How do CPG brands stand out in a crowded marketplace with tons of competition? I bet one of the first things to pop into your head is ‘packaging,’ or ‘branding’, and you would absolutely be right. But one element often seen as secondary to design that’s crucial for converting buyers, especially online, is photography. It’s just as important to delivering a stellar e-commerce shopping experience. Let’s take a look at why e-commerce imagery is so important, the types of images that perform well, and define what makes e-commerce imagery “good.”
The best experience consumers can have with your products, outside of retail or being physically present with them, is through visualization – imagery. Professional images signal to buyers quality products, visual appeal, professionalism, and brand alignment. Let’s take a look at a more detailed list of reasons why quality e-commerce photos are a must and how your brand benefits from them.
High-quality imagery connects with buyers’ senses when they can’t be physically present with products.
Strong and detailed product images help build trust with consumers. They will know exactly what to expect when your package arrives.
In a crowded online marketplace, compelling images differentiate a brand’s products from competitors.
E-commerce images act as a substitute for the physical shopping experience. They allow consumers to virtually examine and evaluate products before making a purchase.
Well-planned and strategically produced images can significantly impact conversion rates. When consumers can visually “taste” or see themselves using your products, they are more likely to make a purchase.
With millions of consumers shopping straight from their mobile devices, screen space is limited, and impactful images become even more critical.
Certain types of imagery should be considered for the best buyer experience. Consumers want to clearly see the details of the product and know what to expect when they open the delivery box. To help them visualize using and tasting your product, create imagery depicting your products seamlessly fitting into their lifestyle. The style and art direction behind your images will depend on your product, audience, and brand system. But here’s a list of considerations for creating a winning set of e-commerce photos for your CPG brand.
This is to reveal the quality of your products and showcase fine detail. Products should be shot on a clean, bright, white background. These images showcase packaging, product colors, textures, and close-up details.
This is where you can feel free to explore using colorful backgrounds, props, and unique angles. The idea is to be “creative” and showcase the personality of your brand through fun product photos.
Lifestyle images portray your products being used or consumed in real-life scenarios, helping consumers visualize the experience of using products – like cooking in their kitchen for example. If it’s in the budget, talent (models) are normally hired to represent your target audience and enhance the quality of the lifestyle photos. Note: If you have a unique use case for your product, this is a great time to showcase it. Example: You make a flavor base for cooking. To demonstrate that it’s not a sauce added to food afterwards, you would want to capture someone using it in a cooking scenario, in a kitchen space..
These can be captured in a studio or lifestyle environment, and with or without talent. The goal is to share a unique brand story. Example: for X amount of SKUs sold, you donate an item to a specific foundation. You could capture co-branded images with the foundation or tell the story of what you’re donating, why, and who it benefits.
These are great to show some personality and attract seasonal shoppers with photos that capture your products being used during holiday celebrations.
Just like any creative endeavor, a process is involved. Whether you’re hiring a pro or keeping photography in-house, never skip Step #1, as it’s crucial for strong messaging and better conversion results.
Proper planning ensures a clear message and consistent brand look during the photoshoot. Ask essential questions about your audience, brand colors, communication goals, unique product aspects, and considerations for talent or location. These questions build a solid plan and shot-list, maintaining a clear art direction and managing your budget effectively.
Consider equipment, lighting (natural or artificial), props, ingredients, space or environment, talent (models), and scene styling. Lighting is a major factor in creating a professional look, so study up on lighting tutorials or ensure your hired photographer demonstrates excellent lighting capabilities. Pay attention to packaging, adjusting it to look as flawless as possible, and style food items for the utmost appetite appeal.
Even with top-notch equipment, every image should undergo basic corrections for color and exposure. For the most professional appearance, address small packaging imperfections, and unwanted drips or spills in lifestyle and branded images. And while it’s not possible to cover ‘compositing’ in this article, sometimes it’s necessary for optimal e-commerce marketing assets, another reason to higher a pro if you can.
Before uploading any images to your e-commerce platform, conduct a thorough review. These assets represent your brand, showcase product quality, and drive consumer conversion. Strive for the highest quality possible, focusing on:
Product should be in focus, and details and textures should be clear when zooming in.
At a minimum, images shouldn’t be too dark or too bright and accurately depict products.
With image editing software, eliminate any odd color casts, ensuring product colors match as closely as possible.
Beyond brightness, consider lighting as a stylistic expression of your brand, selecting techniques that align with your product features. EX: Is your brand wholesome or bright and edgy. Does your product have a smooth surface or a lot of texture? Different lighting techniques will bring product details and your brand to life.
Establish a consistent look and feel for long-term brand recognition, crucial as your brand expands and develops new SKUs.
There’s a lot of work, resources, and considerations for the success of a CPG brands’ e-commerce imagery. But, by following a proper process, considering image types that suit your brand, and thoroughly reviewing images before going online, you’ll reap tremendous benefits in long-term brand growth and sales. For brands without an in-house photo team, the recommendation is to hire a professional photographer. They possess the expertise to manage this complex process, the necessary equipment, and a keen eye for creating high-performing sales imagery.
The founder, Steven Miguel Morales, heads a team of photographers, videographers, editors, and stylists—all with a specialization in CPG marketing and advertising content. With a foundation in brand strategy, Steven actively contributes to the creative planning process, striving to optimize your marketing assets for success within a competitive marketplace. See more of our work at: Steve Miguel Studio.
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