The importance of photography in digital marketing cannot be overstated – it’s a game-changer that helps companies build a professional, credible image, boost conversions, and stand out from the competition.
At Artonic, our expert photography services have transformed the websites and digital marketing campaigns of countless clients with stunning, high-quality photos.
In this article, we’ll reveal how the synergy between digital marketing and photography can lead to exceptional results.
Keep reading to uncover the secrets behind these powerful visual strategies.
Statistics of Photography & Digital Marketing
Before getting into details, here are some statistics on the importance of photography in digital marketing, including aspects like eCommerce, social media, and more.
- A study reveals that 65% of the population are visual learners (Source). This means that incorporating unique photography can increase engagement levels with your content.
- Consumers highly value visual elements in website design, with photos and images appreciated by 40% of users, color by 39%, and videos by 21% (Source).
- A survey found that 39.05% of marketers experienced poor performance from stock photos, making them one of the worst-performing types of visual content. (Source).
- In a survey of eCommerce shoppers, over 75% of participants rated product photos as very influential in their online purchase decisions (Source).
- Visual content receives 94% more views and is 40% more likely to be shared on social networks (Source).
- A study revealed that 60% of consumers find that local search results with good images influence their decision-making process (Source).
The Importance of Photography in Digital Marketing
Here’s a list of reasons why photography is important in digital marketing strategies.
1. Makes Your Company Look Professional & Credible
Professional photography is pivotal in shaping a company’s image. It’s part of your first introduction to them – and the visual elements will stick with them for a long time. Everything from the types of photos you provide to their quality will change how a visitor feels about your business.
Dated photos from a decade ago or more could imply that your business isn’t ready for modern customers. Low quality or pixelated images reflect a business that isn’t detail-oriented or cares about how they appear. When you’re trying to sell your brand, you can’t let unprofessional photography dash your credibility.
Any company benefits from a strong visual first impression. We’ve worked with local brands and national ones, the size of your business doesn’t matter. The feedback these businesses receive when they update their websites or campaigns with impactful new photography is always glowing.
Custom photos capture the essence of the company’s operations, demonstrating efficiency, skill, and quality of service. Even small, simple touches like adding unique photos of your team members to your “About Us” page will help your possible customers understand that real, professional individuals are behind your business.
2. Photos Are a Versatile Asset
One of the best examples of how photography and digital marketing work together is how versatile photos are, and their use in various digital marketing channels.
Once you’ve committed to a photography session, you’re signing on for assets you can use all over the place.
You can start with your website, which is the perfect place to showcase what you do and why you do it better than your competitors. High-quality photography here can make or break a person’s opinion on who offers the best value for the money. You want them to see your company at its best, these assets are priceless for that purpose.
But it doesn’t stop there. The same photos are perfect to highlight your products and services on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. The better the image, more sharable it is. You could potentially double your reach or more by having the right photo for the right audience.
Thinking of running online ads? Between emails, social media ads, landing pages, and even stills to include in videos, there’s a lot you can do with a full set of professional photography.
And while this article is about digital marketing, these same photos are perfect for your offline ads too. When you’re sending out mailers or posting up flyers, you’ll see more response when the have strong photography to support it. It’s a single investment that gives you a wide-range of value across every platform you use.
3. Attracts Traffic From Search Engines
According to 2018 data from Jumpshot, over 20% of all searches in the United States happen on Google images.
This means that adding photos to your website is a valuable asset to attract organic traffic through search engines like Google.
However, adding a generic stock image of a mechanic fixing an engine is not enough as a considerable amount of business websites use stock photos to promote their products and services. To differentiate yourself from the competition, you must use unique visual assets.
These photos won’t appear anywhere else. That gives you a huge edge not only in appearing unique, but also in ensuring your photos represent the most important elements of your business.
Personalized photography sessions let you create imagery that can target the exact searches people are typing into Google or other platforms. It can be a huge boost for businesses that sell visual products or services, like apparel, jewelry, or even industries like home improvement and beyond.
Nowadays, pretty much everyone knows at first sight when a business is using a stock photo or not. The more niche your industry, the harder it is to find stock photos that your competitors aren’t using too. Eventually, particularly in B2B settings, customers can start to see the familiar photos or models and see you as another “fly-by-night” operation.
4. Increases Conversions
Photography plays a crucial role in increasing conversion rates, mainly because it improves trust and user experience. By seeing clear and detailed photos of your products or about how you perform your services, customers can clearly see the quality of what you offer.
For eCommerce websites, high-quality product photos help reduce any uncertainty shoppers may have about the product, which increases trust and ultimately, sales. They’ll know exactly what they’re getting. Reducing their anxieties about getting something that isn’t quite what they were expecting can help push customers over the finish line.
On the other hand, poor-quality images can make even the best products appear to be of inferior quality. If your photos are outdated, poorly lit, or using awkward angles, you could be sabotaging your sales.
Product photography also enhances the website user experience by making navigation easier and more intuitive. Showing off your products or services can help them find what they need faster, or even help them understand the nuances of what you sell!
5. Potential to Go Viral
Creating viral posts isn’t really something you “do” – it happens organically, and it’s like hitting the jackpot. The chance of going viral is extremely rare, and focusing solely on it may lead to missed opportunities for genuine engagement.
That said, you’re not going to do it with stock photos. To go viral today, a brand needs to stand out with unique high-quality visual media, and this is where professional photography plays a crucial role. The novelty of something new or unusual is what drives viral posts; if you’re investing in good photography and your competitors aren’t, you’re going to be leagues ahead.
6. Makes Content Easier to Digest
There are several best practices to ensure that your content is easy to digest and easy to remember. Some of these include short paragraphs, descriptive subheadings, and bulleted lists.
However, using high-quality visual content is probably one of the best ways to help people digest and remember your content.
When writing a landing page, make sure to include attractive photos that illustrate what you’re trying to sell, whether it’s products or services.
7. Helps You Differentiate Your Brand From The Competition
Professional photography helps you identify and highlight what makes your brand special, effectively communicating your unique qualities to potential customers.
Chances are, your business has something unique. Whether it’s your product, service, process, your team, or something else, you should use it to boost your brand!
The real crime of stock photography is the lack of character. Brand personality attracts customers and helps keep them. The language you use can do some heavy lifting here, but consumers digest content visually, so you need to show them who you are, not tell them.
8. Creates Connections
Studies have shown that customers often make choices based on emotion rather than logic.
Establishing a competitive edge relies heavily on the relationships you build with your customers, and visuals are a powerful tool in forging these connections.
Professional photography allows your target audience to envision how your products or services can enhance their lives. For instance, if you sell security systems, well-crafted photos can illustrate the peace of mind that comes with having a secure home.
An Artonic Case Study
As a digital marketing agency offering professional photography services, we have first-hand experience combining photography and digital marketing to help our clients achieve outstanding results.
For example, we had the pleasure of assisting Kuhlman Properties in selling one of their million-dollar lake properties in Michigan through our professional photography services.
Our team focused on capturing the stunning beauty of the property and its surroundings, highlighting the abundant foliage and local wildlife that made the location unique. We created a collection of high-quality photos and videos that showcased the property’s picturesque appeal.
To effectively market the property, we utilized these visuals in both digital and print marketing campaigns.
The professional photography and videography we provided were crucial to the final sale. The visual content allowed prospective buyers to envision themselves in the serene, natural setting, ultimately driving their purchasing decision.
Learn more about this case study by visiting our Blog Post: Photo Stories: How Photography Sells Million-Dollar Properties.
Professional Photography vs Stock Photos
We already mentioned a few disadvantages of using stock photos, however, here’s a more comprehensive view of the differences between using stock photos vs professional photography in digital marketing.
Cost – Stock photography is cheaper compared to custom photography as you don’t need to hire a professional or buy any specialized equipment. Some platforms offer affordable subscriptions and even a variety of options for free.
Convenience – Stock photos are extremely convenient as finding new images is really easy. Some platforms have various filters to make the process even faster. Custom photography requires selecting the right professional, preparation, and more.
Generic Feel – One of the main disadvantages of stock photos is their “generic” look. Most people actually know when companies use stock photos. Also, if you own a business, there’s no guarantee that your competition isn’t using the same photos as you. On the other hand, a professional photographer will make sure to capture the essence of your brand in a unique way.
Quality – Although there are plenty of high-quality stock photos available, they cannot be compared to photos produced by a professional. Professional photographers have the technical expertise to produce stunning photos every time.
At the end of the day, choosing between stock photography and professional photography depends on the resources available for each business.
Businesses with a very limited budget can take advantage of free or paid stock photos, but once their budget increases, we strongly recommend hiring a professional photographer.
Professional Photography vs DIY Photography
DIY photography is a cost-effective approach where you or your team take the photos.
While this approach may save money, the quality and consistency may not match the work of a professional. DIY photography requires time, effort, and often lacks the technical expertise needed for optimal results.
If you don’t have the budget to hire a professional photographer, you can always start with DIY photography.
How to Take Great Photos for Your Business?
If you want to apply the DIY approach, here are some tips:
1. Get a High-Quality Camera: High-quality cameras always produce better results than a phone camera.
2. Get a Tripod: A tripod ensures stability, eliminating camera shake and resulting in more consistent quality images.
3. Lightning: Proper lighting brings out all the details, colors, and textures, resulting in better-looking photos. Be sure to avoid shadows that cover critical details of the product, person, or scenery you want to illustrate.
4. Background: Make sure you have a clean background. Choose a color that complements the main entity of the photo or just go for a classic, white background.
5. Post Production: Editing your photos helps you improve the overall quality of each photo before it is published. Adjusting brightness, shadows, color corrections, and even removing imperfections are all part of the post-production process.
Considerations for Choosing The Right Photos for Your Business
Here are some considerations for choosing the right photos for your business. Whether you plan to go with stock photos or professional photography, these tips can help you get the most out of it.
1. Accuracy
When visuals align with the content, they reinforce the message you are trying to deliver. Mismatched or generic images can confuse or mislead your audience, potentially damaging your brand’s reputation and credibility.
2. Consistency
Having a level of consistency in the photos you choose for your digital platforms allows you to communicate a message of professionalism and dedication to your audience. By consistency, we are referring to style, backgrounds, lighting, filters, models, colors, etc.
3. Quality
One of the most important factors when choosing photos for your business is quality. Not only should the photos be of adequate resolution to be clearly visualized, but they should also demonstrate that they were taken with care and effort.
Professional Photography With Artonic
Combining digital marketing and photography lets you enhance your professional image, illustrate the quality of your products and services better, and build emotional connections with your audience.
At Artonic, we have helped multiple local businesses in Michigan improve the results of their digital marketing campaigns through professional photography and videography. Learn more about our professional photography services today.
Not sure if professional photography is right for you? Check our Ebook on: 10 Stats about the Value of Photography.
Frequently Asked Questions
Learn more about the importance of photography in digital marketing.
How Are Pictures Used in Digital Marketing?
Pictures are used in digital marketing in a wide variety of ways. They are commonly used in social media posts to complement or deliver a message, in Blog posts to make the content easier to digest, and in landing pages to create stronger connections with possible customers.
Should I Hire a Professional Photographer?
Yes, hiring a professional photographer ensures high-quality, consistent photos that enhance your brand’s credibility and professional image.
Why is Photography Important in Brand Identity?
Photography is crucial in brand identity as it distinguishes your company from competitors using generic stock photos. Sharing high-quality photos of different aspects of your company allows you to visually communicate your brand’s personality and values, ensuring a strong and clear connection with your target audience.