A website needs to have appealing images. When words fall short in conveying your message, good images can do that easily. Additionally, these images create an immersive user experience. Images can improve the look and feel of your website.
We as humans can store photos much longer in our memory than texts. With the ever-shrinking attention span of people, there is nothing better than visual content for drawing attention. More importantly, if people cannot see your content, can it be successful? Not a chance.
Fact: Visual content can get you 94% more views. So, you must create or use relevant and amazing pictures. But there are certain guidelines that you must know while choosing images for your website. We have listed some of them below.
The Do's of Choosing Images for Your Website
Do:
- Keep your target audience in mind
Before selecting any image, you must think about the demographics, preferences, and interests of your target audience. They must be able to resonate with your chosen images. The photos must be in alignment with their expectations. Thus, spend time researching market trends and studying competitor websites. Also, your website will become appealing to a wider audience if you use diverse images and represent inclusivity.
- Use high-quality images
If visitors see that your website has bad-quality images, they will be turned off and leave. Avoid using photos that are blurry or have low-resolution, red eye, or bad cropping. Using substandard images leaves a negative impression on visitors. Therefore, use quality images with high resolution. Good colorful pictures often drive the desired results.
- Choose relevant images
Your website images should be brand-relevant and in sync with your goal. Platforms and websites offering stock photos to users have endless images. Remember to use the available search and filter options on them. Select images according to your preferred audience, orientation, color, and size. Do not settle for the first few images that appear as your search result, however beautiful they might be. Scroll and choose on-brand images to help your website maintain a streamlined look.
- Use authentic pictures
Refrain from using fake or cliché photos. People like to see images that are authentic and represent something genuinely. Insincere photos make audiences feel unsure about whether your business is trustworthy. Opt for natural images, especially with real people as much as you can. One way of displaying authenticity is to reject stock photos featuring poised and perfect models as most people cannot relate with them. Candid pictures work the best.
- Optimize Images for Web
You must optimize all the images for SEO. Apart from ensuring the images look good, search engines like Google should be able to index them quickly. Images being added to your website should be named properly. The best practice is to properly format the image file name and add an alt text.
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The Don'ts of Choosing Images for Your Website
Don’t:
- Use generic or overused stock photos
Generic stock photos need to have authenticity and will make your website look unoriginal. These images make your site unimpressive and appear generic. Your website images must mirror your brand’s personality and reflect its uniqueness. Generic stock photos negatively affect user perception and trust.
- Overcrop
If you crop an image too much, its quality reduces because the contrast with the background diminishes. This makes the subject appear ill-proportioned. However, it is good to remove any unused space or portion. This will stop the image from losing its resolution and become pixelated. The subject of the photo will get breathable space.
- Skip checking licenses
Don’t fall into a legal trap by overlooking copyright and license matters. When selecting a photo from a website, adhere to all the guidelines and agreements. Using images unlawfully can leave you with a penalty, fine, takedown notice, or even a lawsuit. Even if you buy a stock photo instead of using a free image, you need to follow all the terms and conditions.
- Forget to edit
You should ideally modify the images which you want to add to your websites (if you have permission). The images should merge with your brand and make your website look well put together. You can use filters, add text overlays, crop images, and alter the colors. Edit your photos according to your branding strategies. Take the help of photo editing tools like Photoshop and Pixlr.
- Overload Your Website with Images
You can disturb and overthrow many visitors by using too many images on your website. Image overload can also confuse your audience. They will be interested in staying and learning more from your website when they see meaningful and informative images. Such photos make your web pages look lively and worth remembering.
Conclusion
The right images are vital for your website’s success. Therefore, you must carefully choose the images for your website. Choose the most suitable visuals because they can evoke emotions, develop trust, and offer an enhanced user experience.