This is when consumers worldwide become eager to shop, laser-focused on finding the best deals, and tend to make quick purchase decisions.
This is a high-stakes time, and while your brand must consistently be attractive and error-free across various touchpoints like landing pages, apps, and more, your product images are what will cinch the deal by capturing their attention.
But with the flurry of campaigns you need to send as a marketer, it is easy to lose sight of consistency and quality.
So, if you’re wondering how you can create high-converting Black Friday product pics that go beyond just standing out, you’re going to love this guide.
A typical online shopper may exhibit certain common traits, but the Black Friday shopper has specific filters they’re browsing and adding to cart with.
Let’s take a look at the main traits to remember while designing any product picture during BFCM:
Black Friday shoppers are eager to find great products, deals, and brands. As a result, they tend to make more impulse purchases.
This means when a shopper sees any creative or product picture of your product, they should feel drawn to it and feel the nudge to buy.
During this time, they’re on the hunt for deals. Shoppers want to see the discounts and offers upfront and center.
You need to incorporate these elements directly onto your Black Friday product images, whether it’s overlaying "50% Off" "Buy One Get One Free," or anything that aligns with your shopper’s mindset.
Your visual imagery not only highlights the deal but also builds your product’s value in their eyes.
While the typical pop culture visuals associated with BFCM may be of people teeming around a physical store, scrambling to find what they’re looking for and prepping for long lines at the billing counter, the reality is a bit different.
A significant chunk of Black Friday shopping happens on mobile devices, and as a result, your images must be optimized for smaller screens.
Think clear images, details visible on a variety of devices, and legible text overlays.
Deals do not mean they will be okay with poor product quality. Black Friday shoppers expect high value for their money.
They want to feel like they are getting a premium product for a discounted price, which your images should highlight.
Visual imagery needs to suggest it’s worth more than what they’re paying.
Impulsive buys during BFCM happen because shoppers now decide to buy something quickly, even if they are comparing multiple products.
As a result, they usually respond better to high-converting Black Friday product photos that are clear, detailed, and easy to understand within seconds or a quick glance.
Black Friday shoppers are bombarded with offers through emailers, push notifications, in-app banners, product images, social media creatives, paid ads, and more.
To get their attention, visual appeal is key, be it through bold colors, sharp contrasts, or engaging elements like text overlays.
The more engaging your image, the more likely a shopper will stop scrolling past.
FOMO is a powerful emotion during BFCM sales.
Shoppers don’t want to miss out on a great deal, and your product images can ensure they don’t.
They will notice limited stock or time-sensitive offers that are usually mentioned within the image or creative.
Despite the rush, Black Friday shoppers will compare products, read reviews, and hunt for the best deals before the big day.
If a product image is informative and detailed, showcasing features and benefits that set your product apart from the competition, it will make a strong impression.
With such a frenzy, the last thing they want to experience is friction.
They will love stores where browsing and purchasing are seamless, with the information they use to make decisions easy to access and answer potential queries.
BFCM online shoppers are always aware of any trendy product category that’s going viral.
They like feeling like they can purchase something current and desirable, and their attention, as a result, will stray to trendy product images and visuals.
It’s clear that to stand out to Black Friday shoppers, your product images are often the first—and often the only—interaction they have with your product before purchasing.
Here’s why they are so critical:
Online shoppers rely heavily on visual cues. 93% of consumers say that visual imagery is usually the key deciding factor when deciding whether they want to place an order.
High-impact Black Friday product photography will improve every touchpoint in your buyer’s journey, from browsing to checkout.
Poor-quality images will erode trust before it even has the chance to build, and lead to higher bounce rates, whereas well-crafted visuals will boost your brand’s positive perception.
When users feel confident they know exactly what they are buying, a fear heightened for online shoppers, your conversions will increase during BFCM.
When you incorporate both product and lifestyle images, you can tell a story and help your customers envision their lives with that item.
This way, you not only showcase your product, but you enhance their entire shopping experience, making it a thing of joy and delight.
When your store and app display consistent, high-quality product photographs, it reinforces your brand identity.
This way, whether it’s on social media, emailers, or your website/app, your images will instantly remind your audience about your brand's values and aesthetics.
So what kind of images can accomplish the advantages we listed above?
Let’s take a look:
Think high-resolution images that are clear and detailed.
Your shoppers want to see the product in all its glory—every stitch, texture, and color.
Your product shots need to allow interested shoppers to zoom in and explore the product’s details while conveying professionalism and quality so that it reassures them that what they see online is what they’ll receive.
Poor-quality images, on the other hand, increase distrust and lead to lost sales.
Proper lighting is essential in making your product stand out.
When your product shots look bright and have even lighting that eliminates shadows, you can truly highlight the product’s features.
Good lighting in imagery also helps set the mood and enhances your product’s appeal, increases trust, and makes them feel comfortable that they’re shopping from a reputable brand.
Dim lighting or settings that cast shadows on the product will obscure important details and can leave shoppers frustrated or disappointed if the reality doesn’t match their expectations.
A clean, neutral background keeps the focus on the product and also minimizes distractions, directing the viewer’s attention to the product. Textures, colors, and unique design elements also stand out more clearly.
Simplicity makes it easier for them to assess your product’s features and benefits without any competing elements.
When you use a neutral background across all your product images, you can create a consistent and professional look throughout your online store.
It also makes post-production editing easier.
Your product shots should include various angles so that interested shoppers get a comprehensive view and make them feel more confident in their purchase.
Close-up shots of key features or textures that might not be visible from a distance are great to include in your product gallery.
Don’t forget to include shots that show color options.
Showcasing your product in a context that appeals to your target market creates an immediate connection.
Besides just using plain and simple backgrounds, your set-up also significantly impacts the conversion rate.
Context-based imagery, where products are shown in real-life scenarios, helps shoppers envision your product seamlessly fitting into their lives.
In the previous section, we shared what types of images are great for CRO-focused product shots.
Now let’s narrow it down further so that your visual language takes on a tone that signals to shoppers that a product is included in the Black Friday sale.
Keep in mind to include the below for BFCM:
Using bold colors like black, red, and gold will help your product images stand out to BFCM shoppers.
Not only are they eye-catching, but they also bring a feeling of urgency and exclusivity, which aligns well with Black Friday.
Use them well to highlight key offers like "50% Off" or "Limited Time Only," but make sure the text is legible and doesn’t overpower the product itself.
You need to ensure the balance between the text and the product photo is managed well and helps maintain focus on what you’re selling.
Remember our point about incorporating lifestyle contextual shots?
By adding subtle Black Friday or holiday-themed props, you can build on the festive atmosphere.
Think of gift boxes, ribbons, or even some holiday lights in the background!
Remember, it’s not just about your visual tone; you also need to create a bank of images that are appropriate for all the platforms and marketplaces your brand is reaching BFCM shoppers on.
Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind:
For such places, you need to ensure that your images are compressed to load quickly without sacrificing quality.
A slow-loading image will frustrate shoppers and lead to higher bounce rates.
Social media platforms also require images tailored to their specific dimensions and features.
For example, you can include multiple angles of your product via a carousel on Instagram or create a slideshow ad on Facebook to tell a story.
Platform-specific optimization will increase the impact of your product images because most importantly, it ensures nothing about the image gets cropped out or is missing.
Your Black Friday photography for sales email campaigns will perform better if they feature optimized, attention-grabbing images.
Remember, your goal is to entice a user and turn their browsing into shopping.
Now that we've covered the basics, let's check out advanced strategies that can take your Black Friday product photography and overall conversion rates to the next level:
Leveraging AI-powered tools can take your Black Friday product pics to the next level and boost conversions.
Here are the key advantages:
It’s the age of video, and Instagram reels and TikTok videos are a testament to that.
Cinemagraphs or short, looping videos are currently everywhere because they are a very engaging way to showcase key product features or even an unboxing vlog.
When your visual content is eye-catching and also memorable, you increase the likelihood of conversion.
Remember, your branding needs to reflect that you understand your target audience really well.
Utilize your customer data and create personalized product images, like showing them in contexts and lifestyle set-ups that make the product feel more relevant to the shopper.
Black Friday sales are the very spirit of competition, and you need to have high-quality and strategically designed product photos to stand out.
By understanding your brand’s ideal shopper mindset, adding Black Friday product photo strategies, and ensuring they are optimized for different platforms, you can create product images that drive conversions.
Here’s a final tip to get you started: Start preparing your product shots well in advance. This way, you get enough time to test and optimize so that your eCommerce store is ready to capitalize on Black Friday sales.
Remember, in the fast-paced world of BFCM, every second—and every image—counts.
We know it can get overwhelming and confusing to handle such a scale of image creation, and we’ve built a tool just to help brands like you stay on top of your product photography workflow.
Our DoMyShoot app and dashboard is a comprehensive AI-driven solution that helps you create stunning product photos and other creatives during BFCM.
Here’s how we can help:
Ready to get ready for BFCM 2024? Check out DoMyShoot here!
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