In today’s increasingly visual digital marketplace, images of products play a pivotal role in drawing in customers that are always looking. Images of products in online storefronts must always be top-notch to attract views and convert impressions into purchases.
Images can make or break a business. As more people rely on social media and mobile for their shopping needs, enterprises—especially retail ventures — must put their best foot forward and present their products and services (as well as their business and brand) in sharp focus.
Excellent photography and photo retouching are the hallmarks of an outstanding visual brand strategy. Excellently staged photos of products should have all the elements that entice viewers into a purchase. This principle has been proven time and again by phenomenally successful social media influencers, whose photographs of everyday objects have translated into greater demand for such products.
A Note From Influencers
Today’s marketplace is dominated by influencers—individuals on YouTube or Instagram, whose entire claim to fame is their brand. One of the tools in the influencer’s arsenal is their extensive library of photographs—creatively displayed product shots that, in essence, motivate their followers to purchase the items. The photos and their connotations of luxury and fame are often all that’s needed to spur a potential buyer.
Although far from the only element in play in the influencer equation, product photography remains one of the key elements in the influencer marketing toolkit that today’s retailers should take cues from. A majority of people act on visual stimuli, and a good picture can make a world of difference for a retail enterprise.
The Principles in Play
An eye-catching assortment of visual images—be it logos or product photos—draws people into a business. Excellently composed images catch the eye of the customer. Moreover, an alluring image can often add to the desirability of an object; this is especially true for luxury items like jewelry, which relies on both its beauty and its connotations of luxury and status to entice potential buyers.
This longstanding truth remains all the more relevant today, where people do most of their browsing and are more present in the heavily visual medium of social media. For instance, a jewelry store would benefit from the services of a skilled photographer and the services of professional jewelry retouchers to ensure that all their promotional material online presents their products in a distinctive and appealing light.
In this increasingly competitive field, it is no longer enough for retail products—especially luxury goods—to be presented in a “good enough” manner. If a product’s image fails to enthrall and motivate potential customers, it will languish in obscurity. Thus, having a collection of standout images of your products can be all that it takes for your retail venture to make itself noticed in a social media-dominated marketplace.
A Social Advantage
Although the principle of images in marketing had always been in play, marketers in the past usually saved the quality photography and photo retouching for promotional items that are only periodically put out. This is no longer enough in a world dominated by social media and e-commerce, and retailers should act accordingly.
Having a steady stream of image content, meanwhile, plays a critical role in creating an active web presence. In today’s market, excellent-quality promotional images should be a consistent part of a robust retail content strategy.
