Like most of us, you probably spend a considerable amount of time and effort into creating compelling content for your readers. Real estate websites and blogs live and die by their SEO performance, and fresh content is one of the ingredients that can help your site gain traction with search engines. But getting visitors to your website is just half the battle. Once they arrive, you need to immediately capture their attention. And the best way to achieve this is with attractive photos and graphics, compelling headlines and of course, interesting content.
This article assumes that your content is best of breed. You know the real estate industry and have a good grasp on what topics your audience want to read about. I will also assume that you’ve put time and effort into crafting headlines that entices your visitors to read your content. But what about graphics and photos? Have you put much thought into those assets and the impact they might have on your bounce rate?
Let’s face it, as a species we’re visual creatures. Our eyes are immediately attracted to strong visual elements. And it’s those visual elements that form the very first impression people have of your website, therefore it’s important to carefully choose what real estate stock photos you’ll be using in your site design and blog posts. It’s also important to ensure that you have the necessary rights to publish the photos and graphics you’ve selected in order to avoid legal issues down the road.
Stock photography sites offer a wide range of both real estate photos and graphics to help you promote your services. Yes, they do cost some money, but you only get one chance to make a first impression, therefore the few dollars you spend on photos and graphics are a wise investment. Take note of what size of graphic you require, as prices do vary based on image resolution. For most web design jobs, smaller resolutions work just fine. Printed materials, on the other hand, might well require more detailed pictures.
It’s also important to pay attention to the images background color. Images with pure white or black backgrounds are easier to integrate into designs. Personally, I prefer to work on white backgrounds for any site that involves sales.
Another issue to be aware of is licensing rights. Is use of the graphic limited to a single job, or can you use your license for several different applications? Can you use the graphic as part of a composition for a client? These are all important questions you need to consider. License rights vary from one stock photo provider to another, so shop around for a license that meets your particular needs.
In closing, we all know that a picture is worth a thousand words. This is especially true in the world of real estate marketing. Yes, we are all trying to minimize expenses in an effort to increase profits, but sometimes cutting corners can cost you sales. When it comes to real estate stock photos, it’s important to view your purchases as an investment, and not an expense.