Jaswinder Singh
As we interact with a virtual world where customers and vendors have no apparent contact, the role of visual content is indispensable. Then how do we go about it?
Words do create pen pictures. However, they are not sufficient to understand products. The combination of mere words also makes the viewer or reader bored and lose interest. As such, there is an extreme need to have images of products. The images used play a vital role in customers buying decisions. E-commerce sites are loaded with images.
This affects the speed of a site. Thus the first challenge for organizations is to make images easily accessible without slowing the page loading speed.
People nowadays are highly mobile. As such usage of mobiles and tablets for browsing sites while traveling has gone up many folds. Thus even a delay of a second can cost fortunes to the company.
E-commerce sites that are desirous of regular hits and customer conversion have to judiciously use images and words combination. This calls for image optimization - It is a process of making image distinctly visible for the user as well fit the search keywords. These images use less of bandwidth thus loading the contents faster. Such images contribute immensely towards the performance of sites.
Let us proceed understanding hurdles and ways to overcome then.
Users normally wait for a 3-5 second for the site to load. Heavy files slow down the speed. It is, therefore, essential to reducing the size of the file which will enhance loading rate. If image reduction is not feasible, offer small images with “click to view large option”.
The description or file name should be comprehensible. Experts of field advice using names that can define an image or its purpose. Thus facilitating Search engines to figure out what image and site are all about. This helps it in raising position higher. Incomprehensible file names will only lower positioning and turn away the visitor. Use hyphen while writing image file name. Avoid using underscore.
An ALT tag is important to step. Right ALT tag increase scope for up crawling, higher ranking and better visibility in searches.
The e-commerce site owners should refrain from using images from other sites. Your images should be unique and original. This helps in image building exercise with customers.
The images can be in JPG, PNG or GIF format. Use right format as each has its own relevance. JPG is most commonly used. It can be easily compressed. Also, it does not loose quality in small file size. GIF can be used for decorative images and site icons. PNG are bigger than JPG in size. These images support more colors than GIF and retain quality in reserves.
If your site is having many images providing a good site map is highly recommendable
If the images are not designed and sized properly they may decrease your image optimization. Search engines have their own algorithms. Images not fitting the fare tend to get a lower ranking. The visitors lose interest and switch to more easily accessible sites.
The entire process to attract the reader and sustain their interest be driven by the principle of high quality and relevant images to contents.
These tips will certainly enhance visual appeal for the visitor, generate interest in site act as virtual product and boost your sale.
RW Infotech is a team of young web designers, developer, digital marketers and UI/UX experts. Images are tools that give feel of your product and needs to be with precision.