A Kick-Ass Guide to Building an Awesome Website

A Kick-Ass Guide to Building an Awesome Website
16 // 25
“IMAGES SHOW YOUR COMPANY PERSONALITY. MAKE
THEM STRONG.”
Many business owners make the mistake of
turning to a stock photography site to find images
that correlate with their industries, blog posts,
and more. While these sites certainly provide an
affordable solution, chances are pretty good that
your competitors are using similar sites – and very
similar images. You need solid, unique pictures that
make your business truly stand out.
Choosing the Best Images
There are two types of images that consumers see
when they scour the web for information. The first
is a graphic, which is a computer-generated image
that portrays some sort of message. Graphics
are best for providing technical information. The
second is an actual photograph, which can be quite
powerful depending on its source and meaning.
Photographs are more personal and tend to
resonate with viewers on an emotional level, so you
should use them anywhere you can.
Don’t Be a Cliché
How many times have you been to a website
that offers some sort of strategic service, only
to discover an image of a chessboard lines with
chess pieces? This image is a symbol of strategy,
of course, and while it is certainly powerful, it has
been overdone to the point that it no longer means
much to visitors. This is a prime example of what
you need to avoid – being a cliché. If you offer a
strategic product or service, include images of the
people who best represent your intended clientele.
People form the best connections with other
people, not objects.
Using Stock Photography Sites
Stock photography sites can be a blessing and a
curse. They give you access to millions of affordable
images that you can incorporate into your website,
which is certainly a blessing. However, chances
are good that your competitors had the same
idea, which can be a curse. You want your website
to be completely unique, so avoid using stock
photography on your main website page, which
needs to be completely unique and interesting.
Of course, there is nothing wrong with using
stock images on the inner pages as long as you
do so selectively.
Creating a Unique Site
Regardless of whether you choose to use
graphics, stock photography, or photographs
you took yourself on your website, think about
the experience you want to provide to your
visitors. Here are some examples:
• A visual product tour. Consider hiring a
photographer to take pictures of your product
in such a way that you can essentially guide your
viewers through the way your product works
using only minimal text.
• A team introduction. If your business
is service-based, you gain credibility by
introducing yourself to your audience. In this
way, your potential customers can put a face to
the name, which makes your company feel more
personal to them.
• An animated experience. Animated landing
pages are becoming quite popular these days
because they keep the visitor engaged, which is
more likely to result in a lead.
• Tell a story. You can use images and
photography to tell a story about how your
product or service can solve a problem for your
visitors.
Whether you choose to use stock images or hire
a photographer or graphic designer, there are
three important things to keep in mind. First,
your images should be unique enough to stand
out from your competitors. Second, your images
should resonate with your audience and spark
emotion. Lastly, your imagery should provide
some sort of experience to your visitors in order
to keep them engaged.