How Photos are Important to a Brand

by Justyn Singer

Company branding seems to come with so many rules. Photos improve your website, but you should be selective about which ones you display. The quality and subject of a photo can make a big difference when it comes to the trust of your visitors. 

Why Quality Matters and How to Achieve It

Your website is a direct reflection of you and your company. If it looks thrown together, visitors could get a negative impression of your business. Company branding could fail or, even worse, your brand could leave a bad taste in people's mouths. If you do not take your own website seriously, you give people the impression that you don't care about their business.

There are many variations of poor quality photography. They include poor focus, poor coloring, missing subject/focus, or a busy background. If you are still unsure, ask yourself, would you cringe if it was a photograph you had paid to have taken at a special event? If there are so many ways to take a bad photo, let's look at what makes up a great photo.

  • Clear images. People should not feel like they need to rub their eyes or clean their glasses because everything appears fuzzy. A high-resolution photo should be the first thing you make sure of. If it's not high res it will come out fuzzy and pixelated.
  • Bright, realistic colors. Color sends a message. You want the colors to reflect reality and be bright so they capture the viewer's attention. Darker, moodier photography is great too, as long as you can tell what the photo is. Photography should be crisp and the colors in your photos should reflect the site.
  • Complete images. The primary focus of the image should be obvious and in full view. It is important to avoid images that would cut off this focus. If the page is about a staff member then do not use a photo that crops the top of that person’s head. This type of photography can only negatively impact your message so make sure that photos have a full view of the image’s focus.
  • Plain backgrounds. These backgrounds can greatly help subject matter to attract more attention to the object on the foreground. Single colored or simple backgrounds help for anything from staff members to a product you are selling to stand out on a page. A busy background makes the viewer's eyes move to take in everything. Watch what is in the background. If you can't use a plain-colored one, make sure the background is not busy and it helps add meaning to the main subject.
woman with blue hair standing in front of a bush, posing

Why Content Matters and What to Include

Cute puppies and sassy-looking kittens might be all the rage on social media, but unless you are selling pet supplies they would not do much for your company branding. The content of your photos should reflect what you are offering and match your brand. They should add something to the text on your page or even replace the need for some of the text. The content of your photographs must help tell your story. Other ways to make the subject matter count include:

  • Using unique images that are not found everywhere on the internet. You are not every other website and you want to convey that message as strong as possible.
  • Showing your product in use from beginning to end. Do not show results without context, potential clients want to see more. Include photos that show how things started out and what your product did to improve it.
  • Show real people using your product or service. This works great with testimonials but can also stand alone throughout your website. Do not hire models with perfect smiles and designer clothing to clean the floor. You get the idea.
  • Show you and your employees. If you show that the people in your office are real human beings, you are doing something right. Showing that your company consists of people who are like them helps build trust. Let them see your team, but remember it does not have to be just your headshots. Show all the moments that make your company real - from the work moments to the fun. Make your company approachable to your visitors.

Final Words

One of the best branding investments you can make is to hire a professional photographer to take photos for your website. If you or one of your employees is adept at photography, that can also work. Above all else, you want to appear trustworthy to your visitors or they are less likely to do business with you. Pristine photography can help you achieve this goal.

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