Question; what really is a website if not a collection of text and photographs arranged in a certain fashion and format to create visual appeal?
An expert Web Developer may tell you otherwise, and they would be correct in their assessment of what a website is. You see, there is truly lots of work beyond text and images in every web design even on the most basic of websites. As a web designer, you have to use certain frameworks, markup, styling and even programming/coding methods in some cases to build the final product of what people see as a website. Simply put, it is pure hard work.
Image by Clinet Media: Image-First Website Concept
But, be that as it may, one truth reigns supreme in matters web design, and that is, everyday users will see a website as a collection of text, images and/or videos depending on type of website. Everyday users don’t really care about the technicalities that go into designing and developing a website. They do not concern themselves with coding and any of that messy jargon web developers like to include in their conversations. Their only concern is the final product; the visual elements. If these visual elements are subpar, it does not matter how much time and trouble you spent in the development process, the verdict will be simple; poor work.
Therefore, when getting a new website designed, as a business, it is key to pay attention to the visual elements which are the first-impression components users perceive when visiting your website. We all know too well; nobody gets a second chance to make a good first impression. How your website looks actually influences how much time users spend on website and ultimately influences how much conversion or sales you get from website. You can have the most sophisticated logic flow on your website all put together on the latest web development frameworks, but, if your website is ugly all that fancy technicalities won’t matter to your target audience.
Photography, the images you display on website is one of those crucial elements you may not want to take for granted. A good digital marketer will immediately let you know content development is king in the online space. And if this is true (it is) then good photography for web design must be in the royal family of content development – no question. Good images on a website give it life, character, substance and definitely help to improve the general web design outlay.
Image by Clinet Media; Beyond Fruits (Signature Mall)
If you are a business selling product online through your website then you certainly expect users to visit your website, browse through the various categories or search a particular product they want to buy, right? This is the modern window shopping, clicking and scrolling a web page. When they finally find what they might be looking for, or whatever it is that interests them, what do you think they will be looking at on their screens? You guessed it, an image of the product. At that particular point and moment, your customer is faced with a decision to make. Perhaps they like description of product given, the price too, and now they only have to ensure it’s actually the product they have been looking for and not some counterfeit selling at the price of the real thing. They have Googled countless times, visited several websites, they know what the product looks like. But then, it so happens that, you have used poor images to represent your product. The customer cannot see the edges clearly, the lines, curves, the texture and all the little things that matter for quick and easy purchase decision making. What are the odds that this customer is going to complete transaction and buy from you?
Image by Clinet Media; Bata (Signature Mall)
This really underscores the importance of good web design photography. As we have seen, it could literally be the difference between converting and losing a customer. See, you have to understand, in the online market place the customer does not interact with your actual product like they would in a traditional retail store, but rather they interact with the images you present.
And it is not just businesses selling or showcasing products online. Even for agencies selling service and NGOs, the need to use quality images remains paramount. Quality images help to explain your service list, communicate your areas of expertise and will certainly add a professional touch to your online branding. Prospective customers will see your website and probably think to themselves; these people know their stuff. Poor images on the other hand will simply destroy your reputation.
The online space is forever competitive, crowded, and fast changing. The use of Good Photography on website to crush competition which gives little regard to presentation to target audience is a sure way to stay ahead of the pack. At Clinet Media – experts in product photography, fashion photography, real estate photography, hotel photography and much more – we can fix that for you.
