Visuals for Amazon: Optimising Product Photography
Creating content on Amazon, such as photos and videos, can make the difference between a purchase and an overlooked product. As customers are unable to interact with a product, imagery is one of the key elements that will influence the perception of quality and value. Capturing the shopper’s attention through product images is one of the most efficient ways to create interest and drive purchases.
It is essential to include various angles of each product, convey the brand’s design, highlight its unique selling points, and showcase its use cases.
The difference product photos can make
As each brand is represented by the available photos, the visuals can enhance or hinder the experience of a product for customers. High resolution, clear images can make a great difference in the consumer perception of the product and brand.
Amazon research has discovered that the average shopper will read only 20% of the words on a page but view every product image. Additionally, 63% of consumers have shared that product images are more important to them than descriptions, while 53% of consumers find images more important than ratings.
Many consumers are also reliant on the Amazon search feature to navigate the marketplace. Therefore, presenting products with clear product images will increase the chance of the item standing out amongst competitors.
The types of product photography
To create optimised listings, all brands should aim to provide consumers with multiple types of photography to showcase their products. A minimum of 7 high-resolution images is required for listings to be fully optimised to the Amazon guidelines.
The main listing photo is mandatory for all sellers on Amazon and must feature the product photographed against a plain, white background. The item must also fill a minimum of 85% of the entire frame.
Additional images can be more flexible and should showcase the product in different ways. We recommend that sellers use the listing images to communicate the benefits of the product, display the key product features, highlight important information, explain usage, show sizes, and demonstrate the product in use. Lifestyle photography can also be included to showcase the product used or shown in a realistic setting.
Additional images featuring close-up shots of the product packaging can be advantageous for demonstrating product features, such as different input ports on electronic devices or labels for health products. Including a variety of angles for categories such as apparel, gifts or decorative items is particularly useful for items that cannot be tested the same as they would in-store.
Showcasing the product
To ensure complete adherence to the Amazon guidelines and its image requirements, creating a variety of images for each product is essential.
To add clarity for customers, including photography with size specification can show scale and demonstrate the product to shoppers that are unable to visualise the measurements. An effective way to create photography for product size is to include a person using the product.
It is also important to ensure that when potential customers are looking at a product they are able to see how it solves their problem. Using lifestyle photography can be advantageous for showcasing how people interact with the product. The product does not need to be in use but should be seen in an environment in which it would normally be found.
Additional images
Amazon does enable the use of infographics, close-up photographs, or text images to display key product features. Infographics enable the use of custom icons and typography to visually communicate important information, instructions, or additional features of the product.
Text and callouts included will allow for clear identification of what the customer will receive with the product. Wherever possible, it is recommended to identify the benefits for the buyer using the product.
Conclusions
Several steps can be undertaken to ensure that product photos match the Amazon guidelines. As previously mentioned, sellers must always include a plain photograph as the primary image for each listing. The product must fill 85% or more of the area, and must not include any blurry, pixelated, jagged-edged, or cropped images. All images must accurately represent the product being sold.
Additionally, there are negative processes that should be avoided. For instance, drawings or illustrations are not allowed for use in product listings. In previous instances, there are cases in which sellers have included 3D renderings but that is not strictly abiding by the Amazon rules.
For best practices, we recommend that sellers invest in creating effective product photography to showcase on Amazon. This can be achieved using most modern smartphones if sellers are unable to access professional camera equipment. Following the correct standards for Amazon photography is an effective method to maximise the potential for achieving conversions.
For more information about optimising Amazon photos, download the official Activ8 content checklist for Amazon sellers.