How to Choose Images for Your Business Website

As they say, a picture says a thousand words. While what those words are may not be known exactly, the tone of the image can certainly dictate the interpreted language. That’s why it is important to consider any photographs for a business website. However, it is not just the message of the photo you need to consider. Knowing how many, what sizes and where to place photos is also key to designing a beautiful, functional and user friendly website. Here’s a few tips to consider when selecting images.
Purpose of Photos on a Website
Photographs are a great way to inform consumers of your products and services, but they have other functions as well. They break up the words, allowing for a more pleasant user experience. They also have SEO benefits, which we’ll talk more about below. While there are many benefits of photographs on a website, using too many, or not enough, or the wrong sized images, can harm the site’s look and usability.
Number of Images
There is no perfect number for images, it’s more about finding a balance that works for your site. If you sell lots of products and need images of them, you’re going to have more photos than a site based on services rendered. Just consider the fact that too many pictures and the site can feel busy, pushing users away. On the other hand, not enough and the site may feel word heavy. Working with a small business web designer, such as the team at MORBiZ, will ensure that balance is found.
Shapes and Sizes of Images
Different areas of the website will require different shapes and sizes of pictures. For example, your home page banners should be at least 1600 pixels across to ensure a crisp appearance on most screens, 2000 pixels is even better if available. Your interior and content images should be at least 500 x 500 pixels, although 700 or higher will offer a much better appearance.
Hidden Language
Utilizing ALT text for images will enhance SEO, while also allowing a proper image description to show up if the image doesn’t load for some reason. Ultimately ALT text is a key factor for search engines as they generate search results, so make sure it offers accurate context of the picture. This language is also beneficial for those with sight issues who use reading applications to understand the content of a website.
Can’t Choose? Consider a Gallery Page
If you have many images to choose from and you just don’t want to let them go, whether you believe they are vital to the customer experience or showcase your business’ skills, employees or otherwise, a gallery page is a great way to go. Adding a gallery to a website prevents the overuse of images elsewhere, while ensuring you get to share content that the world deserves to see!
At MORBiZ,
we develop sites that implement beautiful imagery in a manner that benefits usability, SEO and overall appearance. If you’d like to learn more about how our team of small business Internet marketers build websites, give us a call at
855-266-7249 or use this contact form. Our web presence professionals would be happy to answer any questions you may have about the use of images or other site content.










