How To Increase Ecommerce Sales: “Get The Best Photography You Can”

There are, of course, many ways to increase your ecommerce sales, from improving your SEO to optimising your checkout page. But one aspect that often gets overlooked is in making the most out of your ecommerce photography.

Product Photography

Behind every successful ecommerce venture is an unwavering commitment to product photography of the highest quality. Whilst there are numerous ways to improve the quality of your service, working out how to increase ecommerce sales might just be as simple as getting the very best images that you possibly can.

Broadly speaking, we reckon that there are 4 reasons why ecommerce success rises and falls on the quality of your product photography:

1. How to Increase Ecommerce Sales: First Impressions

There is an elusive quality to a successful website design. We invest enormous time, energy and skill in creating technical and functional websites that are immaculately constructed. However, it is an inescapable fact of life that successful websites are the ones that make a positive first impression.

There are various ways in which high quality ecommerce product photography makes this possible. It helps to inspire trust and authenticity, demonstrating to the site visitor that this is a premium brand. It helps to compel visitors to stay on your website and investigate your products further. It helps to create positive engagement and deliver an enjoyable user experience (particularly if the rest of your website is well built!)

2. How to Increase Ecommerce Sales: Creating Desire

The most successful brands create products which are the object of customers’ desire. The likes of Apple demonstrate this clearly. It’s important to remember that you’re not just selling a product; you’re selling the lifestyle that the product will facilitate.

In his guest post for the Shopify blog Gregory Ciotti underlines the importance of “images that create the desire by showcasing the image in use“. Commissioning high quality ecommerce product photography will help you to show the customer what they’re missing out on if they choose not to buy your products. This kind of imagery will help to create a sense of desire and lodge your products in the memory of your potential customers.

3. How to Increase Ecommerce Sales: Social Media

We’ve already mentioned that social media marketing campaigns are a great way to raise the profile of your brand and increase ecommerce sales. Whilst there are various ways to achieve this, professional images are a catalyst that will help to ensure the success of your campaign.

The research team at Buffer have found that using images in social media posts creates significantly higher user engagement, both in terms of ‘likes’ and ‘comments’. This isn’t surprising: we are inherently visual creatures, and beautiful images help to break up the monotony of social media.

Beautiful images are a win-win because they can be used as stand-alone social media updates. By strategically rolling out timely photographic updates you’ll be able to get your products into the news feed and psyche of your customers. If you’re able to offer a promotional discount, the impact will be greater still.

If you’re really ‘lucky’ (ie winsome, hard working, strategic and relentlessly persistent) you might even find your products being pinned on Pinterest. After all, this year’s unknown ecommerce brand is next year’s Christmas list must-have.

4. How to Increase Ecommerce Sales: Website Design

Unsurprisingly, the quality of your product photography will have a big impact on the overall quality of your website design.

In 2014 we’re finding that more and more of our clients are looking to integrate high quality big photography into their websites. In fact, the best websites don’t simply include photography; they are built around it.

Investing in an ecommerce product photographer will improve your product listings, first impression and social media campaigns, but it will also improve your website design. If you can build a website that showcases your products in the best possible light then you’re well on your way to increasing your ecommerce sales.

Spencer Cobby, Exeter Product Photographer

We are delighted to be partnering with commercial photographer Spencer Cobby. Based in Exeter, Spencer has over 20 years photography experience and specialises in underwater and product photography.

We’ll be recommending Spencer to our ecommerce clients as our product photography partner of choice. You can find out more about Spencer and check out his portfolio over at his site.

If you have any questions relating to ecommerce or product photography then please don’t hesitate to get in touch.