Choosing image content for your website can be somewhat difficult no matter what you're selling, whether it is a product line or a service. Good images can be hard to find - especially if you're on a budget. Although cheap stock photos make a good choice for filling in that white space and breaking up your text, you should be careful to ensure that it fits the goal you're trying to accomplish. So next time you find yourself looking for stock photos, keep the following tips in mind.
Photos and images should fit the theme and topic of your website. This is a tip that should go without saying. When you choose images, you should make sure they convey the same mood your site does through subject matter, color, facial expressions, etc. The image should have some color elements that match or blend with your site's color palette; sometimes this means you might have to go in and edit a color or two using Photoshop. You should also make sure that the subject matter is appropriate for the theme of your site; for instance, if you have a site aimed at girls' clothing, then photos you choose for the banners should reflect that instead of being generic or showcasing both men and women's clothing.
You should have as many unique photos as possible. The reason behind this is simple - generic stock photos are just that, and they will blend in too much, to the point they're all but invisible. You should take as many of your own pictures as you can, or, if you have the means, then you can hire a photographer to help you. If you have a limited budget and want to look at stock photos, then you can always combine photos to create unique compositions. Changing colors and using image enhancements can also help customize stock photos for your site and your brand. Just remember that everything you do should fit in with your brand.
Images should serve to enhance the written information. A wall of text without any stimulating visuals or colors can make for a boring website, but you don't want to try to fill the space just to fill it either. That is the fastest way to using boring photos as well, and users won't be too impressed. You should make sure that your images illustrate some aspect of your written information or give more information. Some ways of doing this are to include charts and graphs tailored to your company's information, using pictures of your facility or office, using pictures of your staff or work processes, or taking pictures of your product or some visual representation of what you're trying to sell. The best thing to do when managing an online store is to use pictures that show your product or service in the context it would be used in real life. For example, if you're selling hiking boots, then you might want to show someone wearing the boots and walking a trail. You want to give your products and services real world context, to humanize your business as much as you can despite the limitations of the online medium.
Gathering your content can be the most difficult part of any sort of e-commerce process. If you have trouble, you can always talk to a designer, such as Codank Web Design, for assistance in creating and choosing your site content.
About CODANK Web Design
CODANK is a top rated Web Design and Internet Marketing firm located in Charlotte, NC. We are dedicated to providing the highest quality, cost effective custom software development services, delivering a broad range of business consulting and outsourcing services.
For more information, visit us at www.codank.com
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