How important is imagery to your website design?

So how important is imagery to your web design? Getting it right could be the difference between page one on Google Search and page nowhere. As a web developer in York, we can create an engaging, SEO-friendly website using bespoke images – here’s how and why:

People like images

At Nettl of York, our mantra is “show, not tell.” Because your users prefer images — they look good, break up chunks of text, and are easier for the brain to process. Of course, you still need words, but images make those words more memorable.

Want to know how fast your brain processes an image? It takes about 13 milliseconds, faster than blinking your eye. And those images connect directly with your viewers’ emotions, mainly when your visual content solves a problem or makes life easier. 

Images are SEO-friendly

Everyone wants to rank high in search. So optimised images with the proper metadata and captions are another layer of SEO-friendly data to improve your visibility. Describe your images with suitable titles and alt tags, and you’ll take full advantage of an SEO boost. That’s because all the extra information gives users twice as many opportunities to discover your website.

You’ll get noticed on your socials

Images are hands-down the best way to create consistency across all your customer touchpoints, from ads and email marketing to your social media. A great image is all you need to be the ultimate scroll-stopper because your visual content delivers higher engagement rates. 

Using consistent, eye-catching content across social channels and your website builds brand awareness and recognition. So once you get noticed on your socials, your users can follow the trail to your other content.

Images elevate the user experience

Imagery is essential, but getting the right imagery is an even bigger deal. Using stock photographs without relevance to your business won’t cut the mustard. Your images should be engaging, highly relevant and personalised. So you’re building trust by showing off your products and services and adding value for your customers without a generic image in sight.

But beware. Multiple images of your products look great and give your customers all the info they need to make a purchase. But if large file sizes slow down loading times, they’re likely to move on after a few seconds. 1080p resolution and JPEG files are your friends when you want to keep loading times slick and fast.

Bring atmosphere with backgrounds (but avoid banners)

Want to let viewers know what your business is about upfront? Background images are a clever way to create an instant vibe and let your customers know what to expect. But filling up all that white space can get messy and distract the eye from the visuals you want to make an impact, so test any background graphics before you launch.

Unlike backgrounds, banners are a no-no. After years of intrusive banner ads, we’ve learned to filter them out. So if you can’t integrate banner images successfully into your design, no matter how great they are, it’s best to use them sparingly, as they’ll have minimal impact.

Don’t forget your logo

Your logo is your brand’s most important visual asset. It lets visitors to your website know they’re in the right place. And by displaying it on every page, you’ll create a feeling of security that they’re still browsing the right website.

The key to using your logo is to position it in the same place on every page. Visual consistency is critical for brand recognition. But placing your logo in the same position on every page can be a helpful wayfinding tool, especially when different types of content have different page layouts.

Create a reason to scroll

So you’ve got your headshots and commissioned some unique bespoke imagery. Next, you need to start mixing and matching different media to create reasons for your audience to keep scrolling. Blending photographs, animations, videos, illustrations and infographics are a smart and effective way to keep your audience on board. 

It’s a strategy that elevates accessibility and gives your users plenty of different ways to share your content on their socials. And the result is multiple reasons for viewers to scroll and stay engaged with your web design.

Integrate images and SEO with Nettl of York

At Nettl of York, we know that visual content has a bigger impact than text alone. So let’s let us handle your website design from graphics to SEO. Contact the team at Nettl of York to get a quote today.