6 Tips to Boost Website Conversion with Images
We all know visuals are important!
Leveraging images strategically on a website can be a powerful catalyst to boost website conversion rates. Visual content has a profound impact on user engagement, capturing attention, and conveying information more effectively than text alone. High-quality and relevant images can create a positive first impression, drawing visitors into the website and encouraging them to explore further.
One significant way images contribute to increased conversion rates is by enhancing the overall user experience. Visual elements break up large blocks of text, making the content more digestible and engaging. Users are more likely to stay on a website that is visually appealing, leading to extended periods of interaction and a higher likelihood of converting.
Images can also serve as persuasive tools, influencing user behavior and decision-making. For e-commerce websites, showcasing products through visually appealing images can significantly impact purchase decisions. High-resolution product images, especially those demonstrating the product in use or providing various perspectives, can instill confidence in potential buyers and reduce uncertainty, ultimately driving more conversions.
Furthermore, images can be employed strategically to guide users through the conversion funnel. Call-to-action (CTA) buttons accompanied by relevant and attention-grabbing images can increase the likelihood of users taking the desired action. Whether it’s signing up for a newsletter, making a purchase, or filling out a form, visually compelling elements can reinforce the value proposition and encourage users to proceed.
And, who wants to read long paragraphs of bland text anyway? With the human attention span shorter than a goldfish at 8-seconds, there is a good possibility of your content being ignored for the lack of visuals. Ultimately, the low visibility of your brand decreases the revenue coming towards your brand – thus impacting the conversion rate of your business.
In this guide, let’s check out these fantastic tips to help you boost your website’s conversions using images:
1. Never Compromise on Image Quality
The importance of image quality can never be overestimated. If you are selling products on your website, you have to make sure that the product pictures you use are high-quality. You should also add photographs from different angles for the audience to better understand their specifications.
The only problem you may face with good-quality photographs is the size. Large files take longer to load on a website and deter visitors. In fact, reports show that 53% of the audience leaves a page if it takes longer than three seconds to load. Improving your page load time by 0.1 seconds can also increase conversion rates by 8%.
To solve the issue, you must optimize files through compression, so they load quickly without losing quality. You can also choose a featured image as the default one and put the others in thumbnails as clickable pictures. This way, you can showcase your product from every side without slowing down the loading speed.
2. Avoid Using Common Stock Images
Stock photos are a convenient solution for filling in the visual gap within your webpage. You can get them from various websites at affordable prices. They are cost-effective and readily available, making them ideal for small business owners. You can also get fantastic discounts from places such as iStock using a promo code.
However, you have to be very careful with selection when using these pictures. This is because stock images can often be too common and cheesy. Imagine your competitor using the same images as yours in their marketing material. You will risk losing your credibility in that situation.
It is also a good idea to add a touch of your own creativity to the stock images. With stock photos, you have the freedom to edit, crop, and even add overlays to make the pictures unique for your branding. So, take advantage of the privilege and use them wisely.
3. Provide Testimonials and Reviews
Testimonials are a great way of increasing your website’s conversion rate. People tend to believe in the credibility of a product or service if they know that other people have had a great experience with them. Ask the customers who have already done business with you to say a couple of lines about their experience in a video. A simple text review with an image can also do wonders. Put these reviews and testimonials on your webpage and see how your conversion rate keeps boosting.
Another way to effectively reach the audience is to get celebrities or influencers to promote your product. When a famous personality raves about your business, more people will line up to purchase from you – resulting in better conversion.
4. Add Responsive Visuals
This tip is critical and can reduce your website’s bounce rate big time! People no longer surf the web on their desktops only because of the expanding online scenario. They have various mobile devices that offer them different layouts and orientations. Suppose your images are not capable of adjusting to multiple screens. In that case, they will get distorted when viewed on, for instance, a smartphone.
An out-of-shape image can cause frustration, and chances are your customers will navigate out of your page. So, you must test your photos to see if they adapt to all screens without contorting.
5. Add Context
Have you ever been to one of those home stores where they have displayed their products in a fully designed room setting? You enter the store and immediately become aware of how the couch will look in your room or how that vase will sit perfectly on the floor next to that full-length mirror. Well, you see, the sofa or the vase they’re selling is not just sitting idly in a corner. They have a context and a perfect ambiance around them to help you imagine the usability of products.
For an online store, you can provide this context through creative images. For example, if you run an apparel website, don’t just display the cardigan on a mannequin or a hanger. Bring a model into play and capture aesthetic pictures of her in the cardigan, preferably against a wintery backdrop or maybe in a cafe. Add that context to your images and let your customers visualize themselves using the products.
6. Sprinkle in Some (or lots of) Sentimental Value
If your pictures cannot take your customers on an emotional journey, they are not the right pictures. The customer needs to connect to your product emotionally to make the purchasing decision. You can offer that connection through images that reflect the sentiments your target audience is looking for.
For this, you’d have to deeply understand your clientele and their behaviours – what inspires them and how you can interact with them. For instance, if your website is aimed at aspiring young artists, you can engage with them through unique, even quirky images. If you sell your services to entrepreneurs or businesspeople, your pictures should personify ambition, strength, and resilience.
Conclusion
There are endless advantages to images and their influence on a website’s conversion rate. These tips fit all digital marketing tactics, including online stores, blogs, and even social media platforms such as Facebook ads.
Just continue testing these tips and draw up new ideas to see what works best for your business needs. Good luck!
