A picture speaks a thousand words but get this wrong and you can end up with badly designed images which do the opposite. They can drive your customers away which have a negative impact on your conversion rates.
The role of website images
An image does far more than provide a visual overview of a product or service. If handled well it can communicate a variety of messages, some which are subliminal, that act upon the viewer in various ways. They can stir the emotions, alter one's moods or trigger a deep seated desire.
On a more practical level they are used to demonstrate your company's products or services; personalise your site via a series of employee photos or as a call to action.
Bad website images
We have all seen poor images on websites. This includes images which have become distorted or 'pixelated' due to a sudden increase or decrease in size. The image looks unprofessional and detracts from the product or service.
Another example is clip art: these simplistic images look amateurish and do nothing to enhance the website or the company's reputation. Website visitors have higher expectations than before and don't want to be shown a large, sketchy cartoon like image on a corporate website.
Other examples include images which take too long to download, images where there is a broken link instead of an actual image (you are shown a white square with a small box and a red cross instead) and images which do not match the product description.
Guidelines for good use of images
A professional web designer or agency will create images for you that will enhance your website and drive traffic to it. This means ensuring that the images adhere to the following guidelines:
• Quick to download
• Are set at the correct resolution
• Used to convey your key marketing messages
• Fit in well with your brand identity
• Clear and relevant
• Work well with the content
• The visitor can zoom in/out or change their view of the image
The images must combine with the content as forms of communication which will speak the visitor's language and help them to find what they need. This will contribute to the efficiency and effectiveness of your website as well as promoting your business to a wider audience.
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Adaptive Consultancy is a London web design company who specialise in website design, eCommerce, and internet marketing, including SEO, PPC and SMO. For more on online marketing agencies visit http://www.adaptiveconsultancy.com/web-design/website-design
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