3 Reasons Your Website Needs Professional Photos.

Getting a site redesign? Or launching a completely new website? Then website photos should be right up there on your to-do list.

Smaller businesses sometimes start out with DIY or stock photography. Some business owners see professional photos for a website as a nice-to-have, not an essential.

We get it. A professional photo shoot is yet another cost. And in those early days, you may feel that it’s an expense and a hassle you can do without.

But we’re here to tell you that professional website photos are worth the investment. Whether you’re a brand-new start-up or an established brand, up-to-date, professional photos for your website are a must-have.

Here’s why.

Why your website needs professional photos

1. It gives a good first impression

Today’s website users are generally a pretty savvy bunch. And they have a healthy level of mistrust when faced with an unfamiliar brand.

So when a customer first lands on your website, they’re sussing you out. They want to know if they can trust you – and if they confidently buy from you.

Design is a primary factor in convincing them. Almost half of website users say that design is the number one way they decide on the credibility of a business.

An important part of design? You guessed it. Website photos. So how do website photos contribute to that all-important first impression?

Your customers know that professional photos come at a cost. So when you use pro images – instead of DIY or stock images – you show that you’re serious about your business.

You also show that you’re a real, established company. Anyone can download a few images from the internet. But only a bona fide brand can show photographic proof of their people, premises and products.

Professional website photos help to show customers that you’re a trustworthy brand – and move them one step further to parting with their hard-earned cash.

2. Customers get to know your brand

First impressions count. But you want to make a lasting impression, too. This is where branding comes in. A strong brand identity sticks in the minds of website visitors.

Your overall web design and copy contribute to your branding. So do your website photos. Unique photos help you to create a unique (and therefore memorable) brand image.

Get a professional photographer on board and they’ll know how to highlight the colour schemes, imagery, message and values that reveal who you are as an organisation. Once they’re up on your website, these bespoke images will help to reinforce your brand with customers.

Professional photos also help you avoid the brand risks associated with generic stock photos, which pop up all over the internet. There’s a limited pool of stock photography to choose from, which means lots of websites end up featuring the same images. And it gets hard for customers to distinguish one from another.

With unique photos, you stand out from competitors. And customers find it easier to connect with your brand, which is great for conversion and repeat custom.

When your branding is cohesive and original – and shows the real-life humans behind your company – customers find getting to know you that bit easier.

3. High quality images boost site SEO

A well-designed website packed with high quality content and images makes for an engaging user experience. With so much great content to explore, website visitors spend longer on your site. This helps your SEO.

When customers linger on your website, it sends positive messages to search engines, like Google. Your site then ranks more highly in search engine result pages (SERPs).

Another SEO benefit of unique images? Your company starts to show up in image results, as well as standard search results. This gives you a little extra visibility across the internet.

Companies that invest in both professional images and professional written content tend to see an increase in their website traffic and conversion rates.

One last benefit of professional website photos?

Every website needs professional photos. But once you’ve invested in a professional photoshoot, why not use those images elsewhere, too?

You can use website photos across your marketing channels:

• Use them in ads and for social media posts
• Stick them in the company brochure
• Add relevant images to your website blog posts
• Feature photos in your content outreach campaigns

Used as part of your marketing, professional photos will continue to connect with customers and boost your brand. So you get an even bigger return on that photoshoot investment.

Check out our Radical new look!

As an agency, we like to practise what we preach. We’re proud to have our lovely mugs displayed on the Radical website (alongside our quality assurance team, Amber and Faye!).

We’ve got decades of experience building websites. And we know that websites are always more successful when clients provide unique and professional images. We also have all the know-how we need to format your images for the best possible SEO benefit.

If you’ve decided to get professional photos of your business and need help positioning them on your site, we can help.

Give us a call or drop us a message online to get the ball rolling on your next website project.