Everything that goes into your landing page is strategically chosen, and this holds true, especially for images. Choosing professional images for landing pages makes up a big factor in user experience.
Images are an essential component of any landing page. And guess what – they are the first element you get to see.
According to research, our brain function is responsible for this. The human mind identifies and processes visual data 60,000 faster than text which makes visual data pop out. This makes sense considering that 90 percent of the information we receive is visual – through our eyes. 10 remaining percent is divided between the rest of our senses.
Based on such findings, it is easy to understand how images stay longer in our memory. This leads to the creation of long-lasting impressions.
And, long-lasting impressions are the kind of experiences every course creator wants to associate their business with.
So what kind of images should you look for when creating your course landing page to make it look professional?
This article shares a couple of suggestions on the criteria for choosing images that can enhance the power of your brand and increase the conversion rate of your landing page.
1. Come up with a compelling hero image
Your hero image – the large web banner image that goes on the top center of your page, needs to be spot-on. Failing to choose a good one or presenting it in the wrong way can drive people from your website.
A hero image’s purpose is to give an overview of the page’s content and welcome people to your site. To use it effectively, you need to make the hero image a part of your branding message. It has to guide prospects toward the action you want them to take.
An excellent way to do this is by organizing the elements of the image in a way so that they are visually directing people to the point of action e.g. call to action (CTA).
TakeCareOf, a company selling vitamins and supplements has created an attractive arrangement of the visual elements it had to work with. Here the copy is positioned at the very center of the image. This gives the impression that the image was made for the copy and vice versa.
The copy surrounded by the elements of the image (see flowers, bottle, and glass) create an invincible triangle ending with the CTA.
In this hero image, the image is working as a nice background image that supports the copy and helps the CTA ‘Take the Quiz’ stand out with a bright color.
Another important element here is the hand we see on the right corner that reaches out for the product. It makes it obvious right away what this company offers.
2. Choose professional images for landing pages that spark desirable emotions
Did you know? Emotional images have the power to influence people more than emotional words.
Images that evoke certain emotions have a bigger impact on the viewer and have the potential to drive them towards taking certain desirable actions like becoming your email subscriber or enrolling in a course.
When used for marketing purposes, emotions vary from happiness to sadness and may include anger, surprise, fear, or even disgust. So it really depends on what type of emotion you want to create with your image.
A safe move when choosing images is to always go with the ones that transmit positive emotions.
For example, an image that shows a person or a group of people smiling indicates that your product – your course, can make them feel the same way.
One of the world’s most famous life coaches, Tony Robbins, is using this technique on his own website and seems to be working in favor of the results coaching program he offers.
All images Tony Robbins uses on his page are emotion and results-based showing success in different aspects of a person’s life.
Pick an image that makes it easy to understand how beneficial it would be for them to join your course
- A course on becoming a better leader can show a successful and confident man in a suit winning a promotion.
- Relationship-building courses can show people hanging out, laughing, and having a good time.
- A course on learning how to garden can show a woman taking good care of her vegetable garden.
The goal here is to tell a success story using your images. With a convincing scenario, you will be able to show people that you are able to provide the solution they are looking for.
JumpStory has a massive selection of high-performing images of real people and emotions which makes it easy for you to find the ones that match your criteria.
3. Look for high-contrasting images
According to conversion rate, almost 85 percent of buyers say that color is the primary reason for purchasing a product. This means that it cannot go unnoticed.
Warm, bright, and inviting colors can be effective, but if you want to make a bold statement, you need to invest in high-contrasting images.
Based on color theory, contrast helps to reduce eyestrain and drives the focus of a person’s attention to a specific item that you want to bring out, whether this is a headline, your key message, or the CTA.
An excellent example of using color effectively is Happify, which has a simple sky image that works along with orange-colored CTAs making them stand out.
Happify’s landing page, reminds us that when it comes to design, less is more.
4. Select images that show the human face
Different studies find that images that show human faces can make a website more appealing. This is because they are more personalized and easy to identify with. The human element creates a sense of emotional connection and builds on the factors of empathy, warmth, and trust.
Masterclass knows this too well and their landing page uses images from successful people that are already well-established role models. This is an effective strategy considering that they are also the main protagonists of the product they are offering.
The company presents images of famous people working on their craft focusing on the human perspective that sparks the desire and instills the inspiration to become just like them.
Hover over their website to find out what and how they are doing it.
5. Make use of illustrations
Illustrations are not out of fashion just yet and can be a great asset to your high-converting landing page. Instead of a photo, include graphics or illustrations to present visual references that help you support your selling point.
Illustrations are great especially when the product you are selling is not tangible e.g. a foreign language course.
Live Lingua, an online language school, is using an illustration creatively to show two people talking in Spanish.
The illustration helps to set the scene and makes it perfectly clear what this page is about.
6. Take awesome photos of your community
Ideally, the best images are custom-made – the ones that your web designer creates for you. Why? Because they are unique, original, and authentic.
Get a professional designer to prepare a selection of photos that show you – the course creator, your students, and your community. This should help give an insight into what you do and help them understand why you are doing it.
Learning Liaisons, a school that prepares you for the FTCE – Florida Teacher Certification Exam, is using a hero image complied with photos of their successful students holding their certifications.
Not only it shows that the courses this school offers have actual value – since they can actually help students get certified, but it also draws attention to the vibrant community the school has created for them.
Customer photos like these work great with testimonials and can increase social proof which can give your site visitors another reason to get in touch with you.
As you can see, the visual presentation is at the center of every marketing initiative. And honestly, why shouldn’t it be?
Images play a significant role in the decision of people to opt-in as they help them build trust and relate with your brand. As such, every image you select needs to be working in congruence with your goals and the value proposition you offer.
In the end, images will present what you need to say about your course business. Make sure it counts!
