When you put together good product pages, you have to do a lot of work. The thing that will make the difference between a sale and people leaving is how they look.

A high-quality picture or video is important, but what does that mean? And how can you get it done without a lot of money? It's in this chapter that we go over the basics of how to start making visual content and what you need to do.

How to take good pictures of products

In the beginning, think about how you want your project to look. If you're happy with how your products look and feel, you can keep them the same across different types of products. For many brands, this isn't a bad thing at all. Taking simple photos of just one thing on a white background is as difficult for many people as it gets. The things that people expect and what they are used to.

As soon as you figure out what you want, it's time to start.

Step 1: It's time to get your tools together!

If you want high-quality photos, you don't need a lot of equipment. I bet you have at least one thing in your pocket or purse.

We'll compare smartphone cameras to high-end digital SLR cameras.

In order to take good pictures, you don't need to spend a lot of money on a camera called a DSLR. A lot of smartphones now have cameras that are just as good, if not better, than those found in professional-level cameras. Do not worry about having to buy a new camera for Samsung and iPhone users because they already have one.

Tripod

In order to get a good picture with a tripod, you can't do it without one. You can also reduce shakiness and blur by using a tripod. This will help you to build a style for your photography that is the same in terms of composition and viewpoint.

Step 2: Putting together the parts of your photo shoot

Before the photo shoot, there are a few important decisions that must be made.

Natural light vs. studio lights

There isn't a one-size-fits-all lighting method. It's up to you whether you want to use studio lighting or natural lighting, which comes from the sun. Take into account the following:

• If your product doesn't have a lot of detail or if you want to show your goods in a certain setting, natural light is better than artificial lighting. In this way, a volleyball can be shown on a beach. You can use a model or sail over a net to do this. It's important to think about natural light when you use models. They will look their best when they are in that light.
• Studio lighting, which is also called "hard" lighting, is good for taking pictures of small or intricate things like jewelry because it makes the subject look clearer in the pictures. If your products are small, you might want to buy a cheap lightbox so that you can get the studio look in a smaller space.
  
  

Props

In terms of props, more is better; less is better. Keep in mind that your goal is to get people to look at the item. It doesn't make sense to use props to take a picture of just one thing. If you want to make your images stand out, you can add a little color and use objects to help customers see how they'll use a product in your images.

Background

When you use the "sweep," which is a white backdrop that moves easily between vertical and horizontal surfaces, you can quickly make a white background. A table or chair and a lot of white paper are all you need to do this. If you're a beginner and don't have a lot of money, this is a good way to take pictures.

Step 3: Take your photos

After the meeting is set up, it's time to start taking pictures.

Photographs should be put in frames.

Keep in mind the thirds rule. Make nine equal parts in your picture frame. This is where a viewer's eyes will naturally go, so frame your goods so that they hit these intersection points. This word is more relevant than the one above.

Take a lot of pictures.

The number of images you think you need is not a good rule of thumb. When a customer wants to see everything they can, they should be able to see it.

Step 4: Make changes to your photos

It's a common myth among new photographers that they can edit their way to better pictures. That's not true. It should be the only goal of editing to finish off images. Also, don't use filters, which can change the look of your product and make customers less happy with your products. A customer might write a bad review if, for example, the color of the product is different from the picture because you used a filter.

Apple Photos, Microsoft Photos, and GIMP are all free programs that can help you make changes to your photos. Adobe Photoshop Elements, on the other hand, is expensive (Adobe Photoshop). Some people don't need a lot of expensive editing software if they're taking good pictures.

There are a lot more people who use YouTube than there are who use Google. Video is what people want.

Video content is very good for people who shop.

People who have looked at research say that product videos are still one of the best ways to market your business.

• It's likely that most people have seen an explainer film to learn more about a certain product or service.
• More than 84% of people say that watching videos from a brand's website made them more likely to buy a product or service from them.
• Consumers who watched a video convinced 74% of them to buy or download a piece of computer software or a program.

In terms of how many people visit the web, YouTube is only second to Google. There is a good reason for this. People want to watch videos.

Types of product marketing videos

In order to get people to buy your product, there are three types of videos you should look into:

• Product demo: This is what you'd call a tour of the product's features and benefits.
• Tutorial: Check out how your product works in the real world by taking a look at it with your own hands! This could show you how to put something together, how to use it, and more.
• Testimonial: Testimonials from people who have used the product and how it helped them to do well.

With these five tips, you can make a great video for your product

A few things to keep in mind, whether you're filming on a smartphone in your office or in a studio with real people:

Keep the length of your videos short.

Because people have short attention spans, it's important to get to the point. It's a good idea to keep your product videos no longer than two minutes in length.

The best way to get people's attention right away is to make them want to

It's important to have a hook in the first few seconds of your video that will make the viewer want to stay and watch. If it's a joke, it could be an animation, or it could be a text overlay that shows up on top of another thing.

Tell a story

Show off a product from start to finish if you're going to do it. To write a script, you need to think of a good story.

Create an engaging thumbnail

A lot of people don't think to make these things, which is bad. To get better quality, use a still picture instead of a screenshot. Also, write a title that makes it clear what the video is all about.

Captions or subtitles should be added

Most Facebook videos are watched with the sound turned off, but you may not have known this fact. During work or at the grocery store, people turn off the sound. People all over the world watch videos, so if you want them to have an impact on them, you should add captions to your videos.

Summary

It doesn't matter if you make the products yourself or hire someone like By Association Only to do them for you. Make sure they look good. Put as much work into promoting your products as you did into making them.