We all know the importance of adding images to the site. They not only add an aesthetic touch to the layout but also help convey the text more effectively. With 65% of the general population considered as visual learners, the images give marketers an excellent opportunity to engage with the audience.
But when it comes to selecting the pictures, how do you know if you are choosing the right images for each project? And placing them strategically as well.
To help you out, we have compiled this guide to give you some surefire tips for using images effectively in your web design. So without further ado, let’s get on with the tips.
1. Make Your Images Relevant
When it comes to the images, the impact of the main ‘hero image’ at the center of the layout cannot be understated. When adding these images, you want to make sure they are relevant to the niche you are discussing. Otherwise, you will confuse the readers who will also fail to establish an association of trust with the brand.
For example, if you are writing a post about how to make banana bread, you wouldn’t put a photo of apples in your post. Similarly, as an HVAC company, your audience will expect you to see images of air conditioners, heating systems, or even a worker installing the system on your page. These types of images will enhance relevance to your text and may not seem out-of-the-blue to the viewers.
Another important thing is that you don’t use images just for the sake of them. They should add value to your post and provide the audience with a great visual experience that resonates with your text.
You also don’t have to worry if you don’t have the budget and the time to source unique, customized images for your web design. You can easily purchase stock photos from a reliable vendor to fill in the visual gap in your content. However, the key is to find suitable and quality stock imagery instead of cliches and generic-looking photographs.
2. Use Original Images
You will want to use original, customized images if you want to have a bigger impact on your audience. This doesn’t mean stock photographs are not great. Stock photos are easily available and thus, provide marketers an easy way to fill in the visual gap and provide the marketers with a cost-effective way to add pictures to their content in a convenient manner.
However, nothing beats original images, and including them in your content can add authenticity to your site. This is because original photos can be used in place of your business, your products, and even your staff. It gives the viewers a better insight into your business and how they operate. They give an accurate visual representation of your business and brand, which helps them understand it better.
This is especially important when you add photos with people in it. You see, the audience can easily spot a stock photo of people. However, when you add original photos of your staff and consumers, they resonate better with the brand and eventually convert better too. Studies also show that web pages with images of ‘real people are more convincing.
People also enjoy connecting with other people. So don’t be shy and share images of your staff at work, customers using your product/services, and even behind-the-scenes footage of your workplace to illustrate your brand’s story to your audience.
3. Don’t Limit Yourself
When someone says ‘add images,’ that doesn’t mean you should limit yourself to the photos taken with a camera only. There are many other types of visual images you can use in your web design to make it appealing and attractive.
For example, infographics are popular types of images that many businesses use in their web design to show stats and figures. They serve as a great medium to draw viewers’ attention to the crucial information about your brand and services.
Similarly, you can use GIFs, charts, hand-drawn images, and even animated graphics to draw attention to your brand’s offering.
Simply put, don’t limit your web design to the same type of photos. Broaden your horizon and use various styles of visuals to enhance the visitor's experience on your website.
4. Consider Different Crop Sizes and Ratios
Getting an image size right is important for your website. Once you have selected a photo to use on your page, you need to think about how you will crop and scale the photos to fit different placements and devices.
For example, your image may be full-sized on a desktop but will appear half the size on a mobile device. This is why you need to make sure that your images crop nicely on all devices so the experience remains synonymous for all users.
Another thing is that some photos are too big for a website, so you will need to change their size to make sure they look appropriate. Cropping them is one way to efficiently balance the photos for different devices. One great example of this is the WWF website, where they allow sufficient background space around the main animal subject so it can crop well on a smaller screen.
You, too, should remember this rule and focus on the subject of the image when cropping for different shapes and sizes.
You will also want to pay attention to the resolution of the photos when you rescale the images to fit your web design. Typically, a computer displays 72 dpi (dots per inch) of a photo. This is an ideal resolution for a desktop, and if you want to avoid posting blurry or distorted photos, we recommend going with the said resolution to make your images stand out.
5. Optimize Your Images
Image files that are too big can take up a lot of space on your site and impact load time significantly. This is why you need to optimize the image files, so they don’t slow down your website. Because images take a long time to load and you could be losing out on potential leads if this happens to your site.
To prevent this from happening, you need to compress the image file size, so they load quickly. This is especially important if you have an image-heavy website as it will lag during browsing.
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To optimize, there are several tools available that you can use to optimize images without losing quality. Additionally, WordPress also offers a number of plugins that will let you optimize the images before uploading.
6. Add Icons
Images help break up the text and cut down the amount of reading on the page. This is why many businesses are pushing for a more visual representation of words, so they can gain the attention of the audience for a longer time. In this regard, icons are another great way to cut down the text on the page.
When it comes to icons, you can use numerous types of icons on the page. These have symbolic meanings that people understand immediately with a single glance.
For example, to access your homepage, you can use an icon that looks like a house. Most viewers know that this icon will take them to your homepage. Similarly, a magnifying glass is a popular icon to showcase the search bar on a site. The symbol stands for searching and people know that they can find the search bar just by looking at this icon. It also takes up less space on the site than the word ‘search.’
Another popular icon on the eCommerce site is the use of shopping carts. The shopping cart icon stands for the ‘add products’ and shows shoppers what’s in their cart with a single click. Most shoppers also know that they only have to click on the shopping cart icon to check out their products.
Icons are small but they are distinguishable and make the page look cleaner. They also prevent the need to add further text to the page and help convey the message in a more attractive manner. In short, they help you create a site that looks clean and organized.
7. Use Multiple Images in eCommerce
Images play a pivotal role in people’s purchase decisions. And when it comes to eCommerce, the more bespoke the pictures are the better. If you have an eCommerce site, we suggest posting multiple images of the same product to give the shoppers a better view from all angles.
When you add multiple images of your products on your e-store, the potential consumers get a better grasp of the product. Since the images will be taken from different angles and lighting, they will be able to see all the aspects of the product. You can also post photos to show them in use for better efficiency and enhanced conversions.
Final Words
These were just some tips to get you started on your hunt for images for your web design project. The pictures you use in your marketing represent one of the most powerful weapons of your website. And when used correctly, these images play an important role in establishing your brand’s relationship with the audience. With the above tips, we are sure you will excel in the selection process. Good luck!