A great website features lots of components, and as a business owner, you want to ensure your return on investment. Along with best practices for high quality SEO content, the visuals of your site serve several functions.
As the head of our photo/video department at Lifted Logic, I’ve worked with a lot of different businesses to get great photo and/or video content for their websites. Along the way, I’ve learned a lot about maximizing clients’ investment in their site’s custom visual content. Below are some website improvement ideas for ROI and ways to use professional photography and videography effectively on your site.
The Importance of a High-Quality Site | Website Improvement Ideas for ROI
We don’t have to lecture you on why a great website is important, but we feel responsible for mentioning it since we’re a web design and development company!
A well-functioning site is your best salesperson
A well-functioning website has content that gives users enough information to feel ready to reach out to you. Whether that’s making a purchase directly, contacting you for a consultation, getting a quote, or another tool, your website should drive users to give you contact information to make the sale.
It tells a story
Your site is an opportunity for users to get to know you and what you do at a glance. Well-written, informative content and key visuals work together to present a cohesive story of your business.
It drives users to convert
In the digital space, conversion means a user action that helps your business in some way. That could be a newsletter sign up, a contact form, or some other information that a user provides so you can contact them. A well-executed site has multiple opportunities for users to convert throughout their session, helping to grow your business.
How photos and videos play a role in storytelling
Great storytelling isn’t just about well-written SEO content. We know people take in information in many formats, and visuals are an integral component in telling the story of your business.
Enrich details for users
You can have content explaining how your process works with customers, but nothing compares to putting a face to the name and seeing your business in action. Photos and videos enrich how users perceive your business, and they work well alongside descriptions of your space, service offerings, core values, and more.
Give visual cues
We always work to help users “flow” through a site easily, and visual cues are a great tool for this. Our designers use icons and buttons to enhance calls to action, and photos can serve as another way to help users engage with these parts of your site.
Build your brand’s personality
Finally, along with an established voice and tone and on-brand design, photos and videos play a crucial role in showing off how you want to be portrayed.
Making Your Photos Stand the Test of Time | Website Improvement Ideas for ROI
Make It Last
We often use the term “evergreen” to describe a common goal for your site: writing content and using photos and videos that last for a long time. Here are some strategies we use to achieve that 👇
Prioritize photo/video from the beginning
Taking on a project a brand new website is so exciting, but it’s also quite challenging as you balance your regular schedule while working with us to ensure your site is the best it can be. We find many clients are very focused on the writing and design on their site, and photo/video may be an afterthought.
We’ve found it’s best to introduce photo/video earlier on so our clients can start thinking about products, spaces, and people they’d like to feature. Consider what visuals about your business you’d like to show off on your site from the beginning to ensure a cohesive result.
Don’t rush it
Many clients have a hard time fitting a professional photo/video shoot into their busy schedules. If you have a huge event coming up, don’t feel you need to rush and squeeze the shoot in while balancing everything else at once. If possible, work to set a date far in advance that works well for your team.
Plan around unique events and time of year
Speaking of events, you want to get photos and videos done when your business is in its most “blank canvas” state. Basically, we don’t want to have party or holiday decorations in the background since it won’t look relevant on the site year-round. If we’re going to take photos and videos outside, you might take time of year into account, so the outside photos look as nice as possible.
Choosing who will appear in photos and videos
The final major decision for your site’s photos and videos is choosing your featured employees!
Keep context and employee turnover in mind
To make your website stay updated and relevant for the long term, you should keep employee turnover in mind for specific types of photos or videos. Certain contexts may affect who you choose to be in them.
For example, say you’re shooting a video for your homepage that introduces an overview of your business. You should choose someone who will be around for the foreseeable future. Other contexts can have anyone in the photo or video, like hands shaking or performing a service.
Our professional photographers and videographers will guide you through the process and help you make decisions for photos and videos that will stay relevant for the long term.
Learn more website improvement ideas for ROI with professional web services at Lifted Logic
In summary, there’s a lot that you can do to make a better website and have a higher return on investment:
- High-quality SEO web writing
- User-friendly design
- Photos and videos that stay relevant
Lifted Logic provides high-end photography and videography services for clients all across the US from our home base in Kansas City. We love helping our clients figure out the best strategies to grow their online presence. Photos and videos for your website are integral in helping your potential customers get to know you and your values.
If you have any questions about videos for your website or any other website services, reach out to Lifted Logic! We offer comprehensive website services that fit your needs.
Weston Vitt, Lead Videographer
With a background in event photography, audio engineering/sound mixing, podcast structure and marketing, and brewing beer, Wes is the Lead Videographer & Photographer here at Lifted Logic. His focus on visual and brand storytelling makes him an ideal media collaborator, no matter the client's industry.
