By Indiana Lee
There are many different ways to market a brand or product today, but the one method that remains essential is content marketing. Even within the realm of content, however, there is a variety of strategies and channels marketer can use to deliver their messages, such as copywriting, email marketing, social media content, landing pages, blogs, infographics, etc.
Of all the different avenues utilized today in content marketing, visuals, such as photos and videos, are often the most effective at boosting sales. For e-commerce brands in particular, visuals are key to creating those connections with customers that usually come from in-person interactions.
Because e-commerce stores only have the digital landscape to rely on, they must work even harder to build relationships with customers to boost loyalty and retention rates. While written content can help with this, visuals like authentic photos of real people are often more relatable and thus do a better job of helping brands connect with their audience.
With artificial intelligence (AI) now being thrown into the mix, however, brands and marketers need to be wary of photos and videos that are 100% fake or generated by AI. Though AI can be a powerful tool in helping curate authentic, high-quality photos, brands must avoid imagery that is entirely computer-generated, as this can actually put customers off and be harder to relate to.
The Psychology Behind Customer Perception and Visual Persuasion
Using visuals as an effective marketing tool isn’t just a trend that will come and go — there have actually been studies conducted that show how powerful images can be when used to send a message or connect with customers. One such study published in Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal states that visual imagery, such as photos and videos, has a powerful effect on human psychology, influencing perceptions, ideas, feelings, and behaviors.
This makes sense as we live in a very fast-paced, digital world today, which means we digest information differently than we used to. In short, users on the internet today have much shorter attention spans, and this translates to a need for powerful imagery that can quickly capture and retain attention.
Because a majority of brands today are e-commerce, customers aren’t getting those more intimate, in-person interactions when shopping. So brands must now find a new way to connect with their customers to build relationships — and visuals are the way to do this.
Imagery like photos and videos works like a form of visual persuasion. Not only do images capture attention, but they persuade customers by influencing their feelings and behaviors. What a photo or video depicts can impact a customer’s emotions, which can play a significant role in their purchase decisions.
According to experts on LinkedIn, using stock photos in content can increase engagement by 650%, and adding a photo to text means users are 80% more likely to read the written content. However, the context of the imagery used is also important.
Selecting any stock photo or video won’t necessarily work. The visuals used must convey the right message and be relatable. If an image doesn’t feel authentic and is very obviously AI-generated, for example, it can put customers off and make them less likely to stick around and make a purchase.
Tips for Boosting E-Commerce Sales With Stock Images and Videos
So, how then can brands and marketers use stock imagery to boost their sales? The key is in curating authentic, high-quality images that create a compelling story and invoke real feelings and emotions.
Start With a Creative Brief
Before starting to compile images from stock photo sites, it’s helpful to write a creative brief that clearly outlines your goals and what you hope to achieve with visuals. A creative brief can help you come to a better understanding of your target audience and what visuals will speak best to them. This is vital if you want to select the most effective stock photos.
Use AI to Curate Authentic, Relatable Images
AI has rapidly become one of the most innovative tools for brands. AI can play many roles in e-commerce operations, such as chatbots, virtual help desks, product recommendations, inventory management, and even pricing optimization. With regard to visuals, generative AI can also help with content curation.
As mentioned previously, however, it’s important that as more brands adopt these machine-learning tools, we need to be mindful of over-reliance on AI to create everything for us. Instead of using AI to generate entirely computer-made images and videos, brands should seek out tools that use AI to find and curate more authentic and relatable images. For example, there are tools available now that use machine-learning algorithms to find the best stock photos available that help brands better target their ideal audience.
Unfortunately, a lot of stock photo sites are starting to become inundated with professional photos that are either overly staged or 100% computer-generated — and photos like these are not going to help brands connect with their customers. On the flip side, some AI tools can find and sort through hundreds of websites and photos to find the images that are more authentic and relatable — and those are the tools brands should be using.
Focus on High-Quality Images
It’s important to note that while amateur stock photos are often the ones that are more realistic and relatable because of the more raw quality that they have, it’s still wise to be mindful of selecting high-quality images. Whether you are using an AI-powered tool or not to curate stock photos, take the time to sort through the ones selected to ensure they are still of good quality.
Higher-quality images not only make more of a statement that will capture your audience’s attention, but they also help showcase your brand as a professional and authoritative resource.
Wrapping Up
Images have the power to influence and persuade by affecting a customer’s emotions, ideas, perceptions, and behaviors. But not all images carry this power. The right stock photos can convey the right message, but it’s important to curate images that are truly authentic and relatable if you want to attract and retain customers and boost sales.
About the Author
Indiana Lee is a writer, reader, and jigsaw puzzle enthusiast from the Pacific Northwest. An expert on business operations, leadership, marketing, and lifestyle.
