Our latest #CROchat discussed how pictures, illustrations and visual graphics can affect conversion rates. The following is the transcribed Streamcap from the live chat:
Q1: What Tips & Best Practices for using Photos would you offer to someone who is new to CRO?
- I’d say try to get your own photos, and not use too many stock photos!
- True: & pay attention to what the person is looking at. And sometimes person who’s too good-looking is distracting.
- “Message” match is very important when selecting a photo, as well as image quality and how unique the picture is. The “Uniqueness” goes along with what Paul said about Stock Photos.
- Ahhh! My old friend message match! “Message” is not only content, but visual as well.
- Test images with people in them vs no people. Some pages work well with the human element, some not so much.
- Obviously, images should be tested to see which resonate best with your audience. Product in use vs. box shot, family vs individual, lifestyle vs business, offer vs concept, etc, etc.
- Stock photos are a killer of trust.
- If only we had unlimited budgets for custom photos every time.
- You have to spend $ to make $. If you don’t value the UX your visitor won’t value you.
- If only we had unlimited budgets for custom photos every time.
Q2: How do you use Pictures for CRO specifically on Landing Pages?
- Show the product/service in action through the image. The image should carry the scent – relevance is key at all points in the user journey.
- Use pictures mostly to elicit emotional responses. Text does the relevancy, picture does emotional connect to relevancy.
- I think that an appeal to human nature trumps contextual relevancy any day. Find a way to emotionally connect to your audience.
- Select photos for each LP to work with the product/service, copy and call-to-actions. Images should look like they belong.
- Add captions, which is not common for ‘Hero shots’ in landing pages. Wondering if anyone has tested this.
- Captions are one of the top things people read. I haven’t tested them, but it’s worth using them to your advantage!
- For high traffic campaigns, I love to MVT images within my A/B test.
Q3: What are your considerations for using People in Photographs to Increase Conversions?
- Using and testing photos of people who are relatable to the persona of the audience is important. Also if I can find a person facing, gazing and/or looks to be moving towards the call-to-action, it’s typically a big win.
- Have the people look at or point to the product or CTA.
- If you are using people they should be facing your action.
- Demographic -> target audience
- Agree. Demographic, no ones wants to feel out of place when they land…be sure to match images with TA.
- Some big brands have demonstrated that using female imagery can lend to higher conversions in a wide variety of campaigns.
- True, but testing gender is important for each audience. Especially if they are not facing the CTA.
- Interesting. Not to use the old cop out, but it’s always worth testing for your (or your client’s) specific pages!
- Try using original photos, as in, don’t just Google “smiling face” for a happy customer. Emoticons don’t look like your custs.
- However, I have seen (during ethnicity testing) that relatable doesn’t always prove to increase conversions.
- The person should also match the look of the target market.
- How do you feel about gaze? Is direct eye contact “honest” or distracting?
- I think of it in terms of losing the directional benefit that a CTA Facing image could have.
- The images on your landing page should support your value, demonstrate your offer, or illustrate your headline.
- The challenge is: Headline, Subhead,Paragraph,Hero shot. A caption would be a duplicate of subhead or paragraph.
- Let go of that rigid structure. Think about how the graphics can replace your words.
- True. The framework I take most seriously is about the four modes into which people come to a site. Slow v/s Fast & Emotional v/s Logical (decisions).The Headline,Subhead,paragraph,hero shot tends to cater for all.
- Well, your image should always be above the headline, so, in essencve the text below works as the caption.
- I disagree. Your image should not ALWAYS be above your headline.
- I disagree. Your image should not ALWAYS be above your headline.
- I’d test captions that are not duplicates, but rather make them unique and a tie between the photo & message.
- Yes, and since people are more likely to read the caption than the paragraph, it’s worth crafting that text carefully.
- Let go of that rigid structure. Think about how the graphics can replace your words.
- Yes agree about eye placement to the CTA, split test variations such as gender, etc.
- Heatmap of different business people pointing to the CTA: woman in a business suit (skirt) had A LOT of attention on her legs!
Q4: How do you address Digital Image Clutter and avoid Visual Distraction that can harm Conversion Rates?
- Use your distractions. Distract the person right over to your action.
- I always start with call-to-action and conversion areas and work out from there. If I identify distracting visual elements through heatmaps, gaze plots or a manual review, I look to have them moved or removed as to not lower conversion rates.
- Eye always goes to an image first, you therefore want the image to lead into your headline.
- I run heatmaps on pages before starting any split test to make sure the CTA gets the attention it needs.
- Same here. Often during initial mock-up stages of Landing Pages.
Q5: Along the same lines as Image Clutter, what are your CRO considerations for using Social Icons and “Follow Me” images?
- Social images can be tricky to account for as they are typically counted as a secondary conversion. If they fit within the marketing goals I’ll work them into the pages, but move them out of the visual conversion path.
- Always liked incorporating ‘social proof’. It’s a 21st-century testimonial and, when used tastefully, can lend to credibility.
- I agree, but I make sure to not place Social elements too near the main conversions. FB can kill some conversions.
- Always liked incorporating ‘social proof’. It’s a 21st-century testimonial and, when used tastefully, can lend to credibility.
- If you want to push social micro-conversions do it on the thank you page and track them as a goal/conversion.
- I agree: don’t let a micro conversion prevent someone from the “real” conversion. Social Media is secondary.
- Good idea for landing pages, but hard to do throughout a whole site.
- Bring social media icons back into focus on the Thank You pages.
Q6: What CRO considerations do you have for Product Photos on Ecommerce websites?
- Use an embedded video as well – boom!
- Absolutly! Video should a main CRO & Content strategy for Ecommerce sites.
- Photo quality and variety of image shots & angles can really help conversions. People want to see everything they can.
- Make sure the visitor can zoom in, and get shots from various angles to people can see small differences in features.
- If your product requires assembly, include an assembly video!
Resources
More CRO Chats
Don’t forget to stay tuned for the next #CROchat on Thursday at 12 noon Eastern, 9 am Pacific and 5pm in the UK. Same Chat time, same Chat channel.
PPC Chat
Also, join us for #PPCchat on Tuessdays 12 noon Eastern, 9 am Pacific and 5pm in the UK for a similar sessions revolving about everything PPC. Those streamcaps can be found on Matt Umbro’s PPCChat Blog
CRO Chat Participants
Check out the CRO Chat Twitter list to see and connect with all current and prior participants.
- James Svoboda – Host (@Realicity)
- Paul Kragthorpe (@PaulKragthorpe)
- Unbounce (@unbounce)
- Andrew Baker (@AndrewBaker72)
- Carlos del Rio (@inflatemouse)
- Erik Bortzfield (@ErikBortz)
- Jessica Collier (@jsscacollier)
- Michelle Morgan (@michellemsem)
- Niall Mackenzie (@niall_mackenzie)
- Nitish Belut (@nitishbelut)
- Simon Cahill (@Simon_CRO)
- Theresa Baiocco (@theresabaiocco)
- Timothy Paskowski (@timpaskowski)
About the Host
SEO since 1999. WebRanking CEO. MnSEARCH.org Co-Founder. MarketingLand Contributor. #CROchat Host. #PPCchat Faithful. Husband & Father in Eden Prairie, MN. If you like this post and want to find others related to it, then you can find me on LinkedIn and Twitter:
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