Seeing is Believing: Photography as an Essential Ecommerce Marketing Element

Without a doubt, it’s a visual world. Sight is arguably the most profound sensory marker human beings enjoy, and much of our everyday activity revolves around visualization.

Double that for consumer choice. Making purchases online practically mandates a photo, even when the product is something generic and technological, and aesthetics are irrelevant. We all want to see what we’re getting.

Expand that to the psychology of consumerism. The best way to sell is to understand that for many people, you’re selling more than just a product. When the customer engages in a desire to acquire what you’re selling, they are shaping a narrative to work that product into their lives. They are personalizing the experience.
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That’s where quality photography sneaks in. When possible, avoiding using only a manufacturer’s illustration as you provide visual illustrations. Obviously, high-volume resellers may have no choice, and that is perfectly fine. But if you’re building a niche business and your products are specialized, presenting an enticing visual image will connect buyers with them as part of the natural adherence to sensory perception.

​Welcome to the third decade of the 21st Century, when outrageously expensive photography equipment is no longer essential to get the job done. A better-than-average SmartPhone will deliver extraordinary photography if used properly. This should make the imaging task an easier choice. Bone up on fundamentals of product placement, lighting, and the other factors that go into presentation, starting with this primer from Shopify. Backgrounding, color coordination, shadows, and whether to include human subjects – it’s all important.

Here are more tips:

• Since it’s no longer cost-prohibitive to execute and upload images, consider presenting photos of all color options of a particular product. Continue that to all variations. This arms the customer with a gauge to compare and decide.
• Choose a 360-degree option for interesting angles. Customers will love the ability to experience their potential purchase from a more realistic perspective.
• Remember you can re-purpose photos to use across different media, social media platforms, print materials, etc. And above all, get organized. Setting up a workable method for labeling and storing your images is the first step to realizing time-saving strategies.

The bottom line is akin to the Golden Rule: Do unto your product line as you would have other merchants do to theirs. Understand what attracts you to both personal purchases and buying for reselling purposes, and employ that as a useful guide to showcasing your selection in the best light possible.