June 25, 2019
We humans
have been relying on visuals to communicate with each other since the beginning
of time. It’s no wonder the OG marketers and advertisers quickly realized the
benefit of using imagery to promote products and services. And it turns out
they were really on to something, considering the universal power of images
continues to help brands reach their target audience.
More than
just engaging with potential customers, there are several ways images can help
increase your conversion rate, from website optimization to social media and
email marketing.
Images
increase conversion rate when you:
Read on
for more details about each method.
Using
images for better conversion rates
Visuals
grab our attention, which means it’s only natural for there to be a connection
between images and conversions.
People
can comprehend and remember visual messages with greater ease than the written
or spoken word alone, making visual marketing an effective way to resonate with
customers, guide consumer behavior and encourage brand recognition.
In fact,
when we just hear information, we usually only remember 10% of the message a
mere three days later. Add an image to that information, though, and we retain 65% of the message.
What’s
more, the digital world is a visually rich landscape and, in this case, you
definitely want to be in line with the majority. In a survey of over 500
digital marketers, all of them agreed that visuals
were at least somewhat important for marketing strategies –
with nearly 70% labeling them as absolute necessities.
A big
reason for placing such importance on visual content is the increased
engagement that images generate. The more engaged your viewers are, the more
likely they are to convert and uphold customer status.
On your
website, for instance, conversion rate correlates to the number of visitors who
complete the desired action compared to the total number of people who visited
your site.
Micro-conversions
may include subscribing to an email newsletter, downloading an eBook or
attending a webinar. Major points go to the macro-conversion of making the
actual purchase and officially becoming a customer.
Your
website’s user experience is key to influencing their decision to take the
action you’re hoping they will. Using the right images enhances that
experience, boosting your chances of getting the most out of your incoming
traffic.
On the
flip side, the wrong image can kill your conversions just as quickly as the
right one improves them.
… and
for conversion rate optimization, too!
Images
are effective tools for conversion rate optimization, which is the process
marketers employ to enable website visitors to perform desired actions when
visiting a website. CRO is all
about improving the conversion potential of website traffic by creating an
experience that leads users through the sales funnel without hitting any snags
or hesitations along the way.
The
process starts with in-depth research to understand the kind of users that land
on your website, how those visitors interact with your site and what makes them
convert into customers.
Visitor behavior flow
example
This
stage generally reveals areas for improvement, and those changes will be the next
order of business. This is where thoughtful website design enters the scene,
with elements such as consistent branding, eye-catching visuals, intuitive
navigation and strategic emphasis on links or call-to-action buttons embedded
in landing pages and blog posts.
With
endless conversion optimization solutions on the table, CRO becomes a
worthwhile experiment for marketers. It’s important to test new site
developments and updates to ensure they’re actually benefiting the conversion
funnel. For instance, a split test can help you identify whether version A or B
is the most effective option.
Ultimately,
the goal of CRO is not to simply gain more conversions from your site, but more
so to increase the percentage of site visitors who become customers. The
process ensures you’re not just attracting visitors to your brand, but
converting those leads at profitable rates.
The
visuals and tactics to use
When you
want to increase your conversion rate, pretty much any visual content is better
than no imagery at all. It’s a “yes” for photography and graphics and an
“absolutely” for videos and animations.
You can
use this visual content to level up your blog posts, landing
pages, social media profiles and email newsletters. Even better:
Once you start creating all these visuals, you can promote and repurpose them at scale,
getting the most out of every image you produce.
Here’s
what to keep in mind when using images for higher conversion rates:
1.
Always use high-quality images
Whether
it’s photography, graphics or videos, quality matters. Big time.
It
affects the impression viewers have of a company, with low-quality, grainy
images generally equated to a lack of professionalism or trustworthiness. On
the other hand, high-quality images create a perception of superior products
and services that visitors are more likely to buy.
While
images and videos work on pretty much any platform, it’s important to meet the
expectations of the destination.
For
instance, you don’t want to commit the digital faux pas of distorted imagery
when viewers visit your website on a mobile device. Adaptable website layouts
can automatically conform visual content to fit various screen sizes, but you
should always test your website on a mobile device before publishing updates.
Screenshot from
Google’s Mobile-friendly test
The image
size can also impact the viewer experience, such as an oversized photo slowing
down the loading time or a graphic that’s too tiny to see the details.
Take care
following website and social media image guidelines to make sure you’re
uploading the appropriate size and quality for the destination.
2.
Ditch the cheesy stock images
Photography
certainly works for content marketing –
but not if it’s cut from the cheesy stock photo cloth. Your website visitors won’t
be fooled by imagery that you clearly downloaded from iStock.
If you
have the resources, original photography is always a better move. Pictures of
real people, such as the company founder, employees or customers, will also
always feel more genuine than stock photo models.
Of
course, not all of us have the time or resources to snap enough photos for our
content plans.
The good
news is that there are stock photo sites out there for images without the
stuffy, awkward and insincere vibes that will hurt your conversions. (We
rounded up the best ones here.) Sharing
user-generated content can also resonate with potential customers.
3.
Prioritize product images and demonstrations
As much
as people love the convenience of online shopping, most consumers won’t
buy a product or service without seeing it first. As such, images are
crucial components of the digital sales funnel for e-commerce sites.
Videos,
virtual tours and interactive graphics can also help companies communicate how
their product or service works in a visually appealing, easy-to-understand
manner.
The
conversion is usually in the details, ensuring consumers can engage with
multiple views of the product. Hence why zoom features are so helpful when we
shop for items like clothes, shoes and furniture. It’s also important to model
the product or service in ways that allow viewers to easily visualize
themselves using it. Clothing retailers, for instance, benefit from displaying
items on models of various sizes. Furniture companies often create staged
imagery that showcases the item in a fully decorated space.
Placement
and product-page configuration are also important for making sure users don’t
have to dig around for the information they likely came to the e-commerce store
to find out. What’s more, the interface should complement typical consumer
behaviors – especially the ones revealed during your CRO research.
Final
tip: Make sure product images and demos are informative yet fun, as
well as driven by the benefits that can make the sale.
4. Let
your target audience guide you
Images
are a visual way to connect with your target consumers, which means you should
keep those people in mind when choosing the right imagery for your landing
pages, blogs, emails, social posts and other marketing content.
For
instance, the people in the photos you select should mirror your target
demographics, especially in age and gender. If you’re targeting business
professionals, scenes from offices fit the bill.
However,
it pays to get specific. Creative professionals or start-up founders, for
example, may relate more to photos of employees sans the traditional ties,
blazers and cubicles. Take these for example:
The
general look and feel of the imagery should also match your personas, making it
easy for potential consumers within your target audience to picture themselves
using your product or service. It can also leave them with the impression that
your company genuinely understands their world, which translates to an ability
to meet their needs and preferences with your products and services.
5. Use
custom graphics
Images
are not synonymous with photography in content marketing terms. You can also
create illustrated icons, call-to-action buttons, illustrated feature images,
infographics and other custom graphics to convert viewers with visuals. Where
creativity and strategy meet, pairing graphic design and
marketing proves beneficial across B2C and B2B landscapes.
These
visuals serve as eye-catching ways to break up copy while also displaying your
brand personality. In some cases, graphics and illustrations can communicate an
idea without any text at all. For example, viewers know that if they see a
social icon, clicking on it will take them to the company’s profile.
With the
right colors and placement, clickable graphics help guide viewers to different
pages on your site, increasing click-through rates, reducing bounce rate and,
ultimately, getting them closer to taking the desired action.
6.
Create explainer videos
Lights,
camera, action: It’s time to shoot some videos.
Landing
pages with videos can increase conversions by as much as
80%, meaning you don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to
communicate information about your brand, product or service via such an
effective medium.
Explainer
videos are especially opportune for describing how your products or services
work in a step-by-step format. If it fits your brand style, animated videos and
graphics can also reap engagement and conversion rewards.
When you
want a moving image for a casual blog, social post or email, consider embedding GIFs to
save your budget from another video or animation.
Don’t
forget: Embed explainer videos and animations in your emails and post them on
social for even more engagement.
Measuring
your efforts
When
you’re working to improve conversion rate, you’ll want to measure key metrics
such as:
·
Traffic sources.
·
Click-through rate.
·
Bounce rate.
·
Website sessions.
·
Time on site.
·
Newsletter subscriptions.
·
Visit interactions.
·
Cost per acquisition.
·
Revenue.
To
calculate the conversion rate itself, you can divide the number of conversions
by the total amount of visitors in a given period of time:
Say last
week you had 15,000 views and 750 of them became conversions. You would have a
5% percent conversion rate.
Analysis
from WordStream revealed that the average landing page conversion
rate is 2.35%, although the top 10% of performers convert at
11.45% and higher. Hint, hint: Using images and videos effectively as part of
your CRO efforts can help you achieve a spot at the top.
Many
e-commerce sites will set up tracking through Google Analytics and other
metrics platforms to keep an eye on the important numbers. Of course, the
specific metrics you choose to watch will depend on your specific lead
generation, conversion and sales goals.
Onward
to conversion optimization
Our
brains are essentially made to comprehend visuals. It’s only natural to use
images in your content if you want to increase your chances of attracting,
converting and retaining customers. Here’s to higher conversion rates!
Stevie
Snow is a writer at Brafton. Yes, she is named after Stevie Nicks. She’s a
believer in "to life, to life, l’chaim!" because life is what brings
us the Obamas, a really smooth vodka tonic and that moment on the dance floor
when your favorite banger plays.
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