Building a high quality website in today’s digital realm isn’t as cheap and easy as many would like to think. From structure, to development, design and messaging – it’s a lot to make sense of. Routine optimization and general maintenance aren’t a walk in the park either. This is why many business owners trust someone else with their money. But if you don’t know what you need, how do you know you’re not getting taken advantage of? Just think about it.
Advantages of Quality Visual Representation.
Any quality website producer should know the importance of original photography. If they don’t at least point out the opportunity, they don’t care. There are plenty of reasons to embrace authenticity and routinely update website images.
1. Meaningful First Impressions.
If you’ve followed any of my content in the past, you know how I feel about stock photos. No matter how you look at it, consumers want to see who’s behind the business and the way it works. Aren’t transparent companies a lot more appealing? Skipping over the chance to establish a unique memory that’s tied to your brand is ignorant. If there’s only one gal at the welcome desk, she ought to be on the homepage. If she doesn’t like being the center of attention, then maybe she shouldn’t be the first touch point.
There’s a sense of reassurance for customers when they’re able to see who they’re talking to or interacting with. Stock photography leaves a lot to be desired. To some, it may even communicate that you have something to hide. When you’re trying to sell me something, you can’t expect me to receive insecurity well. It doesn’t take a lot of time or effort to update website images from your smart phone. Say hello, show your process, capture an interaction or how something works; you won’t regret it and visitors won’t forget you.
2. Up-to-Date Photos Build Trust.
Out of date information is one of the biggest mistakes businesses make when it comes to website management. Look, I get it. Running an operation is a lot of work. Hiring and firing in itself can be strenuous. The last thing you want to worry about is setting aside time to remove photos or add new faces to the site. But it only becomes more of a hassle the longer you put it off.
Believe it or not, inaccurate communication can leave people misled or even lied to. When you take the time to update website images, (new and old) customers will know that you care about presenting them with accurate information. Even seasonal imagery is of value. You may view your website as a lead generation tool – but consumers view it as an extension of your experience. You expect your friends to posted updated pictures of their families on social media right? If they don’t, does it cause you to think something might be wrong? Think about it.
When Should Brands Update Website Images?
If you move to a new office, make sure old landmarks or location-specific visuals are taken down. Promoting the new place can be a content strategy in itself! It’s not always about selling. During new employee on-boarding (or orientation), add headshots and an “about me” questionnaire to the process. If you’re hosting an event or sponsoring something, take some photos and share them!
Like many things, having a plan always makes things a lot easier to manage. Routinely scheduling company-wide media updates is a good way to generate up-to-date information and reward the culture. If you care about value perception at all, you’ll make it a priority to update website images. It’s one of the easiest ways to stand out in crowded markets. Reviewing content and handing off adjustments doesn’t have to be a difficult process if you don’t want it to be.
3. SEO Rankings Will Improve.
Many business owners forget that imagery is content as well. Every picture on your website has title tags, an alt text, and is tied to a certain page’s authority. While you may think you’re saving money by avoiding updated photos, it could actually be quite costly. $300 could be driving you an extra conversion every month for the next year. When you have the same image on multiple pages (or you purchase a stock photo many competitors are using), you’re limiting organic reach. The same is true for old photos that aren’t optimized.
Aside from the technical SEO, image file size plays a big role in SEO scores. A picture on your site may load fine on your desktop; but how does it perform on somebody’s phone – while they’re traveling? Not every browser is the same. When images are too big load times suffer. Slow speeds increase bounce rates (leaving in under 10 seconds) and diminish overall search authority. I think we can all agree more organic traffic is a great reason to update website images on a regular basis.
Additional tips to Update Website Images.
Being purposeful and setting standards is extremely rewarding. When it comes to digital media, one of the best things you can do is establish imagery guidelines and editing styles for certain forms of content. Professional visuals with a “look and feel” that matches the brand identity create an even more memorable first impression. At the end of the day, background images on flyers are going to look a lot different than a featured images on blogs. So define these things!
If you want to implement a cohesive design (or series of designs) for social media posts, then formulate the template on the front end. Doing so has a number of advantages. If you’re in the habit of hiring different contractors when needs arise, structure ensures you remain consistent. It also saves you a lot of money over time. It may seem like overkill to constantly update website images, but trust me, it’s a hidden gem that keeps visitors on site, builds loyalty and improves conversion rates.
