Stock image via Dreamstime.com

Photography is an excellent marketing strategy to improve your product sales, especially on a site like Etsy that sells unique and antique items. Good and aesthetic photography will entice a buyer to click on the product listing. A few important tips can be applied to create beautiful and eye-catching photographs to attract more buyers and thereby increase sales.

A simple background to help highlight the product

The number of views and subsequent sales are hugely dependent on the first photo that you provide with the listing. It is necessary to make sure that the product shines in these photos. The background shouldn’t compete with the product, which is why it is recommended to choose a simple background. Wood or white backgrounds are mostly preferred by Etsy sellers. Both of these are great choices.

Even though a lot of products follow the same pattern in photography, it is not necessary to use the same in your photographs. Photographs made using out-of-the-box ideas like using fabrics, wallpapers, metal, or scrapbook paper to accentuate your product will also make it attractive.

You can also experiment with a number of backgrounds and choose the one that suits your product best and is appropriate for your brand image. Decorative and beautifying items can be added to the photograph to make it look striking and unique. But all this should be done in such a way that the product takes center stage.

The product should not be overshadowed by embellishments. It is also preferable to keep the first photograph devoid of many decorations, as it will give a cluttered feeling. Similarly, avoid taking product photographs while they are placed on floors, even if the photographs appear attractive on floors. People always neglect buying things kept on others’ floors.

Design a cohesive and harmonious look for the shop

It is always beneficial to create a consistent style for your products. This will help you to create a brand image and gather loyal customers in the process. It is crucial to have a similar first photograph for all your products in the shop. This will give a harmonious look to all the products that you have listed.

You should always use photographs as a tool to improve your brand image and they should resonate with the brand values. Branding your products appropriately will help a lot in the long run.

Using natural lighting

Good lighting is crucial to creating amazing photographs. Photographs should always be bright and clear and have a natural look to them. This can be easily achieved by using natural light. It is advisable not to use artificial light or harsh flashes. Beautiful and clear photos can be taken beside windows or doors or even outside, like on a porch or under the shade of a tree or building. Even though natural light is good, direct sunlight should be avoided since it can be too harsh. Homemade reflectors like white foam boards can be utilized to bounce natural light onto those sides of the product that are in too much shadow.

Show scale, quality, and function

For each product, you can upload up to 10 photographs. All these photographs should be taken in such a way that they show your product as the best to the buyer. Some important points should be kept in mind:

Buyers always like to know the size of the product they are buying. A photo can show the scale by placing the product near a common object.

The photographs should show the quality, texture, and detail of your products. This can be done by taking close-up photos. Photos can be taken at various angles so that the buyers can see more details.

Photographs that show the function of your products can also help attract more buyers. These photos will give people an idea of the functionality of the product and how it will look in their homes.

It is also important to note that quality always comes before quantity. It is not necessary to upload 10 photos for each product. Rather, photographs that are clear and give a good perspective to the buyer are necessary. You should also avoid uploading very similar photographs.

Simple editing

Editing photographs is always a bit tricky since it is difficult to decide where and how to start. There is also the danger of over-editing the photograph. It is advisable to keep the editing process simple. Adjust exposure elements like brightness and contrast and make the photograph sharp. Also, edit slowly to avoid over-editing.

Hence, photography can be used as a good medium to promote your products on Etsy and build your brand.