Why Your Product Images Matter for Social Media

Have you ever scrolled through social media looking for the next cool product, only to find the image blurry and dark? Or at an odd angle? With using social media for your business, it’s imperative to use quality photos to tell your story. This also goes along with regularly maintaining your website’s operations and making sure that everything you post on social media, matches with what’s on your site (if you’re selling online). 

 

Do you need expensive camera equipment? No, most phones these days are equipped to handle photography, they are even numerous editing apps you can use to make your images stand out! But before you start using apps, let’s dive into some basic principles of product images. 

Know your aesthetic

What is your overall theme for your store? Are you a shabby chic brand with a rustic feel, or a minimal store with clean neat look?  Whatever your aesthetic is, be sure to capture that in your product images. If a customer can’t visit your store, they should get the same warm and inviting feel on social media too. 

 

Collaborate with a Photographer

More than likely there’s a photographer in your area looking to develop their portfolio, and they need that experience in product photography. This is where bartering services can come into play. We understand that working with a photographer can be costly but there are ways to work together so both of you win. 

 

Tell Your Story

Potential customers typically shop Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest before finally making a purchase, meaning social media is the introduction to your products. Utilizing a mixture of clean product images and user generated content (customer & lifestyle photos) helps tell your brand’s story. As you can tell with the example below, our vendor 4Ocean, uses clean and clear product images while also showing how customers use their product via social media.

 

Create Consistency 

If you’re wanting to increase visibility of your brand, you also need to make sure you post on a consistent basis, using clean backgrounds or props that go along with your aesthetic. The overall goal is to create an experience that is the same across social media and in-store, that’s one of the few ways you can create longevity in your sales and brand loyalty. Once you get your audience acclimated to your images, they’ll know where to go to find your product. 

 

Don’t Be Lazy!

Let’s be honest, if you’re going to just throw an image up with little to no thought behind it, you’re going to get little to no engagement. You don’t need fancy equipment to get quality images, find local resources around you to get clean and clear images. If you have colorful, fun products, use a neutral colored wall (indoor or outdoor) to make them pop. Are you a gift shop who specializes in gift wrapping? Post an image of your instore display showing off your amazing wrapping skills! 

 

If you’re looking to increase your social media engagement, try out these simple yet effective principles to get you started!