People will remember only about 20 % of what they read compared to over 80% of what they see. This points to the fact that visuals are a powerful tool when it comes to marketing products or even selling them to the general public. Not exploring the areas of product photography could mean that you are losing out on some major marketing peaks for your sales on any particular item.
Does Product photography matter?
Since product photography offers a complete visual of your product, it thus matters as an investment and the main part of your sales. Most people prefer to have proof of the item they wish to buy online; this means having a photograph of the product and a description written about the product. Customers are more drawn to the product photograph since they are unable to touch or hold the products online in their hands.
There have been excellent records of sales and countless numbers of product appreciations just with a single image which translated to a brand’s success. These successful products achieved this height by highlighting the key benefits of the product using a single shot. Take for instance a tablet; one of its great selling points is the lightweight and slimness of the device. Having the right angle and lighting can bring out the right display of its features and benefits to prospective buyers and customers who might be having some doubts. The image can create a connection to the customer and the right picture can even create a lasting image in the minds of the customers.
In essence, the way customers see your products online can affect the purchase decision-making process of the buyer. Most people believe that an image is of greater importance than a review or product description when it comes to representing a product. Statistics also agree with this as more than 63% of customers take images as more important than product description.
The first point of call for most customers is the images, once a product is very excellent, they move on to the reviews and description. Good product photographs are the first point of call for customers which can instigate the decision to make a purchase. Having access to a competent and visionary product photographer is a catalyst for successful sales.
With great ease of starting online comes great competition
The surge of e-commerce has made becoming an entrepreneur very easy. With the rise of platforms like Amazon, Shopify, WooCommerce, Magneto, Etsy, etc, people can easily get started with their product sales even from the comfort of their homes. While starting in the world of selling products comes with a lot of promise, having the right product photography is arguably a very important part of your sales journey. The fact is that there are a lot of competitions out there in the e-commerce world and this can be fierce for a newcomer. There is always a marketplace doing better than others and chances are they are making use of a professional photographer to get their products to the highest standards. Customers are usually drawn to these products' images because of the show of professionalism and expertise that is portrayed in their e-commerce store.
If you are just beginning your e-commerce business, you most likely are doing it from your home. The living room might be stacked with boxes of different products about to be photographed and placed in your e-commerce store. You sure aren’t alone in the boat. This is more of an "anticipative online business" pattern. Do you know what can distinguish you from these "hopeful business" models? Not getting your products photographed using an iPhone. Yes, this can easily be noticed by your customers and would read a write-off of your product.
Variety is a spice for increased sales
Take for instance, if you are selling a perfume that has different colors and fragrances, having just one stock photo would not do your product any good. Customers would not have the chance of seeing the true scope of your product. If it is possible, offer different photos; one for each color, this can reach out to more audiences. Everyone has a different color that attracts them and displaying that color can lead to a new sale.
Most people visiting an e-commerce site would click through some images to get a better insight into the product they are buying – different angles, coloring, features on the exterior, etc. This gives them a chance to research your product from different perspectives. For instance, if you are selling jogging shoes then it would do more good to showcase the product images from more angles. Some customers would prefer to check out the shoes from the side and the top, it would be safer to have more angles and more choices for your customers. For instance, you can decide to have one angle from the bottom of the shoe to showcase the tread. You can also have a shot of the laces to show the customers the styles and appearances. Product photography is all about passing the right information to assist your customers in making informed decisions with their money.
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Showcase your product in action
A very good example of showing off your product in action is in the case of waterproof products like a pair of jogging pants. Give your customers a view of how the pants can withstand the rain. Let them see how it works in a natural environment as this might be more enticing than just having a simple white background image. Lifestyle shots are very essential to the success of an e-commerce business. This is because the Showcase the physical product as it's been used by a real person. It goes beyond telling the story of the brand and gives the customer a lifestyle to associate with.
If your product, for instance, is an air purifier, then it will make more sense to showcase how it works for the customers to see. Using the right advertisement, you can grab the attention of your targeted audience to your product. Any product must fall in this line of action to be able to reach out to the target audience. In essence, having the right presentation is what matters in your product marketing.
Resourceful images
The quality of images or shots taken by product photographers usually makes them resourceful, versatile, and reusable on different platforms. One professional image can be used for many forms of advertising, marketing, and product displays. You can also use individual product images on your website and other marketing programs including social media and ad placements.
Improved SEO
Optimizing your image is an important part of the entire SEO practice. If you want to get more traffic to your e-commerce store online, you must engage in proper SEO. Images that are optimized load faster and deliver customer-centered experience on your website.
Professional product photography is designed to get you the best images that are optimized for your website. Photographers can easily reduce the size of the images and make them lighter while still retaining the image quality.
Do you need a product photographer and why?
We have been able to establish that product photography is very important for e-commerce businesses. This means that every e-commerce business should dedicate time to learning how to find the right product photographer.
The reason why you must have the right product photographer is that product photography goes beyond showing off your products and it involves passing the right message to your viewers for a purchase to be made. At this point you want your viewers to say "I need to have this product". Top-notch product photography can be the determining factor for success in any e-commerce business.
Research has it that 22% of returns on products are due to customers having a product that looks different from what they saw on your e-commerce platform. This often happens when the product photographer is not experienced enough, although skillful. Another reason is if you upload an image that isn't your actual product. Whatever the case may be, you’d still need an experienced photographer to handle your projects.
What can an expert photographer do for you?
There are numerous things a professional product photographer can do for you including guiding you to choose the right product shot such as:
White background shots
Styled shots
Detailed shots
Individual shots
Group shots
Lifestyle shots
Scale shots
Other things the product photographer can help you achieve include:
Ensuring high quality of your images
Ensuring that the right lighting is used
Creative experimentation with settings to achieve the best result
Spends some quality time in editing the photographs for optimum output
Applies unique diffusion methods
Applies the right background that matches the product without going overboard or being too flagrant
Should professional product photography be paid for?
If you understand the importance of product photography for your e-commerce business then the answer to the question is crystal clear. Product photography should not be taken as an incurred cost but rather as a part of your marketing investment. This investment is focused on improving your conversion rates and bringing you more profits. This makes getting professional product photography at any cost worth it.
Unless you have the required skills and equipment to deliver top-notch photography for your product, you should opt-in for quality and professional product photography. The benefits are numerous to count.
Conclusion
There is a big gap when comparing the cost of professional product photography and the benefits it offers. If you take out time to assess it, the benefits outweigh the cost. Although at the initial stage, product photography might seem very expensive, it turns out to be a very good investment at the end of the day. Don't hesitate to give your business this necessary investment for growth and conversion.
If you require quality product photography like no other does, then Smart Shot is your one-stop-shop for everything product photography. Here at Smart Shot, we will help you capture the awesomeness in your product and showcase it to the world.
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