meet clients face to face or via video call, what your process is and is a great enabler of connection with your audience. Everybody loves seeing behind the scenes of a business and it makes for easy social content.
Don’t forget to include ‘behind the scenes’ images of how you run your business. These are great for blog posts that focus on answering questions about how you work or what value you bring. Theses images can really help to convert visitors as they can really relate to your business and be given a view of exactly how your services are delivered.
Top Tip: if you work from home and can’t bare the thought of a photoshoot there, you can find a café, hotel, outside space, or rent an Airbnb if budget allows. My clients have the option of using my studio too!
4. Lifestyle images
Show your audience how you spend your free time, or how you take a few moments during a busy day; walking the dog, gardening breaks, a coffee in town, browsing a bookstore, or lunchtime yoga. These images show your audience who you are outside of work, what you have in common, help deepen connection and make you relatable. Don’t underestimate their power.
Top Tip: we can include your family but compose images so their faces are not visible if you wish. We can capture these images at home, your favourite café, or outside in your favourite walking spot.
5. Filler images
By this I mean stock photos but not from stock websites! You want your imagery to be unique to you and your business so branded images that don’t feature your face can include: flatlays of your desk, tools of your trade, your hands working (writing, typing, creating etc), business books you read, stationery, steam from a hot coffee/tea or even your favourite chair by the window. These images add to your storytelling and work brilliantly as ‘behind text’ images on socials or page title images on your website.
Top Tip: make sure these images are aligned with your brand, feature your colour palette, evoke the emotions you want, give the impression of your brand you want, and feature props or places you actually use or visit. This is where stock photo websites can be flawed for you. I was trying to find school photos for a proposal recently and really struggled to find kids in uniforms!
6. Celebration images!
Your website wants to convey what it’s like working with you, but don’t forget to convey the impact you have on your clients, the positivity you bring or the success you help them strive for. You want to celebrate their successes as well as your own so it’s useful to have celebration images when you want to share a client win or announce something exciting of your own.
Top Tip: These images don’t all have to feature you smiling, throwing confetti or jumping (we’re not going for cringey photos after all!), they can be simply your hands holding a champagne glass (filled with sparkling apple juice!) or the bottle and glass. There’s loads of options for this but most importantly, create images that align with who you are.
I hope this has been a useful read for you, or even an inspiring one! Let me know if it’s given you food for thought on your website or your brand photography. I’d love to know and hear your perspective!