Sell Beyond advises clients to invest in professional strategists for Amazon, so it’s no surprise that we also recommend investing in an Amazon photographer. An effective photoshoot will ensure your audience understands the key product benefits, with the target market highlighted and featured in imagery through models and thoughtful staging.
Why do your product listings need Amazon Product Photography?
Amazon Photography ensures that listings convert and turn into all-important product sales on Amazon.
We interviewed Eleanor Parnell Santos, founder and MD of Santos Photography to get her insights on the importance of effective product photography for Amazon:
What problems do businesses typically have with their Amazon product photography?
Often a business owner has tried to shoot the products themselves, or has asked a colleague or friend to do so. This may be because they believe they are saving money by doing it in-house.
Unfortunately, this approach is not scalable for a company selling on Amazon. With the increasing number of potential product and brand images you can add on Amazon, at some point, a company owner or employee will need help to map out their Amazon image portfolio. This can lead to re-shooting imagery to improve consistency at scale.
Customers know usually what ‘product images’ are for Amazon, but you often talk about “lifestyle” imagery for selling on Amazon – what is this?
Lifestyle imagery is your key sales imagery! In just a few seconds, a single image has the ability to show potential customers either:
- How your product solves a problem for them
- The way your product can enhance their life
- How they might relax or have fun using your product
In addition, by carefully choosing the shoot location, props, and models you also get to create imagery targeted to attract your target market!
Get these images right and you are quickly showing customers that would potentially buy from you, why they should choose you. Why? Because you understand what your target market needs or wants!
What is your process as an Amazon Photographer for planning and researching a photoshoot?
Most people think I just turn up at my studio with the products and shoot, but there is so much time and research that goes into product photography to get it right for you!
Here is the usual procedure I go through before I have even stepped onto my studio…
- Review clients’ existing imagery to see if anything is usable and access what needs to be done.
- Get to know the client’s brand and target market. I can only create imagery that appeals to the customer if I understand who they are trying to attract.
- Read the clients brief fully so I understand exactly what is required.
- Research competitors to see what they are doing.
- Create a mood board by researching imagery online using Google and Pinterest.
- Discuss the mood board with the client to understand what imagery they like and don’t like (The “don’t” likes are just as important as the “do” likes!)
- Decide on if the shoot would be better in the studio, on location or a combination of both.
- Research suitable locations if required and book them for the shoot.
- Assist client with booking models and organizing model release forms. Does the client need to hire professional models or can we find an alternative solution?
- Prop research and purchasing! Getting the right products that are of good quality (this really can make or break a shoot).
Why you need to invest in an Amazon Photographer
As you can see, Eleanor takes the time to understand who you are as a business and what makes people passionate about your products, with a tried and tested process so clients get killer imagery every time.
Outside of Amazon, Santos Photography specialises in commercial & corporate event photography. Although a Norwich based photographer, Eleanor is happy to travel anywhere in the world.
The Santos Photography studio is close to Norwich Airport, but Santos Photography offers a mobile pro photography studio that can reach you onsite at your business premises. Contact Eleanor at info@santosphotography.co.uk or on her LinkedIn page.
At Sell Beyond, we help businesses transform their Amazon sales every day. How do we do that?
“We signal to buyers with compelling product images, lifestyle images, pictures of models interacting with the product and infographics. Photography done well for Amazon is an investment that makes a massive impact on Amazon traffic to your product page, and improves your Amazon conversion rates.”
Heloise Finch – Sell Beyond CEO
Get in touch to see how we can put your products in the Amazon spotlight. Call 01206 899020 or email info@sell-beyond.com to arrange an informal Amazon coffee and chat on Zoom.