Make a Picture Worth a Thousand Conversions

Websites are great ways to relay lots of information—and that's a blessing and a curse, as business sites pack in as much about themselves, their products, their customers, their services, as they possibly can.

Against that daily data barrage, the use of imagery can pay off big, KISSmetrics tells us in a recent post at its site.

Here are some of its tips for using images to meet website conversion goals.

• Remember That Emotions Rule. Making a user feel a certain way compels action. Make customers feel happy, proud, or wanted by depicting gestures as simple as a smile or a knowing glance. Human Touch, a massage and wellness vendor, uses images on its site to give users a sense of the feelings they'll have upon receiving their products: joy, relaxation.

• Try a Mascot. Mascots are memorable and emotional marketing tools. Email marketing service MailChimp personifies itself with a perky chimp in a mailman’s hat, adding personality and relatability to its services; Nestlé appeals to mothers and kids by using its blue bear Bo to market baby food.

• Add a Human Touch. Few things are more relatable than a human face. Medalia Art discovered in A/B testing that photos of artists converted better than simply showing the art: Conversions increased 95%!

• Think Outside the Box. Leverage our diversity of technology. Due Maternity used images that spin 360° for certain products on its site. Conversions for these products rose 27% versus those marketed with two-dimensional shots. They are currently adding video to their fashion spreads.

• Validate With Validation. People like getting a sense of how others feel about a product or service; it reassures them. Infusionsoft puts customers' testimonials and photos front-and-center.

• Cut Your Reliance on Bad Stock Imagery. Stock photograpy can be cheesy—and easy for users to identify—which makes them feel less valued. Choose photos that are emotionally and aesthetically right for your brand persona. McAfee showcases one well-chosen image to relay its message of security.

• Test Your Changes! Never stop learning about what works and what doesn't; often, what works evolves. Effective testing software includes KISSmetrics and Google Website Optimizer.
  Source: MarketingProfs