If you’re creating content for your AIM member store without images, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity to reach and engage with a wider audience that will boost conversions. In today’s world, people are visual learners who are drawn to content with engaging, high-quality images. Adding images to your blogs and social media posts can nearly double views. In fact, nearly 70% of consumers think images are more important than a product’s description when making a purchase.
However, you can’t just pick any image and call it a day. Instead, you need to carefully select the images you use, or else they won’t add any value to your marketing efforts. This means they need to be both visually and emotionally appealing. That’s why we’d like to provide you with the following guide to choosing images that catch and hold attention.
Connect Images With Your Brand
A good marketing strategy connects your brand to the content you create. Whether it’s a blog or social media post, it’s important to choose images that represent your brand and website cohesively. How? Take the time to think about the tone that defines your company as well as your intended audience. Are you a friendly or more serious brand? Are your consumers younger, older, or middle-aged? The answers to these questions will help you create a concrete list of concepts you want to portray with your chosen images.
Choose Images That Evoke Emotion
People tend to make important purchasing decisions based on emotio. However, it’s important to be mindful of the emotions you want to evoke when choosing an image. If you’re targeting a fitness audience, then you obviously don’t want to choose images of parties and sumptuous desserts. Instead, your images should align with your niche market and support the content you’re posting.
You should also be mindful of the colors your images contain. Certain colors evoke emotions ranging from warmth and comfort to anger and hostility. That’s why it’s important to choose your images wisely and do your research on how people might perceive them.
Avoid Bad Stock Photos
Consumers can spot an overused stock photo in an ocean of images. While stock photos were popular in the 90s, we live in a different time period. A bad stock photo looks staged and cheesy. This, in turn, can affect the trust you’re trying to build with your intended audience. If you do use stock photos, we recommend choosing images that look and feel “real.” Thankfully there are some stock websites with thousands of free images that look tasteful and authentic.
These include:
Choose Images That Make A Connection
People want to feel a connection to the products and services they purchase. That’s why it’s important to add a human element to your images to build this connection. Take, for example, the nutritional supplements you offer. Instead of just posting pictures of your products, try posting images of people enjoying or benefiting from your products. This simple trick goes a long way towards making a human connection and building trust.
Take Yourself Out Of The Equation
When you’re looking for the perfect image to add to your blog or social media post, it’s important to take yourself out of the equation and choose an image that connects with your consumers. Always select an image with your target audience in mind by asking yourself the following questions:
- Will this image add value to my content?
- Will this image connect with my audience?
- Will this image distract from my message?
Choose An Image That Supports Your Goal
When choosing an image, it must support your overall goals. Take the time to research your influencers to see what kind of content and images they use and how much engagement they get. This will allow you to understand what your consumers want and ideas to develop your own content. By defining your goals, you’re more likely to generate a larger following and make your brand more recognizable.
Use Infographics
Infographics are powerful marketing tools that inform, create brand awareness, generates shares, and encourages people to learn more about what you offer. Because of this, infographics are more likely to be shared than a typical image that links back to a blog post. Take the time to create an infographic that captures attention and tells a useful story. However, it’s important to keep it focused on a single point without a bunch of distractions.
Use Clear, High-Quality Images
High-quality images are one of the most vital components of online marketing. After viewing your photos, consumers should have a good idea of the content you’re posting. However, there are thousands, if not millions, of online businesses that display poor images that do nothing to attract and convert customers.
That’s why you should always choose clear, high-quality images for your blog or social media posts. Poor, low-quality images will negatively affect the content you create. This, in turn, produces a lack of trust, making it less likely a customer will feel confident with your brand.
Add Overlay Text
There’s a reason we are talking about images and not written content: images catch and hold attention. In fact, many users don’t have the time to read through an entire post or blog. That’s why adding overlay text to your images is an excellent way to ensure your message is seen and received. While adding a short description or a strong call-to-action is valuable, your image must be the star of your post.
Best Image Sources
When it comes to images, you have two options: create your own or use a stock image. While original photography can set you apart from the competition and build a powerful brand, they can be time-consuming and expensive to create.
That’s why you might want to rely on high-quality stock images if you find yourself publishing content regularly. This will not only free up time but lower your marketing budget.
While there are plenty of websites that offer free or low-cost images, the key is to find a resource that matches your message’s tone and the aesthetic appeal of your brand. Some of our favorite stock image sites include:
- Pixabay: offers over 1.8 million high-quality stock images and videos that are free to use without attribution.
- Pexels: is a free stock photo and video website and app that helps designers, bloggers, and everyone who is looking for visuals to find great photos and videos that can be downloaded and used for free.
- Bigstock: offers over 98 million royalty-free photographs and illustrations from talented photographers and artists around the globe. However, they do require you to purchase image credits with different plans and pricing depending on your individual needs.
Regardless of the stock images you use, it’s important to review each photo’s usage rights. With this in mind, it’s best to choose attribution and royalty-free images as you won’t have to credit the photographer or pay for ongoing usage fees.
Conclusion
There’s no such thing as an “okay” image. If you want to attract potential customers, grow a following, and increase conversions, it’s best to select the best images by following the strategies mentioned above to support your overall marketing goals.