Don’t Let Poor Photos Ruin the User Experience

Your website is almost done. You have your design sketched out. The sitemap has been approved. All that’s left to do is add a few pictures…

But wait! Before you grab some random stock photo, put some thought into the images you choose. Photos are more than just design; they are a critical part of branding. If you aren’t careful, your pretty pictures can lead to a poor user experience.

Photos and Branding

Believe it or not, photos are essential for defining who a company, product, or service is and what they are about. They are a part of a brand’s visual identity; something site visitors will use to understand who the business is and what they are about. Because of their importance in the branding process, companies should pay very close attention to the photos they use and how they are using them. Without the right amount of effort, even the most attractive picture can negatively impact a brand.

The problem with stock photos

Many designers rely on stock photos for their websites. This is often the easiest option, but before you throw a simple image on your hard work, you should think about the effect it may have on the user experience. If a picture is worth a thousand words, what words are you inadvertently saying? A stock photo may be sending the wrong message.

Stock photos are designed to be used by many people. To create them, a single photo shoot produces multiple images that can be used for a variety of purposes (as illustrated in this CNN article). That means one photo can be purchased thousands of times and used for reasons that aren’t even remotely related. While this provides a convenient way to access plenty of visual content, it does little to encourage consumer trust. If consumers recognize an image from another brand, they may wonder who is trustworthy – especially when those images are used in testimonials.

Even if highly edited, recognizable features, such as a person’s face are often still recognizable. If that model has been used elsewhere, users may begin to associate the photo with the model instead of the brand. For photos without faces, or groups of faces, you may not have to worry about that type of recognition, but you could worry about a familiar theme. Certain stock photos, especially those listed in this blog post already have their own reputation. If you use a popular stock photo theme, you risk users associating the image with where they last saw it. Plus, if the image is popular enough, it may become a meme, which could be disastrous to a brand that is also using the same photo.

How photos help branding

Photos should help a brand, not hinder it. Unfortunately, many stock photos are guilty of doing the latter. When used correctly, photos help create the visual identity of a brand. Without an image to associate the brand with, consumers will form their own perceptions based on what they experienced. Unfortunately, many of the other ways people form perceptions such as:

• Logos
• Typography and colors
• Employees or other brand representatives

… are not as easy to define as a photo is. With pictures, a brand gains even more control over how their visual identity is portrayed. This is simply because photos can be used to not only look good, but also to relay a message.

A carefully considered photo can relay a powerful statement without using words. In fact, when it comes to messaging, academic studies are proving that photos make a far greater impact. When combined with a social media strategy or a traditional advertising campaign, images can portray a clear message of who a brand is. With all this power, why would you use a random stock photo?

Selecting images for your brand

Planning the perfect images for your website takes time and effort. You need to understand your potential user first. Think about the audience and how they will interpret the images you choose. During the planning process, create user personas and keep those characters in mind as you select the perfect photos.

Selecting the right photo will help create a powerful visual identity that will strengthen any branding efforts. Here are some tips for selecting the perfect image.

• Use images that evoke emotions
• Use images that have the customer in it
• Use images that can be manipulated to match the brand
• Use images that show action of some sort
• Use images that tell a story

It’s also important to remember that images can mean more than photos. Infographics, typographic images, illustrations, and even charts can provide a more powerful message than most stock images. The idea is choosing visual content that supports the brand while also providing utility to the user.