Picture This: Images Boost Business

By: Team WTI | Date: August 2, 2019

Categories: Digital Marketing, Internet Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Social Media Management, Website Design Articles,

Tags: Google My Business, Images, Photos, Social Media,

One struggle we have in helping our clients improve their search rankings is getting photos and other images from them. Images boost business by creating visual interest. The average user is more visually oriented than ever before, so it’s important that your website, Google My Business (GMB) listing, and social media pages have fresh and interesting pictures.

(If you don’t have a social media presence, that is a discussion for another blog.)

People want to see themselves on your social media postings, and potential customers want to see you on the job. We know that you and your team are probably busy at work, but it takes only a few seconds to snap pictures with your phone.

Some suggestions for photo opportunities include taking pictures of people at your store or restaurant and your staff at work, especially in candid shots, images of your equipment or vehicles, or nice photos of your building. If you or your staff sponsor or participate in charity events and fundraisers, document that and share it. People like to know that the businesses they use have a heart and care about their community. Show that you and your team have a personality and not some faceless entity.

Stock Your Profiles with Photos

BrightLocal recently issued a report that analyzed 45,000 businesses in 36 industries around the world. They were looking to see any correlations between the number of images on the GMB profile and other metrics such as conversions, clicks, search views, etc.

According to BrightLocal’s report, businesses that posted more than 100 photos received 520% more calls than the average business. If the GMB profile only has one image, those businesses receive 71% fewer calls. Also, the +100 club gets 1065% more website clicks. Yes, over 1000% more.

How to Get More Photos

Earlier, we discussed ways to get more images for your website and profiles. Here are some other ways that have been successful for other clients.

Photos need to be more than just posed staff pictures; it needs to show your customers, services, and other experiences. If possible, hold an open house or other event and take pictures of the people that stop by. Images of the interior and exterior of your business are always good, make them interesting. People probably don’t want to see a picture of a file cabinet or copier.

On the GMB platform, customers can post pictures on your site. This is a double-edged sword at the moment because it can be difficult to get some images removed if they’re poor quality. However, if you ask the customers to post a picture and a review, you are more likely to get good content. You’ll notice a lot of car dealerships posting a picture of a person with their new car, thanking them for their business. This shows customer appreciation and shows potential customers that you think of each purchase as an individual, not just an entry on a ledger.

If you don’t have a physical location, ask the customer if you can take a photo of them with your project or at the worksite. They’re likely to appreciate the recognition, and you can show off your happy customers.

Almost every social media platform has a way to check in to locations or tag businesses. Encourage customers to tag you or check in on their own social media profiles. Can you think of a less expensive form of advertising? If you notice a tag or mention, comment with a thank you or another acknowledgment. This will go a long way to creating goodwill and a positive impression in the public eye.

Share Your Photos on Your Website

Make sure your website is updated with quality images. If you can do it yourself, great. If you have someone handle your website, make sure to send the images to them. Make sure you include a short description of the picture. You may know exactly what it is, but the person handling your website will want to describe the image accurately. Also, details like where it was taken and what the project or event is can be used to help SEO improving your search rankings.

For more ideas about making your social media profiles and website fresh and interesting, give the experts at Team WTI a call. We’ll be happy to go over your site and provide you with some suggestions to help drive traffic to your business. Contact us today for more details.