Quality photos are a must for your blog and brand.
How many times have you landed on a website, blog or business, and clicked away a few seconds after the page loaded? What made you click away?
For me, it's usually visuals; pictures, colors, and design.
Unless I already know and respect the blogger or brand, I will rarely waste my valuable time if the content isn't well presented. If you don't have time to invest in me, then I don't have time to invest in you.
I will usually click away if:
photos are under or over exposed.
photos are tiny (or random sizes) and not justified with your text.
photos don't speak to me, as in; "eat me" or "buy me" or "make me".
photos don't follow a consistent theme or design.
photos are blurry.
These are a few examples, but you get the idea
Hello, World!
Photos convert a passerby into a reader and a potential customer into a buyer. It's your best chance to stand out in an overly saturated online world.
Here are a few examples of gorgeous photography:
Tell me you're not converted.
Have you ever made an impulsive online purchase because the item looked so damn good in the pictures?
Or maybe you cancelled an order because the quality of the images on the site were so bad it made you feel like it was a scam.
Let me make this clear:
You never get a second chance to make a first impression.
It sucks, but it's true.
In every aspect of our life and even more so online.
If I haven't convinced you already, here are 6 reasons why your blog and creative business needs attractive photos.
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words.
Look at the first few pictures on your website right now. What feeling or words come to mind? Is that what you want your reader or customer to feel or think?
Let's be clear here, content is obviously very important; no words = no bueno. People don't come to your website for pretty pictures. They obviously come for content, or a product description.... but they'll never get to your amazing work until they go through that initial picture or graphic.
You Only Have 7 Seconds to Make a First Impression.
Did you know that? Crazy right? So if content is the only important thing, how do you expect to make that 7 seconds cut? You better have some crazy first sentence!
Having quality pictures helps; A LOT. Sure, if you have no content, you won't retain readers or buyers after the 7 second mark, but if you can't keep them there long enough to read your content, then what's the point?
Pictures Make your Content and Product Shareable.
Um, hello. If you have no pictures (or none of quality) then how do you expect raving fans to share your awesome content?
Sure, there's twitter, but aren't we all more likely to click if it comes with a super enticing picture ? ... and think of the power of Pinterest! You're totally missing out.
Quality Pictures make you Stand Out.
If you're using stock photos that everyone else is using, then you're just another blogger.
Buuuuut, if you take the time to gather props that match your brand, and to style unique photos with items you love and use, then it becomes unique! It becomes YOUR brand.
People will start to recognize it through the way you style, shoot and edit your images. When they see your work on other platforms, they're more likely to click and return to your site because you've built trust...which brings me to #5.
It Builds Trust with your Readers.
Let's be honest here, a brand looks way more legit when the photos look professional.
If you take the time and plan each one of your photos (or get them professionally made), new readers (and returning fans) are more likely to trust that you are an expert in what you do.
If your work looks like you just grabbed your camera and snapped some blurry photos without even trying, it's kind of a turnoff and makes your brand look very amateur.
Don't get me wrong, everyone loves seeing behind the scenes shots, and real videos of you, especially when trust is concerned, but when it comes to your regular content, you need to put in some effort because first impressions matter (see #2!).
Quality Pictures will Increase Engagement on your Blog and with our Brand.
This one point alone pretty much sums up all the rest. People are much more likely to engage when beautiful, high quality visuals like pictures are involved.
Readers or customers will stick around and browse for your site for longer, they're more likely to buy, more likely to share, more likely to ask questions, more likely to believe you're an expert, and more likely to return!
If you need some help getting started with photography, you can check out my must-have photography kit for bloggers and you can download my 12 free stock photos below. Stay tuned for more!
What's your opinion on pictures on a blog or website? Does it affect how you interact with the brand? I'd love to know! Comment below to share your thoughts with me.
