Studies show that poor quality images reduce CTR by 60%
Recent studies have shown that low-quality images can reduce the click-through rate of a listing by up to 60%. Statistics like this show that visual quality could well be one of the most overlooked elements of digital performance.
In the online world, where users are bombarded with information, images speak a thousand words, but if that image is blurry, generic, poor quality, or irrelevant, users are more likely than not to keep scrolling, even if it’s a product they are interested in buying.
First impressions happen in milliseconds
Various studies have shown that people can form an opinion about something in a matter of milliseconds. Low-quality images not only show a lack of professionalism, but also trustworthiness and credibility. On advertising platforms, users make split-second decisions as to whether or not an advertisement deserves their attention. High-quality images can stand out, and they are also able to evoke emotion.
With algorithms designed to prioritise content that generates engagement, having poor images can also result in you being suppressed by platforms, which will further limit your visibility. For e-commerce sites, the impact is even more profound.
Product images are often the closest substitute for people when they cannot see or touch something, and if your images are low resolution or inconsistent, then a user may hesitate to click through. Image quality isn’t all about having stellar photos either. Sometimes it comes down to the message the image communicates. If this isn’t accurate, then your CTR rate will struggle as well.
Examples of images with good CTR potential
If you want your images to have a good CTR, then it’s not just image quality you need to focus on. You also need to focus on what the image is trying to convey.
Take Snoozeband, for example, a popular Bluetooth sleep mask sold in the UK. The image for the original snoozeband not only shows someone sleeping, but it also shows the buttons on the headband, the positioning of the speakers, and how it’s worn for a side-sleeper. Hence, everything you could want to know about the product is communicated in one clear image.
It’s not just eCommerce that benefits from quality images either. Hulu uses clever shots of scenes shown in their series, with striking fonts and colour combinations to showcase the theme and genre of content, allowing someone to make an instant decision as to whether it’s something they’d be interested in before reading the write-up.
In fields such as iGaming, too, quality images are prevalent. Developers who make slots for UK casinos know how important it is to convey clear information to the end user, since the games so often are about matching images.
This is why titles like Treasures of Kilauea Mega Moolah show not only the the theme of the game, but also the symbols you can expect to see, the layout of the game, and graphics. They do this by taking into account colour theory as well as – you guessed it – pristine vector graphics, to ensure everything is appealing and readable in equal parts.
Examples like this show how it is possible to convey large amounts of information fairly succinctly in a single image in variety of different ways. Nowdays, however, one prerequisite all website developers ought to put a big focus on is image quality. Those who don’t will almost certainly fall behind.
