Lifestyle photography can bring a product or service to life and demonstrate its relevance to the shopper instantly. The image of the baby bag at a family picnic quickly telegraphs how easy it is to enjoy an outing now that all your gear is neatly in tow.
“(78% of) online shoppers want products to be brought to life with images.” (BigCommerce)
Showing a consumer using your product helps the browsing shopper quickly imagine themselves in the scene. It creates an emotional context while also conveying practical information like how large a product is and just how it should be used.
Here’s a quick definition of lifestyle photography from Shopify:
“Lifestyle photography shows your products being used in an artistic manner by your target market in their natural state. Also referred to as candid shots, this style of ecommerce photography helps online shoppers see your products used in a model’s day to day life.”
In short, lifestyle photography is key to giving shoppers enough information to purchase your product online.
Here are the important benefits to lifestyle photography:
Whether you are selling a coffee machine, a skin moisturizer, or a baby backpack, consumers need to know how the product works, how easy or complicated it is and whether they will be confident using that product. In the move to eCommerce, buyers infrequently have the luxury of holding a product in their hands in store before making the purchase.
One reason brands use seven visuals to illustrate a product in a marketplace like Amazon is to ensure they communicate just how it works and this almost always includes lifestyle images.
Think about the top selling features of your product. You may have a long list of features yet try to focus on the top 2-3. Is it the burr grinder in the coffee machine? The secret pocket for diapers in the baby bag? How can you have a human - someone that represents your customer - demonstrating those features?
Some products can be complex to use or at least that’s the perception people have. You can use video to show how easy it is for a regular person like them to make a killer cup of fresh brewed coffee in just a few minutes. Err on the side of simple instructions or a quick demonstration. The goal is to communicate how easy it is and help them imagine themselves doing it and reaping the benefits of those special features.
Lifestyle visuals can also communicate important information about scale and just how big a product is. Showing the baby bag draped over mom or dad’s shoulder quickly clarifies its size.
“75% of consumers will return a product if the image displayed doesn’t match the product received” (The Only Stats You Need - KittyKat)
Across most product categories, emotion drives the purchase decision.
“70% of decisions are based on emotional factors and only 30% are based on rational factors.” (Gallup)
Products in the hands of moms or at the center of a festive dinner party or in the grip of a smiling child, all convey emotion. Compare that to the stark image of your product on a flat white background. People make the difference.
Lifestyle visuals capture a product in action and tell a story through images. This storytelling approach helps the shopper imagine themselves in the scene with the product in their own hands. The right lifestyle image can help your customer imagine success and the satisfaction of owning and using your product.
Being a parent of a newborn or small child is stressful. Going out in public such as having a family picnic in a public park can be a happy experience or the opposite if you’re not prepared to manage the many moods of a child. We created this image of a baby backpack in a picnic setting with smiling baby and mom via our Assisted Artificial Intelligence™ process. That’s a happy scene many moms would love to experience, and now the product is closely associated with that positive emotional moment.
Marketers can build trust with shoppers by sharing visuals with people using a product and it’s even better if those people are real people like content creators who show how the product fits into their lifestyles. We have more than 500 KittyKat Creators in our network - real people who engage with client products and services. Lifestyle visuals from these content creators goes a long way to strengthening trust.
Customers can gauge a lot about a brand simply through their visuals. Lifestyle photography invites shoppers in to engage with your brand and be part of the lifestyle you represent.
Lifestyle product photography is an extremely efficient tool for articulating your brand’s personality. The style, settings and models you decide to use, will largely dictate how your brand is perceived. By implementing a consistent visual theme, consumers will be able to grasp the values of your brand and connect with its personality.
Showing people engaging with your product, mastering how it works and having a great time are key to converting shoppers to buyers. Less of an option, lifestyle images and videos are a ‘must have’ for most brands. Think about your product or service and how you can bring it to life for shoppers by putting the product in the lives of consumers like them.
