How to Optimize Product Images for Higher Conversion Rates | Improve eCommerce Sales
According to a study by BusinessDasher, 75% of online shoppers rely on product photos to make purchasing decision, and high-quality product photos had 94% higher conversion rate than low-quality product photos. So, here we'll show you how to optimize product images to boost eCommerce sales and increase conversion rates.
Secrets to Optimize Product Photos for Higher Conversion Rate
Before we delve into the specifics of product photo optimization, let's identify the key areas where we can make improvements to boost your product photo's conversion rate. Then, we can tailor our ecommerce photo retouching strategy accordingly.
1. Utilize Product Photos with Diverse Backgrounds
Product image requirements can differ significantly across various platforms. For example, Amazon often prefers pure white backgrounds to ensure consistent product listings. While Etsy encourages sellers to use natural light and real-life settings to showcase handmade items. A plain, neutral background, such as white or a light shade, is generally effective for product isolation. However, in certain instances, a contextual background, like showcasing furniture in a home setting or clothing on a model, can enhance customer engagement by enabling them to envision the product in their own lives.
This necessitates the use of a sophisticated image matting tool like Aiarty Image Matting to precisely isolate your subject from its original background. Once isolated, you have the freedom to replace the background with any desired element, whether it's a simple solid color or a complex lifestyle scene.
2. Ensure High Image Quality of Your Product Photos
High-resolution, clear images are essential for product image optimization, as they allow customers to zoom in and closely examine every detail of the product. This is particularly important for consumers who want to see textures, materials, or intricate design elements before making a purchase decision. Blurry or pixelated images, on the other hand, can give the impression of low product quality, which may lead to hesitation or a lack of trust, ultimately deterring potential buyers.
While reducing image file size for faster loading times is important for maintaining website performance, over-compressing images can result in a loss of clarity and detail, negatively impacting the user experience.
3. Guarantee Product-Image Match
Maintaining precise color accuracy is paramount to prevent customer dissatisfaction. A significant disparity between the online image and the physical product can lead to returns and negative reviews. By employing proper lighting techniques and texture enhancement, products can be presented in a more realistic and appealing manner. This heightened realism fosters trust and encourages customers to make informed purchasing decisions.
4. Resize Product Image Dimensions for Shopify, eBay, Amazon etc.
High-quality images are crucial, but they can also hinder website speed. This can lead to frustrated customers abandoning their carts. Given that 50% of consumers won't wait more than three seconds, optimizing image size is key. The dimensions of your product images play a crucial role. To ensure optimal display across different platforms, utilize tools like Pixlr and Canva to adjust image dimensions or crop specific details according to platform-specific guidelines.
For example, Amazon has relatively flexible size requirements, but recommends high-resolution images with a main image size of 1000x1000 pixels. eBay allows a wider range of sizes, from a minimum of 500x500 pixels to a maximum of 9000x9000 pixels, with a recommended range of 800-1600 pixels. Shopify supports a maximum image size of 5000x5000 pixels and recommends using 2048x2048 pixels.
5. Add 360-degree Views to Your Product Photos
Offering multiple views of a product, including front, side, and back angles, provides customers with a comprehensive understanding of the item's design and features. This is especially beneficial for products where details and dimensions are crucial, such as electronics or clothing. Furthermore, incorporating 360-degree views allows customers to interact with the image, virtually rotating the product to examine it from all angles. This immersive experience can significantly enhance customer engagement and potentially lead to higher conversion rates.
To create a 360-degree product view, you can use a turntable and capture a series of images from different angles. Ensure consistent lighting and camera settings throughout the process. After capturing the images, use specialized software to stitch them together into a seamless 360-degree view.
Platforms like Orbitvu, Magic360, and Sirv offer user-friendly tools to create stunning 360-degree product views. These platforms provide automated stitching, background removal, and other advanced features to streamline the process. By incorporating 360-degree views into your product listings, you can significantly enhance the shopping experience and boost customer confidence.
Best Practices to Optimize Product Images for Maximum Visibility on Web
Product images are not just visual aids—they’re critical tools for enhancing your e-commerce store's search engine visibility. Properly optimizing product images for SEO can improve your website's ranking, attract more organic traffic, and ultimately increase sales. Here’s how to make your product images work harder for your business.
1. Rename Your Image Files
Image file names play a crucial role in improving search engine rankings. By incorporating relevant keywords into file names, you can enhance your visibility on platforms like Google Image Search. For example, instead of using a generic name like “IMG12345.jpg,” rename the file to something more descriptive and keyword-rich, such as “Dyson-Supersonic-Hairdryer.jpg.” This simple change ensures better discoverability and relevance. To identify the most effective keywords, review your website analytics to understand what terms your customers use when searching for products. Incorporate these insights into your image file names to align with customer behavior.
2. Use Descriptive ALT Text
ALT text is a key element for both SEO and accessibility. Search engines use it to understand image content, while visually impaired users rely on it for context. Descriptive, concise, and keyword-rich ALT text improves your image's relevance and visibility in search engine results. Keep ALT text under 125 characters and avoid generic descriptions like “Image of…” Instead, describe the product with meaningful context, such as “Dyson Supersonic Hairdryer in matte silver finish.” This enhances both user experience and search engine indexing.
3. Choose the Correct Image File Type
4. Compress Image Size for the Web
As mentioned, adhere to platform-specific size requirements; for example, Amazon typically recommends 1,000 pixels on the longest side for optimal zoom functionality. Using consistent aspect ratios and proper dimensions ensures your images display seamlessly across all devices and platforms.
5. Ensure Responsive Design for Mobile Users
6. Provide an Image Sitemap
Including an image sitemap helps search engines discover and index all your site’s images efficiently. This is especially beneficial for large e-commerce websites with extensive catalogs, isolated pages, or rich media content. A sitemap ensures that search engines can find your images, boosting their visibility and potentially driving more traffic to your site. An image sitemap is particularly useful for showcasing high-quality product visuals in search results, helping to attract more engaged visitors.
By implementing these strategies, you can ensure that your product images are optimized for SEO, delivering improved visibility, better user experiences, and higher conversion rates.
For detailed guide, please visit: https://www.aiarty.com/ai-product-image-editing/optimize-product-images.htm
