People are visual creatures. Studies have shown that we remember 80% of what we see compared to 20% of what we read.
So, the math is clear: if you want to capture your audience’s attention and make a memorable first impression, your website needs lots of images and videos.
But not just any images and videos—adding visuals just for the sake of it will be counterproductive. Such an approach risks cluttering your website and diluting your message.
Skip to:
- Leverage UGC for added authenticity
- Build a consistent visual style
- Opt for high-quality visuals
- Declutter your design
- Add captions to your explainer videos
Source: depositphotos.com
Instead, choose every image and video intentionally and strategically to enhance your content and create a seamless and engaging browsing experience.
Here are some tips for making smart choices that will wow your visitors and turn them into customers.
1. Leverage UGC for added authenticity.
Imagine strolling through a busy marketplace. While perfectly curated displays might initially impress, they often lack the warmth and authenticity of a vendor’s personal touch.
The same principle applies to your website. Although professional visuals are non-negotiable, they often seem too perfect, staged, and somewhat impersonal.
As a result, your branded content—the videos and images you create—won’t be perceived as trustworthy or relatable by your audience.
Luckily, you can improve your authenticity score with a simple and affordable tactic: user-generated content (UGC).
So, sharing photos and videos of your happy customers enjoying your products is far more convincing than your polished content.
70% of people trust suggestions from someone they don’t know personally.
So, encourage or even incentivize your existing customers to share snaps and videos in their reviews, and don’t worry if these visuals aren’t top-notch — that’s their charm.
You can additionally capitalize on UGC by sharing them on your social media channels and amplifying your reach.
Take Infraredi’s Red Light Therapy Mask product page, for example. It’s packed with glowing customer reviews, some of which feature photos.
Besides providing additional context and helping potential buyers see how the product will fit into their daily routines, these visuals serve as powerful social proof.
Combined with high-quality 360-degree product images, UGC strikes the right balance between professional and authentic.
2. Build a consistent visual style.
Think of your website as someone you’re meeting for the first time. You notice their clothes, hairstyles, and mannerisms. All these details create an impression and give off a certain vibe.
Your website’s visuals do the same for your brand. In other words, they’re not just eye candy—they reflect your online personality.
Now, imagine if that person from the beginning of our story kept changing their look and attitude every day.
One day, they’re formal, bordering on uptight and elegant, and the next day, they’re laid back and greet you with “Wassup?” Confusing, right?
The same goes for your website. A consistent visual style helps visitors recognize your brand instantly. It builds trust and familiarity, making them more likely to stick around and explore.
Consistency doesn’t mean every image has to be identical, but they should share a common thread and style.
Here’s how to build a consistent visual vibe:
- Pick your color palette. Colors evoke emotions and create associations. Choose a color palette that aligns with your brand’s personality.
- Select the right fonts. Fonts are like voices. Some are bold and assertive, while others can be soft and friendly. Pick fonts that are easy to read and complement your color palette. Limit yourself to two or three fonts to avoid visual clutter.
- Determine visual themes. These are the recurring elements that tie your visuals together. It could be a particular photography style, similar filters, a specific illustration or editing technique, or even a unique pattern. Visual themes create a sense of cohesion and reinforce your brand’s identity.
Shay & Blue’s Vanilla Perfumes collection page uses a vibrant color palette that matches the brand’s energetic, frivolous, and fun nature.
Each visual follows a similar pattern and style, with the perfume bottle set against the background illustrating the fragrance’s top note.
This visual consistency is reinforced by the text overlay effect spelling out main accords on hover.
3. Opt for high quality visuals.
Your website’s images are often the first point of contact with potential customers. They create an immediate impression and can significantly influence a visitor’s perception of your brand.
According to research, 94% of first impressions are design-related, which means that website visitors evaluate the credibility of your website based on its visual appeal and not its content.
Another study revealed that it takes people only 50 milliseconds to form an opinion about your website and decide whether they will stay or bounce, making a solid case for investing in high-quality visuals.
At first glance, this might seem superficial, but ask yourself if you’d feel confident sharing your credit card information with a site that features subpar, blurry, and poorly lit visuals.
So, besides improving the aesthetics of your website, high-quality images and videos also serve the purpose of:
- Conveying a sense of credibility and professionalism, which reassures visitors that your brand is trustworthy
- Showcasing your products in full detail and highlighting their features and benefits
- Enhancing user experience.
To achieve all this, consider the following factors:
- Resolution. Prioritize high-resolution images that are sharp and clear, even on larger screens.
- Lighting. Proper lighting is crucial for highlighting details and creating a visually appealing atmosphere. Natural light is often preferred, but well-placed artificial lighting can also be adequate.
- Composition. The arrangement of elements within an image can greatly impact its visual appeal. Use composition techniques like the rule of thirds or leading lines to create visually exciting images.
- Editing. Even high-quality images can benefit from some basic editing. Adjust brightness, contrast, and color balance to enhance the look and feel of your visuals.
- File size and format. Optimize images for web use by compressing them without sacrificing quality. Use file formats like WebP, JPEG, or PNG to balance image quality and loading speed. Smaller file sizes equal faster page load times, essential for user experience and SEO.
Check out Raintree Nursery's Peach Trees product page to understand how high-quality visuals can elevate a website’s appeal.
The images are not only aesthetically pleasing but also informative, as they showcase the different varieties of peach trees and highlight their unique characteristics.
Sharp and with a focus on the details that matter to potential buyers, such as the color and size of the fruit, these visuals can also be expanded for better visibility. And yes, you can even see the fuzz!
4. Declutter your design.
Just like massive walls of text can be intimidating, lots of visuals crammed on a single web page can overwhelm website visitors and quickly send them back to the SERPs page.
To avoid this worst-case scenario, you need to give your website design and potential customers room to breathe. It’s where negative space, or the empty area around web page elements, comes into play.
Also known as white space — although it doesn’t have to be white at all since you can use any color — this frequently overlooked design principle can bring a sense of calm and order to your website.
A spacious layout accentuates your visuals, makes navigation easier, and reduces cognitive load for your visitors.
Simply put, negative space will make your images, CTAs, and all the other strategic elements pop up so your audience can focus on them with undivided attention.
It will eliminate decision fatigue and boost engagement.
Let’s look at Vitamart’s collagen supplements collection page to see the power of white space in action.
Each product gets its spotlight with a crisp image, a quick description, and plenty of breathing room around it. This clean, uncluttered approach makes it easy to compare options without being inundated with too much imagery.
The navigation menu is just as simple, making it a breeze to explore the site. “Add to Cart” buttons practically jump off the page, thanks to the generous use of white space around them. It’s a subtle detail, but it makes all the difference when you’re ready to buy.
Zara’s homepage fills the entire screen with negative space but is not white and static.
The brand cleverly uses a multi-video slider so visitors get a dynamic walkthrough of their latest collections, campaigns, and styles without being swamped with too much information and visuals.
If you want to take a page out of their book to bring the best out of your website, you can use POWR’s free multi-slider app. You can implement it easily without even having to write any code.
5. Add captions to your explainer videos
What do you do when scrolling social media on your commute and an interesting video catches your attention?
You click on it only to discover there is no caption. Probably, you won’t play it with the sound on and disturb your fellow commuters.
So, nowadays, when people often consume content on the go or in environments where sound isn’t an option, you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you don’t add closed captions to your explainer videos, testimonials, live streams, product videos, and promos.
CC-ing your videos ensures your message gets across even when the sound is off. This simple step not only makes your content more accessible but also caters to the preferences of a wider audience.
Plus, captions can be a lifesaver for those who are hard of hearing or prefer to watch videos silently. By ensuring your content is inclusive, you demonstrate your commitment to providing a positive experience for your entire audience.
Not to mention that captions can also improve your SEO. Search engines can’t “watch” or “listen to” videos but can read text.
So, with captioning, you’re essentially giving search engines a written transcript of your video, increasing the odds that it will appear in relevant search results.
Customer stories on Slack’s homepage tick all the boxes, as they’re properly closed-captioned.
But, once you start watching, you’ll notice that the brand goes the extra mile as there are subtitles in several different languages, which is a must if you want to reach global audiences.
Wrapping Up
Remember, the visuals you choose are powerful tools for conveying your brand’s story and values. Invest the time to select and optimize them thoughtfully, and watch your website’s performance improve.
These simple tips serve as a starting point for creating a visually captivating and engaging online presence that will leave a lasting impression on your audience long after they leave your website.
Author's Bio:
Natasha Lane is a content marketer and one hell of a geek. For more than a decade, she's worked with individual clients and companies of all sizes.
Natasha specializes in crafting compelling content about design, branding, digital marketing, and business growth. She's happily addicted to art in all its forms and grilled tofu.
