It’s February. The second month of the year has arrived in a flash and we like to stay grateful. The first day of the month was a Monday, a crisp, fresh and revitalising Monday. The sun was breaking from blue skies and optimism was flooding within us.
Do you see how words can make something sound magical? You know what they say, ‘A picture is worth a thousand words’. Although this saying became popular in the early 20th century and can be found in conversation in the 19th century. It’s truer at this moment than it has ever been before.
It genuinely was a glorious Monday; we didn’t just say that to reel you in. However, we are still stuck at home, working from our sofas, beds, or thrown together home-offices. As we continue to work from home, we are also shopping from home, with nine-tenths of the city centre remaining shut. So, right now, your online business should be investing in great imagery. In fact, it should be better than great, if you want to sell to your customers as they sit at home, they need to know exactly what your product looks like. You need to make those product shots more attractive and realistic.
Customer Experience
You may see the term CX used more frequently nowadays as more businesses move towards enhancing their websites. In the eCommerce sector, marketers have long known that the key to driving much-needed sales is customer experience (CX).
If a customer enjoys shopping on your website they are far more likely to purchase. The likelihood of those customers passing on the message of how good your products are also increases. More positive reviews, more word of mouth, more brand recognition…more sales.
Step into the future – 3D and 360 imagery
When improving the CX of your website to give your products the coverage they deserve, try something new. 3D imagery, whether that’s computer-rendered or photography as a 360 image, offers your potential customers the opportunity to fully appreciate your product and picture having it in their hands.
The fact that the product is visible in its entirety also means that there’s much less chance of dealing with returns. Which let’s face it, none of us want! We want those customers to love everything as much as you do.
AR – A step even further into the future!
AR isn’t just the noise a pirate makes; it also stands for Augmented Reality. A type of imagery that allows a customer to virtually visualise what your product looks like.
For example, furniture websites use AR to allow customers to alter the colour and style of the sofa/chair/furnishing they are looking to purchase. The altered colour feature allows a more realistic vision of what the product will look like in their home after purchase.
Make the CX enjoyable with your imagery!
OK. So, when we were younger, we would constantly head on to Nike.com on the weekends, who doesn’t love Nike? But the reason we visited this website, in particular, was that they were one of the first brands to truly make AR and 360 imagery enjoyable for the user.
With the introduction of Nike ID, now known as Nike by you, Nike moved into a space that no one else occupied. This section of the website made imagery and AR fun for the user as they were able to edit their own custom footwear in any colour available. We must have designed a hundred pairs!
Eliciting enjoyment within your website is one of the most difficult things any business can do. But, if you’re able to leverage that enjoyment factor, you’re on your way to success.
Budget-conscious
So, let’s address the elephant in the room. We understand that working with AR and 3D imagery can be expensive, depending on your budget and product offering.
Our advice when working with simply-shot yet effective imagery. Right now, the eCommerce sector is all about honesty, people want to know who they are buying from and what you’re all about. This means the use of user-generated content (UGC) is immensely popular.
Potential customers believe in those who have voluntarily bought the product, and if those people have great things to say about your goods…Let them say it. Request to use the great shots your customers have taken and spread the word across your feeds.
Lifestyle shots
We recommend between 5-8 shots of a product with some of the shots being lifestyle shots. Meaning they are taken whilst the product is being used. For example, if you’re a clothing brand, show what that jumper looks like on, don’t just have images of it unfolded on a table or on a hanger.
If you’re looking to identify with the aesthetic age we live in, pair your products with complementary products. Even if they are from a different brand. For example, flat-lay shots are very in right now. They offer an angled shot of multiple complementary products looking aesthetically pleasing.
If you own a perfume brand, you may show your product stood next to a candle or on a trinket dish with earrings or other dainty objects. This not only helps the customer visualise the product in their own home, but it also creates desire, as we all want to own a product that looks as good out of use as it does in use.
If you want to know more about imagery, marketing, eCommerce websites and more, get in touch, and let’s discuss all the great ways we can work together.
Take a look at some more of our blogs for helpful tips, tricks and advice:
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