Whether you’re new to selling handmade products online or you’re looking to update your listings, the question that often comes up is, “What kind of photos should I include in my listing?”
If you’re unsure about what basic product photos to take, check out this blog post where I share with you the best beginner product photos to add to your listing.
But if you got those basic shots down and you still have space to upload more photos, then what do you upload?
You’ve got options!
Here are some ideas of photos to include in your listings that can help educate your customer about your product, but also tell the story of you and your business.
Works In Progress (WIP)
One of the reasons people love buying handmade products is because they want to support the skills and talent of the maker. But most customers don’t get to see the process you go through to create your products. Most of the time your customer only gets to see the final results.
So why not give them some insight into the process?
Not only will showing a little behind-the-scenes give your customer some insight into the process of how you make your products, but it can also help them better appreciate the time and energy you put into your work.
Share a photo of you
Okay, this might make you feel a bit uncomfortable, but hear me out.
One of the things that people love about going to craft shows is getting to meet the makers themselves! You get to see their faces, chat with them, ask questions about their products, and so on.
But you don’t get to do that when buying online. In fact, it’s not often you see who the business owner is, that is unless they upload a profile photo to their Etsy shop or website.
Most of the time you have no idea who the person is.
But you can change that by including a photo of yourself. It not only reminds your customer that there is a real person who creates these products, but shows them directly who they’re supporting when they buy from you.
Does it have to be this amazing portrait of yourself? No!
Pick a photo of you creating your products or even selling at a craft show. Plus, how often are you looking through a listing online and happen to see a photo of the maker in it? Probably not often so why not stand out with a great photo of yourself?
Show your packaging
One of my favorite things about ordering from handmade sellers online is wondering how my product is going to arrive in the mail? Are they going to put any special touches on it? Are they going to include a note? Is it going to be wrapped in tissue paper with their sticker logo? Is it going to be in a cute bag?
The anticipation is real, that’s for sure. But giving your customers a sneak peek into how their products will arrive is always a nice touch. It can really highlight how much care and thought you put into not only making your products but packaging them up and shipping them.
Plus, it’s also practical. If you sell products that are perishable or breakable, these types of photos can provide reassurance as to how you securely package up your products.
Share a lifestyle photo
While it can be pretty straightforward to figure out what standard product photos to take, it may be more challenging when it comes to a lifestyle photo.
I think this is something that many makers don’t do when selling online and it’s unfortunate because it can really bring your product to life in a way that a standard product photo can’t. Plus, it can help a customer better understand what the purpose of your product is if it isn’t 100% clear.
Do you make DIY kits? Show someone having fun using it. Do you make delicious organic jams? Spread some jam on a piece of toast. This is where you get to tell the story of your product and paint the vision for your customer about what their life could be like if they purchased a product from you.
Show the scale/size
I think we’ve all had a moment where we purchased something online only to realize that it wasn’t quite the size we thought it would be.
But you might be saying, “Oh but I include the measurements and dimensions of my product in the listing description.” Awesome, that’s great! But you know, sometimes photos can be deceiving when buying online!
So why not communicate that visually for your customer?
Whether you’re having someone hold and model your product or you place a ruler next to it your product, it’s always useful to show sizing visually for customers.
Show variations of your product
If you’re selling a product that comes in other colors, patterns, and sizes, be sure customers can easily identify them in your photos. If you sell products in other sizes, you can always show your customers the difference in sizing by photographing them together for comparison.
The clearer you are with your product photos the easier it will be for your customers to purchase from you.
And as a side note, something that can be easily overlooked is not everyone can see patterns and colors easily when shopping online. By indicating the names of colors or patterns in your product photos (shown above), it can help customers know exactly what they’re buying.
Hopefully these suggestions will give you some inspiration as to what photos you can start including in your product listings.
Are you currently including any of these in your product listings? Let me know in the comments!