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Tag: product photography tips

Tips to Make Your Product Photos More Effective

September 3, 2019 /

Do you find that people don’t read anymore? I have purposely been trying to make my blog posts shorter and use more bullet points because today’s society has no time to read, even if it is useable information.

However, people will look at photos. So a tip that I always give my e-commerce clients, is to use their product photos more effectively – with headlines, size scales and flyouts that point out key features. The goal is to treat each product photo like an ad. I found some good examples on Amazon.

Add Headlines to Photos

Adding a headline to a product photo can be very effective. For example, take a look at this photo from O Naturals:

tips for making product photos more effective

Now, even this might be too much text on one photo, but it is the right idea to make headings out of the main things a customer would want to know. I would actually consider making each of these points a single headline on six different photo slides.

Add Size Scales to Photos

Have you ever had someone return an item because it ended up not being the size they thought. I saw this photo from a company called Aienid and thought they did a pretty good job of answering all size questions (among other things, such as the closure), right in the photo:

tips for making product photos more effective

Add Flyouts to Photos

Flyouts that zero in on certain features on the product itself, are also a good idea, as seen in this product photo from dog collar company, Kurgo:

tips for making product photos more effective

Now, always leave one product photo with no text on it for editorial purposes, but otherwise, start taking the text from your descriptions and add it to your photos to see if it results in more sales conversions and fewer returns.

Also to Read:

 

 

 

©2019 Gail Oliver. All rights reserved. Tips Product Photography.

New Ideas for Product Photography

June 17, 2016 /

Need some new ideas for product photography!

As you know high quality product images are so important when you sell online. I always recommend to clients to have at least one product shot on a white background for editorial purposes. However, since most marketplaces and e-commerce templates let you display more than one image, you can make the other images something more creative and attention getting in order to stand out in image search results.

Obviously, if you look like everyone else, your business will not stand out.

 

The online store, Modcloth, has some interesting product shots that, to me, would definitely stand out in Google image search results, plus are more likely to get shared and circulated on social media.

new ideas product photographyAs you may know, the overhead flat lay style images are hot on Instagram, but almost too popular. So Modcloth took a different approach and used a monochrome color background and threw in some other objects just to make a more interesting photo in order to promote this dress. I even like that they added some text since quotes are so popular on social media.

Below are some other good product photography styles, still from Modcloth that might inspire you.

The photo on the left below is interesting because the model is posing in front of a really vibrant background (which could be something as simple as a graffiti wall in your city) that still matches the colors in the dress.

The next photo is similar to the one above, an overhead flat lay shot with a contrasting but coordinating background with pops of color.

The third and fourth photos are another emerging product photography trend where you shoot the product from slightly above, and then crop the image to really zero in it and intentionally making it off center. It makes it more interesting and allows you to really zoom in on the item.

new ideas product photography

Try some of these new product photography ideas with just a couple of your product shots to see if they make a difference in bringing you  more traffic.

Remember to always optimize the SEO of all of your images, tailoring both the file name and alt text to your main keywords.

Please visit my Shopify store to see the products and services that I offer.

More Articles on Product Photography:

© 2016 Gail Oliver. All rights reserved. New ideas product photography. 

You’ll Sell More If Your Product Photos Show Solutions to Customers’ Problems

July 1, 2014 /

product photography ideasI have written before about product photography ideas, including how to Up-sell More of Your Products Using Vignette-Style Photos, and How to Make a Photo Sell Your Products, but I wanted to give you an example of a photo that got me to buy.

I saw these framed letters at Ballard Designs recently and thought they were nice, but felt that I had no need. Then I saw the second photo on their design blog and changed my mind.

I had been looking for something to fill up a long narrow wall in my home and this was the perfect solution. But as a customer, I had walked away initially because I didn’t understand right away how I could use these letters. Not only does the second photo solve the decor dilemma I was having, but they just sold 4 instead of 1.

Product Photography Ideas

Product Photography IdeasHow to Get a Product Photo That Solves a Problem

If you sell home decor, you always have to remember that not everyone is decorating savvy or fashion savvy or immediately understands why they need your product. Sometimes a visual that creates a need and/or solves a problem works a lot better than words. For example:

  • If you are selling décor products, think of a decorating dilemma (what to do with a long narrow wall).
  • If you are selling fashion, think of a fashion dilemma (what to wear to a wedding).
  • If you are selling kids products, think of a parent’s dilemma (is this product safe for my kids).
  • If you are selling vintage products, think of a buyer’s dilemma (will this work with my current décor or wardrobe).
  • If you are selling food products, think of a cook’s dilemma (how can I use this in tonight’s dinner).
  • If you are selling wedding products, think of a bride’s dilemma (will it make my wedding more unique).
  • If you are selling gadgets, think of a buyer’s dilemma (how will it make my life easier).
  • If you are selling pet products, think of a pet owner’s dilemma (is it durable enough for my big dog).
  • If you are selling beauty products, think of women’s most common dilemmas (will I look better).

And now think of a photo that will immediately capture the solution to this dilemma and you might make more sales!

Need More Advice?

Please visit my Shopify and Etsy stores to see my small business marketing products and services. You can also ask me a question at attentiongetting@gmail.com.

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© 2014 Gail Oliver. All rights reserved. Product Photography Ideas

Great Product Photography: HerriottGrace.com

March 11, 2014 /

If you need examples of great product photography, I have one today.

I gave across this online shop the other day and I was blown away by their product photography so I had to share.

HerriottGrace.com is a father and daughter team where the father, Lance, hand crafts beautiful kitchen and serving ware in wood, ceramic and metal and his daughter, Nikole, an established photographer, styles and shoots his creations. The results are very inspiring.

examples great product photography

What Makes These Product Photos Work
  • Showing the product in use
  • The addition of pops of color against a white background
  • Creating interest by having others items leading the eye off-center
  • Including the shadows makes it less sterile
  • Keeping a little of the messiness of eating makes it realistic
  • These are magazine quality images that editors will use and people will share on social media

great product photography

How to Get Professional Photos for Free

If you cannot afford professional looking photographs, local photography students may do it for free.

Simply go to your local community college, see if they offer a photography class, and then ask the professor if they would be willing to do a class project whereby they shoot your products for you. They get a class project, you get free photos. Photography students are also in need of subject matter for their portfolio, so you could also approach individual students about shooting your products for this purpose. You can barter with them and/or offer a credit/link to them on your site.

great product photography tips

About Me

Do you need your Brand Story written or an SEO-Optimized Blog Post or a Personalized Business Consultation? A 20+ year marketing professional and small business consultant, all of my services are super affordable.

I have consulted for thousands of small businesses since 2012, and my advice has been featured in the NY Times, Success Magazine, Yahoo Business, American Express, Big Commerce, Business2Community to name a few – so this is professional advice you can trust!

I have also written publicity pitches for clients that resulted in them being featured in Real Simple Magazine, Apartment Therapy, House Beautiful, Vanity Fair, Houzz, Martha Stewart, Glamour Magazine, LONNY, DesignMilk, Emmaline Bride,– just to name a few. Check out my very affordable Publicity Pitch service.

And of course, I have a wide variety of business and marketing downloads you can check out at my Shopify store.

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© 2013 – 2016 Gail Oliver. All rights reserved. Great Product Photography

Product Photography I Love! One King’s Lane’s Text Fly-outs

October 14, 2013 /

product photography tipsWant some awesome product photography tips?

Are you using your product photos to point out or highlight unique features and/or uses for your products? It can be a really effective selling tool.

Online retailer One Kings Lane is a great example of a shop that uses text fly-outs on their product photos to show the customer the value, use, target market and prominent features.

You can add text to your photos using any photo editing program, so I thought I would give you some inspiration with the example photos below from One King’s Lane.

Product Photography Tip #1: Describe How It Can Be Used

Remember it is not always obvious to people what use they may have for your product and that could be why they end up not buying it. Therefore, point out how to use it, how to display it, how to wear it, etc., but keep it short and simple, especially if it is multi-purpose.

Product Photography Tips

Product Photography Tip #2: Remind the Buyer Who the Product Is For

Especially at this time of year, it helps to remind that while it may not be for them, it could be for someone else. I would have expanded this a bit more and said “Great Gift Idea for Kids” but it does help to get the buyer thinking.

Product Photography Tips

Product Photography Tip #3: Let Them Know You Personalize

If you can monogram an item, personalize it, customize it, etc., let customers know. People don’t always take the time to read through product copy, so make it easy for them to see extra services you offer.

Product Photography Tip #4: Point Out Special Features

A photo isn’t always the same as seeing the item in person. So identify features a customer may not notice, such as “Real 14K Gold”, “Pure Natural Gemstone” or “Super Soft”.

Product Photography Tip #5: Give Other Possible Uses

Think of every room, every place, every event, every occasion, and point it out. In this case, if someone already had a wreath for the front door they would think they didn’t need another one, until you remind them of another place they could put it.

Product-photo-tips

FINAL WORD: Not sure what to highlight to your customers? Simply answer Who, What, When, Where, Why and How to get some inspiration.

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About Me

Do you need your Brand Story written or an SEO-Optimized Blog Post or a Personalized Business Consultation? As a 20+ year marketing professional and small business consultant, all of my services are super affordable.product photography tips

I have consulted for thousands of small businesses since 2012, and my advice has been featured in the NY Times, Success Magazine, Yahoo Business, American Express, Big Commerce, Business2Community to name a few – so this is professional advice you can trust!

My Publicity Pitch service has also gotten my clients featured in Real Simple Magazine, Apartment Therapy, House Beautiful, Vanity Fair, Houzz, Martha Stewart, Glamour Magazine, LONNY, DesignMilk, Emmaline Bride,– just to name a few.

© 2013 Gail Oliver. All rights reserved. Product Photography Tips

Product Photography Tips Examples – Upsell Your Products with Vignette-Style Photos

June 28, 2013 /

Want some awesome product photography tips with examples?

When you group a variety of items together in a manner that works and compliments each other, it is called a vignette. Photos in which products are incorporated into vignettes can be highly effective for selling your products in many ways.

  • Helps people visualize how to use your product
  • Helps show the perspective of size
  • Helps upsell your other products if they are shown in the photo

Take this product photo from the online store, Wisteria.

Product Photography Tips Examples

Why It Works: This photo is for the blue textual wall art sign on the left. What I like about it, is that it gives you an idea of how to use the wall art, plus you get a good idea of the actual size (it maybe not as big as you initially thought), and it helps upsell the other Wisteria products in the photo, such as the oars, the fish, the mirror, even the table, because it all looks so great together.

You can do this kind of photo for virtually any type of product, from wedding products and vintage items to pet products, kids and baby products and beauty products, but it is really effective for decor items and fashion and accessories.

 

product photography tips examplesEven if you just sell one type of product, display them together, as in this photo from One Kings Lane.

 

Why It Works: If you sell candles, why just promote one candle? I mean why sell one when you can sell five? Therefore, have a photo that shows how a mix of your candles of various sizes, textures and colors would look together. It may be enough to convince a buyer to buy all of the candles because they want to duplicate the look.

product photography tips examplesIf you sell a variety of products, why not show them bundled together as part of a gift basket like this one from One Kings Lane.

Why It Works: You don’t necessarily have to offer the gift basket, but it does make the buyer think about maybe including your product in one, or how buying several of your products would make a great gift.

I love how this hand holding a variety of nail polish colors also features the colors on the nails themselves.

Why It Works: The photo is definitely a lot more bright and colorful, therefore eye-catching, plus you immediately see how to use all of the colors together, as well as on their own.

 

cool product photos

FINAL WORD: Photos can always sell products, especially with the current popularity of visual social media sites such as Pinterest and Tumblr. Just try to find creative ways to photograph and display your products that will encourage customers to buy more. 

Be sure to visit my Shopify store to see my Products and Services for sale.

Be sure to also read New Ideas for Product Photography.

© 2013 Gail Oliver. All rights reserved. Product Photography Tips Examples

How to Effectively Use Your Photos to Sell Your Products

January 24, 2013 /

Using Photos to Sell ProductsAre you using your photos to sell your products in the most effective way?

Take a look at the photo below. It is from a wedding blog called, Style Me Pretty. The photographer took a photograph of the bride holding a variety of clutch purses, which are obviously gifts for her attendants. This photo caught my eye because I actually thought it was an ad for the shop selling the purses. It wasn’t, just a good photographer capturing every detail of a wedding.

Now, if I was selling clutch purses, I would add a photo like this to my shop. Why? Because with one photo I just gave a visitor another reason to buy that they may not have thought about.

Show Who the Product May Be For

What if a bride is visiting my purse shop, but just looking for one for herself. She sees a photo like this and it automatically registers that, yes, these purses would make a great attendant gift. Much more effective then just putting it in the product description because photos convey the idea so much faster than words. While you need photos that are strictly of the product (as these are the ones that tend to get picked up for editorial) you also need photos that quickly tell visitors the need and uses for your product.

Show Uses for the Product

Another example for you. I recently saw a lot of baby onesies online with a Santa or Christmas motif. Every shop just had a photo of the onesie, or the onesie on a baby. However, I thought why doesn’t anyone have a photo of the baby wearing the onesie sitting on Santa’s knee? Wouldn’t it be the perfect thing to wear for baby’s first photo with Santa? A visitor to your shop would see a photo like this and think, I will get more use out of this than just Christmas morning, I can use it for the Santa photo. Therefore the product now has more value, and I am more likely to buy. So think of all the people who would buy your product, or all the reasons someone would buy your product, and see if you can come up with a photo that conveys this to visitors. It may do your selling for you

About Me

Do you need your Brand Story written or an SEO-Optimized Blog Post or a Personalized Business Consultation? As a 20+ year marketing professional and small business consultant, all of my services are super affordable.

I have consulted for thousands of small businesses since 2012, and my advice has been featured in the NY Times, Success Magazine, Yahoo Business, American Express, Big Commerce, Business2Community to name a few – so this is professional advice you can trust!

My Publicity Pitch service has also gotten my clients featured in Real Simple Magazine, Apartment Therapy, House Beautiful, Vanity Fair, Houzz, Martha Stewart, Glamour Magazine, LONNY, DesignMilk, Emmaline Bride,– just to name a few.

I also have a wide variety of business & marketing downloads you can check out at my Shopify store.

More Product Photography Posts

 

 

 

© 2013 Gail Oliver. All rights reserved. Using Photos to Sell Products

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