15 Product Images Best Practices for eCommerce Success

15 Best Practices for eCommerce Product Images

The important role that visuals play in our content and how people perceive and engage with it is no hidden fact. Therefore, whether your content is a blog post, social media post or a digital advert, selecting the appropriate image can greatly influence its communication impact and the degree to which it encourages user interaction.

When it comes to online shopping, product images are no exception. In fact, for eCommerce businesses, they can be make-or-break. Poorly executed product shots can lead to lost sales, while high-quality and well-thought-out visuals can help increase conversion rates and boost overall ROI.

An image is worth a thousand words – and when it comes to your eCommerce website, user experience is the name of the game. Not only does high-quality photography influence what products consumers choose to add to their digital carts, but it can also impact their decision on whether or not they complete the purchase process. That’s why it’s so important to make sure your product images are both high resolution and high quality. But how do you achieve this without breaking the bank? Here are ten eCommerce product image best practices for small business success:

1) Don’t Rely on the Manufacturer’s Images

One of the biggest mistakes brands make is relying solely on photos provided by their manufacturers. If you’ve ever purchased a product online, chances are you can recall seeing one of these stock photos being used to showcase the item. Unfortunately, using these types of images is lazy for your customers and creates user experience issues.

They portray products in a one-dimensional light, making it difficult for users to envision their look once they receive them. More importantly, this approach does not consider your website’s conversion goals or how your target audience engages with various elements on your site.

2) Quality Isn’t Always King

Yes, attractiveness sells – especially in an eCommerce environment where consumers constantly compare your product to the rest of the marketplace. But when it comes to increasing conversions, product photography needs to be about more than just attractiveness – it also has to communicate value by highlighting specifications and details in an easy-to-digest manner.

In other words, you don’t always have to go for the high-resolution, super-polished shot. Sometimes a simple, clean image can be just as effective in getting your message across.

3) It’s All About Lighting and Setting the Scene

Or rather, lighting that works. There are plenty of DIY tricks for photographing products, but at the end of the day, it’s all about using lighting that will showcase your brand in the best possible light. If you’re unsure about how to create this type of setup on your own, invest in a quality product photography package that provides you with samples. This way, you’ll have various options for showcasing different product images on your site.

Along with lighting, it’s also essential to create a setting that helps showcase the product in a realistic context. This is especially true if you’re selling apparel or accessories where customers can see how the products look when worn.

Think about the scenes you see in fashion magazines – they often use a simple backdrop and minimal props to help focus attention on the clothing. You’ll be one step ahead of the competition if you can create a similar setting for your product shots.

4) Know Your Angles

Just as important as good lighting is understanding the right angles to shoot your products from. Different angles can communicate different values and messages to your customers. Hence, it’s essential to experiment with a few different setups before deciding which ones to use.

For example, if you’re selling a piece of jewelry, you’ll likely want to shoot it from different angles to highlight the design as well as the materials used. On the other hand, if you’re selling a kitchen appliance, you’ll want to show it in use to help customers visualize how it would fit into their own homes.

5) Pay Attention to Composition

In addition to understanding the right angles to shoot your products from, you also need to be aware of composition. This includes things like the placement of your product in the frame and the use of negative space. When it comes to photography, less can often be more.

For example, if you’re selling a small accessory, you’ll want to shoot it against a plain background for maximum impact. Or, if you’re selling a large appliance, try using a wide shot that shows the product in its entirety.

6) Use a Neutral Background

A solid background is vital for showcasing your product and neutral is one of the best ways to go. You don’t want anything that will distract from the product itself – which means you should avoid busy backgrounds and any other distractions if possible.

A simple white or light grey background will do the trick in most cases. This way, your product will be the star of the show.

7) Keep it Simple

When it comes to product photography, less is often more. Don’t try to overload your images with too many elements – you want your customers to be able to focus on the product itself.

This means using clean and simple backgrounds and avoiding unnecessary props or clutter. This will help make your product the star of the show, and it will also make your job a lot easier when it comes to post-processing.

8) Edit Your Images

It might seem counterintuitive to edit your images at first glance, but editing does wonders for enhancing image quality on product photography. This is especially important if you’re using a white or neutral background, as it can be easy for the product to get lost in the frame. Editing your images will also help them stand out in an increasingly competitive marketplace – and when it comes to eCommerce, that is always a good thing! 

If you do not have any editing experience, you can use a service like Pixel By Hand and put your eCommerce image editing on autopilot. They offer a wide range of services, including background removal, color correction, adding a shadow, and even touch-ups to help make your products look their best.

9) Experiment with Zoomed In Shots

While you don’t want to rely too heavily on zoomed-in shots, they can be a great way to highlight specific details about your product. This is especially helpful if you’re selling a product that has intricate details or specifications that might be hard to see from a distance.

Just be sure that you use zoomed-in shots sparingly, as they can often confuse or distract customers. This is especially true if you’re mixing zoomed-in shots with other types of images.

10) Showcase Details and Features

When it comes to selling a product, you want to ensure that your customers know exactly what they’re getting – which means showcasing the features and details is critical. This can be especially helpful if your product has a unique design or necessary specifications that would be difficult to understand from a text description alone.

For example, if you’re selling a pair of headphones, you’ll want to take close-up shots that highlight the design and materials used – as well as any other unique features they might have. Just make sure not to overdo it when showcasing details and features! Too many can sometimes be just as bad as too few.

11) Target Different Platforms

More and more consumers are shopping on their mobile devices, which means that your product photography needs to be tailored to different platforms. This might mean using different images or videos depending on whether someone views your product on a desktop computer or a mobile phone. Or it might mean using more square-shaped photos instead of the traditional rectangle format. The key here is to make sure your images work well across various platforms and devices – primarily if you sell a product used on the go!

12) Use Multiple Images to Show the Product in Action

If you’re selling a product that can be used in different ways, it’s often helpful to use multiple images that showcase how it works and functions. This is often more useful than simple product shots: It helps show your customers what they’re getting and allows them to imagine how it can be used in their daily lives.

13) Get Up Close and Personal

While it’s essential to showcase a product from a distance as well, sometimes getting up close and personal with your shots can make all the difference. For example, if you’re selling a piece of clothing or an accessory – such as sunglasses – showing how it looks up-close on a model is often more effective than simply photographing it on a plain white background. Just be sure to include shots from both the front and back to give your customers enough information about what they’re purchasing.

14) Use Vibrant Colors

Vibrant colors are often more eye-catching than neutral ones, so if you want to capture your audience’s attention, be sure to use them in your product photography. This is especially true if you’re selling a colorful product or features unique designs. However, be careful not to go too crazy with the colors, as it can be hard to balance and often look unprofessional.

15) Keep track of Trends

As with any other aspect of your business, it’s essential to keep track of trends in product photography. This means paying attention to what other companies are doing, as well as what consumers are responding to. If you can stay ahead of the curve, you’ll be in a much better position to succeed in the eCommerce marketplace.

In the end, it’s essential to keep a few things in mind when it comes to product photography. For one thing, you want images that are both realistic and high quality. No matter how good your product might look on your computer screen, that image isn’t going to work if it doesn’t have the visual appeal needed to stand out from the competition.

Remember to always test and experiment with different techniques to find what works best for your business. The best tool you can use in your business is always your own creativity and imagination!

About Pixelbyhand

We are a professional product photo editing service. We work with businesses across the globe perfecting their images for eCommerce websites.

If you run an online business and would like to improve on your current product images then complete the simple form below. (We will only use your email to contact you directly regarding any inquiry you make. We promise to never send you spam or any unwanted mail).