Five Must-Have Image Types for Your Product Gallery
The secret behind exploding your Amazon listing conversion rates
We are expert Amazon photographers, and the content we create boosts our clients' conversion rates by an average of 29%.*
*We’ve developed over 1000 top-performing Amazon listings and analyzed the results. In most cases, our clients see a sales increase of 30% to 40%, with some products experiencing sales growth in the hundreds of percent. Even when a product is of similar or worse quality, compared to competitors, sales typically rise by about 15%.
In this article, we’ll unveil the five must-have image types that top-performing Amazon listings rely on to drive sales. We’ll show you real examples and dive into the psychology behind why these images make shoppers click “Buy Now.”
If your listing is missing even one of these essential images, you could be leaving money on the table. Fix it fast and watch your conversion rates skyrocket!
The most effective Amazon product gallery images
We identify 5 must-have types of images to feature in your Amazon listing:
- Infographics
- Lifestyle images
- Photos with props and styling
- Closeups
- Images showing size, scale, and components
From our experience, combining these five image types is one of the most reliable ways to turn your listing into a powerful selling tool. When used together, they enhance your product’s appeal, engage potential buyers, and drive more conversions.
Prompting shoppers to make quick decisions
The thing with these images is that they appeal to so-called System 1 thinking. This concept from behavioral economics has been suggested by Daniel Kahneman in his famous 2011 book Thinking, Fast and Slow. System 1 is about fast, intuitive responses that one doesn’t really have to give thought to. And that’s what you want to happen in your listing: every message should be as clear and straightforward as possible so that the shoppers don’t need to activate System 2 to think hard and analyze.
Why these five?
Other image types that can work for your listing might include before-and-after shots, customer-generated content, packaging photos, comparison tables, images upselling other products you have, about-the-brand, testimonials from happy customers, and images with complex visual effects.
But for this article, we’re focusing on the 5 must-have types that any listing can benefit from saleswise. The other types may or may not be suitable for you depending on your product, while these 5 are absolutely indispensable.
No.1
Infographics: Smart photography for Amazon products
Amazon infographic is unmatchable in grabbing your customers’ attention and interest. There are at least 4 reasons why it can improve your listing’s performance.
People spend more time looking at infographics
It takes an online shopper about 3 times as long to move on from an infographics Amazon image compared to a regular one. As they’re going through the visually organized info, you’re getting your chance to tell more about the strongest benefits of your product.
Remember that attention is your currency here: you want to use every opportunity to make your potential customer stop and consider your product for a little longer.
People understand visuals better
The human brain processes visuals much faster than text. That’s why infographics on Amazon sing. They pack a punch, delivering the lowdown on your product’s perks without the yawn factor.
Think of it like a visual espresso shot for your listing—quick, potent, and memorable. It’s all about giving shoppers the scoop in a blink, making your product the star at first sight. After all, when you’re in the Amazon jungle, it’s the eye candy that grabs the spotlight.
So, if you have a lot of good things to say about your product and its advantages over similar ones, you need to show it, not write it.
Infographics are, well, more informative
Infographics are the striking combos of visual marketing. While it’s a good strategy sometimes to present the benefits of your products one by one, it’s also effective to arrange the main ones in a single image. These are by far the most converting images you can get.
Infographics become conversion magnets through straight-to-the-point icons, charts, and punchy slogans that highlight the features your audience must value most, whether it’s durability, efficiency, aesthetics, or something else.
Infographics can explain your product better
Amazon infographics can be educational tools. If your product is complex or innovative, break down how it works or the technology behind it.
The thing to remember here is that you’re providing value, not just selling a product. That’s a crucial distinction in the mind of the modern consumer. If the value isn’t immediately obvious, we can employ infographics to help your audience understand it and convince them that your product is really worth owning.
Mistakes to avoid
Infographics are easy to overdo. The most common mistake is making them overcrowded and hard to read. If you’ve stuffed too much info in one image, your customer is just going to be confused. They won’t be trying to figure it all out. You’ve lost them.
When designing infographics, we use special tricks that work directly on System 1. No small fonts, no overwhelming arrangements, no crowding, no distractions, no contrasting color combinations: we know how to keep it simple and easy to follow.
No.2
Lifestyle: Professional Amazon product photography that tells a story
There are 2 functions of Amazon product lifestyle photography: practical and psychological. The practical function is to show the product being used by people. The psychological function is to paint a picture of a better life that your customer will unlock once they buy the product. Let’s take a closer look at each.
Giving your product a context
Lifestyle photos build a bridge between your product and your customer. Apart from immaculate studio shots, you want to have candid images of someone from your target audience using your product in a real-life situation.
A simple yet powerful benefit of a lifestyle photo is that it shows how big the product is. Besides, you’re conveying usage tips. Show the right way to hold this hair dryer brush against the hair. Show where this skin care cream should be applied. Show how to hang these invisible shelves. Just a quick glance at a good lifestyle image can be a now-I-get-it moment for the shopper.
Building emotional connection
Lifestyle images create a narrative around your product. Whether it’s a pair of running shoes or a chic vase, don’t just show them, but tell their story, too. Let the viewer imagine themselves in the scene, using the product, enjoying its benefits, and enhancing their life.
It’s all about a promise of an improved lifestyle for the buyer. A parent might see an image of a happy kid playing with a toy and envision the joy it will bring to their own child. A fitness enthusiast might see exercise gear in action and feel motivated to achieve their own health goals. By connecting on an emotional level, you’re inviting the viewer into a story where your product is the hero.
Mistakes to avoid
To save your budget, lifestyle images for your listing can be assembled using stock images (or, with some limitations, AI-generated images) and studio photos of your product. It’s way cheaper than arranging actual shoots with models.
But make sure to keep it realistic. A poorly thrown together image can be spotted by today’s savvy consumers a mile away. It takes thorough post-production to ensure authenticity of the composite images.
By the way, at least half of the images in the gallery above are composites. Have you spotted that?
No.3
Photos with props and styling: The art of captivating Amazon product photos
Photos of your product surrounded by props and with some styling applied can easily bring out the best in it. It’s your chance to create a setting that enhances the appeal of your product and communicates its essential features. With props and styling, we add finesse to make your listing entice and intrigue your audience.
Visual Storytelling
With the right props and background, we augment the story behind your product. Styling provides context and adds depth, making whatever you sell more relatable and desirable. A strategically placed coffee cup next to a laptop or a fresh sprig of mint on a luxury towel: these aren’t random objects. They’re calculated decisions, each adding a layer of allure and narrative to your product. They’re the subtle nuances that transform a good image into a magnetic one.
Styling secrets
The art of styling is in the details. It’s about understanding your audience and what appeals to them. It’s about choosing colors, textures, and items that complement and enhance, not overshadow. The goal is to create a visual harmony that draws the eye and stirs interest.
The right props in the frame can also show your product’s ingredients or, say, its sustainability. So think of styling as a way to explain your product to potential buyers and to express your brand values, too.
No.4
Closeups: Indispensable Amazon listing photos
Closeup images reveal the fine details. They are the magnifying glass through which customers scrutinize your product. In the absence of physical touch and examination, these images serve as a tactile substitute, offering a detailed view that reassures and convinces. They’re more than photos: they’re proof of quality and an invitation to trust.
The art of precision
Closeups zoom in on the texture, craftsmanship, and quality that set your product apart. A closeup of the intricate stitching on a leather bag, the vibrant color and detail in a piece of jewelry, or the sleek finish of a tech gadget all show the care, the quality, and the value that went into your product.
But… they capture all the imperfections, too. So make sure your Amazon photographer invests a lot of time and effort in polishing these images so that they’re beautiful yet realistic.
And by the way, that’s where 3D computer-generated images fall short of the required quality. For closeups, we usually prefer real studio photos as 3D renders are not good enough. If there’s no other option, go for 3D, but them make sure that the closeups are flawless.
Zooming in on sales
Closeups build buyer confidence by addressing the unspoken questions about quality and authenticity. By providing a clear, detailed view, we eliminate doubts and create a transparency that today’s experienced consumers expect and appreciate. These images provide the reassurance that turns hesitation into purchase.
No.5
Dimensions and what’s included: Amazon product photos that set clear expectations
You want your images to accurately convey the size of your product and everything that comes with it. There are shoppers on Amazon who love precision, and you need to give them what they want.
The clarity factor
Misunderstandings about the scale can lead to dissatisfaction and returns, damaging your reputation and profits. So consider adding an image of your product next to a common object for scale, a person holding your product, or a photo illustrating different size options. Always add graphics showing exact dimensions in inches or feet. That’s how we allow customers to visualize the product in their space and in their life: it makes the online shopping experience more tangible and more real.
Bottom line
Your Amazon images are your most potent weapons that can do a lot of work. Infographics, lifestyle shots, styled photos, closeups, and scale images are strategic solutions, each playing a critical role in capturing attention and converting interest into sales.
As we deploy these 5 must-have image types in your listing, we help you offer more than your product to your customers: you’re now offering them an experience and a lifestyle, you’re educating them, and you’re introducing your product from all angles, including closeups on the smallest details.
Embrace these visual powerhouses, and watch as the images transform your Amazon presence, turning casual browsers into loyal customers.
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