Ask yourself: What is the first thing I notice about a great website?
Things that would come to mind would probably be logos, website design, and images. Generally, we are more drawn to sites that are aesthetically pleasing to us, this is due to us being able to process images quicker than reading. If that’s the case, then the images on our websites have an impact on the visitors that land on our homepage and subsequent pages, and more importantly: we have a duty to make sure those images are crisp, clean, and appropriate for our purposes. With that being said, you’ll end up asking yourself: How can I make my site picture perfect? So here are a couple things to consider:
Professional photography
Hiring a professional photographer is beneficial in numerous ways. When you hire a professional you get crisp, high-quality photographs that will fit your needs. What you get is a trained eye for photography’s many unwritten rules, and a fresh perspective on the subjects that you wish to capture.
“Can’t I just take a photo with my phone? It has a pretty good camera.”
While it’s true that your smartphone probably has a good camera, there is more to photography than a good camera. While you are welcome to take a photo with your smartphone, it is important to keep in mind that it may not come out the way that you intended, or it may produce a photo that is unappealing to the audience you are catering to. A high-quality photo will portray your business in a more professional manner and inspire added trust in the services that you offer, additionally, great photos could also drive more action to be taken by potential customers! Putting your trust in an experienced photographer may not be the easiest, but it will be well worth it for your website.
Understanding that not everyone has the means to hire a professional photographer, there are other ways to get adequate images for your bed and breakfast. If you ever need to do a Do-It-Yourself photoshoot, ensure that you have an idea about what you’re doing. The last thing you want is to waste time taking photos that would not be adequate for your website. Once you do have means to get professional photography done, that would be the best option for your business and website.
Step away from the Slideshow
“...but slideshows will show all the photos I want everyone to see!”
Though that idea seems grounded in logic, it is far from the truth. Design aspects of the past have found their way into the way websites are designed in the modern day. Now, you may be wondering: “Why are they bad?”
Slideshows are not as effective as they are made out to be. The prospect of being able to show visitors your gallery on your homepage seems inviting, but data shows that a majority of people only take action on the first slide, thus making the other slides in your slideshow virtually useless. Slideshows are also a part of a website that is consistently skipped over, which is to say that people are more likely to turn a blind eye to the slideshow that you invested high-quality photos for.
Slideshows can negatively affect your SEO if you put incorrect header tags, and can cause slower page load times due to people filling them with more images than is needed. In short, there are an array of things that could go wrong with slideshows, the quantity of which outweigh the minimal benefits of them.
Why go through all of this trouble?
Though it may seem tedious and expensive, the return on your investment will be worth it. Your business brand is an important aspect of being successful, and part of that brand is public perception. High-quality images contribute to that image. You can think of visitors landing on your homepage as a first impression, and you want to make a great first impression. Showcasing the products and/or services that you offer in a professional manner will increase trust in your business to provide a high-quality experience. Beyond that, you will have a website and images that you can be proud of. Whether you’re a small or big business, it is a worthy investment to hire professionals to take your photographs and to keep up with best website image practices to ensure that your site is functioning optimally and aesthetically.
If you are looking to build a responsive website, visit us at www.bnbwebsites.com and contact us! We would love to help you on your way to building a beautiful, functional website!