“Great images can increase conversion rates: High-quality product photos have proven to yield a 94% higher conversion rate compared to their low-quality counterparts.(The Only Stats You Need for Visuals in eCommerce 2024) When it comes to product photos and videos, quality matters. Every brand promises some level of quality. Value brands offer a certain quality for a modest price. Luxury brands push toward high quality to reflect their position in the marketplace. Marketers need to know their brand and produce visuals that reflect the right level of quality.
Quality in visuals may sound like a subjective measure but there are tangible, objective criteria that affect the perceived and aesthetic quality of photos and videos. Technical quality is all about producing a great visual that measures up to the photography that the shopper is used to in-store, online and in catalog. Product portrayal describes how well your product is captured and its benefits are communicated. Channel optimization includes the criteria that make your visuals a great experience on desktop or mobile, when bandwidth is weak or other characteristics of the channels users experience those visuals.
Sharpness: Blurry photos can deter customers and diminish trust in your brand. Many eCommerce sites feature a product zoom view, and it’s important that your product remains crisp at this increased magnification. Achieving sharpness involves using high-quality cameras and lenses, ensuring proper focus during the shoot, a higher resolution, and applying appropriate post-processing techniques.
Lighting: Good lighting helps showcase the product's features and colors, and helps direct the viewer’s eye to what matters - your product. Applying the principles of three-point lighting can elevate the overall quality of your product images and videos.
Color Accuracy: Photos should accurately represent the product's true colors. Color is critical for customer satisfaction and reducing return rates due to mismatched expectations. To ensure color accuracy, consider using a color checker during the shoot and calibrating your monitors regularly. Post-processing software can help fine-tune colors to match the product.
Background: For product hero images, clean, non-distracting backgrounds are important. The exception to this rule is lifestyle images where you are intentionally showing your product in a real-world setting. To make the product stand out, use a clean and consistent background, and keep the focus on the product. Using sweep backgrounds can eliminate horizon lines and create a seamless look.
Composition: Position the product well within the frame, using the rule of thirds for appeal. Good composition involves placing the product centrally and considering negative space, leading lines, and how the product interacts with other elements in the frame. A well-composed image can guide the viewer's eye to key features of the product.
Video Resolution: High video resolution will give us clear viewing on various devices. This can be assessed on a high, medium, or low scale. High resolution is essential for capturing complex details and maintaining clarity on larger screens. Also, consider the frame rate; 24-30 frames per second (fps) is standard, but 60 fps can offer smoother motion for dynamic product demonstrations.
Complete Views: Include multiple angles (front, back, sides) and any crucial details in your photography. This helps customers fully understand the product, reducing uncertainties and potential returns. Many products lend themselves to a 360° turntable view to give shoppers confidence they understand the product’s appearance. Highlighting intricate details, like stitching on clothing or surface texture, can provide a comprehensive view that reassures customers about the product's quality and authenticity.
Scale and Context: Include a reference object or model to show the product's size. Lifestyle shots can demonstrate the product in use, particularly useful for items where size or fit is important. “Quality and accuracy in visual depictions are crucial: 75% of consumers will return a product if the image displayed doesn’t match the product received.” (The Only Stats You Need for Visuals in eCommerce 2024) Products with proper size representation can significantly reduce return rates due to incorrect size expectations. Including contextual elements helps customers visualize how the product will fit into their lives, enhancing relatability and desirability.
Staging (Photos): The product should be staged attractively, using props or backdrops that complement without adding clutter. Lifestyle images can create an understanding of how your product fits into people’s lives. Demonstration images can be staged in a way that helps shoppers understand how the product works. Effective staging involves thoughtful placement of complementary items to suggest potential uses or pairings, inspiring customers.
Scene Setting (Videos): Videos should effectively set the scene, showcasing the product's use case or benefits. This helps customers see how the product works in their lives, boosting purchase confidence. Dynamic scenes that demonstrate the product in action can highlight features and benefits that static images cannot, such as the functionality of a kitchen appliance or the comfort of a piece of furniture.
Consistency: Maintain a consistent style and look across all product photos and videos and across channels. How your product appears on your Web site and on your Instagram channel should be similar. You want people to build recognition from visual to visual. Consistency can be achieved through standardized lighting setups, color grading, and composition styles. This uniformity will help create a cohesive look across your catalog, reinforcing brand recognition and professionalism.
File Size: Optimize image and video files for fast loading times on web pages. Slow-loading visuals can frustrate customers and negatively impact SEO. Use compression tools to reduce file sizes without sacrificing quality, and consider lazy loading techniques to enhance page performance. Fast loading times give way to a better user experience and higher retention rates.
Mobile-friendliness: Ensure photos and videos are easily viewable on mobile devices. With a large amount of online shopping happening on mobile, this is crucial for user experience. Test your visuals on various screen sizes and resolutions to ensure they remain clear and impactful. Responsive design practices ensure that images and videos adapt to different devices seamlessly.
Billions of images and videos are published every day. Shoppers make quick judgments based on product visuals, and they know quality at a glance. Whether you are a value brand, a luxury brand or somewhere in between, make sure the quality of your visuals measure up to the quality of your brand.
