These days it’s easy and inexpensive to photograph your products and staff yourself and post those photos on site and social media. All you need is a camera and a computer. However, when you’re trying to make a professional impression on people around the world–most of whom you will never see in person–amateur photography simply won’t cut it. Here are a few reasons why.
1. Conversions.
You usually have only a few minutes to “make the sale” with online visitors, and since they can’t handle your products beforehand or talk to your staff face-to-face, they’re going to make their decision based on the quality of the images they see on your website. The higher the quality, the more likely they’ll convert from being a browser to being a buyer. In contrast to an amateur, a professional photographer will understand how to create images in line with your branding goals and will adjust lighting, shadows and colour to make the subject “pop.” Professional photos will provide the most accurate representation of your products and services, fostering confidence among potential clients.
For example, our client Fawn & Fox had their products professionally photographed and the result is stunning!
2. Credibility.
Shoppers can tell the difference between amateur and professional photography. If you want to compete with large online businesses, you can’t have inferior images. Otherwise visitors will consistently bounce from your site to one with better-quality photos. They won’t be comfortable buying from you because you obviously aren’t willing to invest much in your company’s image. Amateur photos will also make you appear as a small company without credibility or a lot of capital. By spending some money on good photos, you can stand toe-to-toe with the big boys, even if you’re still a small enterprise.
When we wanted to showcase our new office in Richmond, we put ourselves in the hands of a professional.
3. Publicity and exposure.
When others–even competitors!–see your professional photos, they’ll ask you to share. Soon you’ll see those photos on social media, in magazines, on blogs and in news articles. That means free publicity and exposure for your business! You can also help yourself by including the photos in catalogues and mail campaigns to reach a large audience.
4. Personality.
Potential clients want to know they’re dealing with people, not robots. Hiring a professional photographer to take some head shots of your staff will definitely enhance your company’s image. Professionals know how to use lighting to help hide imperfections while accentuating your best features. They will also adjust angles and poses to suit each individual and make everyone feel at ease in order to draw out the most natural expressions. You can then use these photos on social media.
Here we are, for instance:
And here is the team at Piccadilly Financial (another of our clients):
Based on these common-sense reasons, we highly recommend investing in a professional photographer for your website. You’ll be amazed at the difference it makes!
Feature image © Nomad_Soul
