Product Photography For Etsy
Product photography is important for any ecommerce business with online presence. Whether you're a small business owner or Etsy seller, you want to show your best products with high quality images. Great product photography has the power to increase conversions, increase website visitors and improve your sales.
So how can you get the best product photography for your Etsy store? I've got some tips to help you out.
What kind of photos do I need?
The kind of your product photos should depend on what sort of products you're selling. For example, if you sell jewelry, then it's important to show close-ups of all the details so that customers can really appreciate the quality of a piece they're buying. But if you sell clothing or other items with patterns or colors, then it's a good idea to show how they look on a real person, so that customers understand just how the fabric drapes and they can see how amazing they'll look when they wear them.
What's the Best Size and Layout for My Product Photos?
Here is what Etsy themselves recommend to use: “The recommended size for listing images is 2000px for the shortest side of the image, and a resolution of 72PPI. Images larger than 1MB in file size may not finish uploading, especially on a slower internet connection. All images in your shop should be one of these file types: .jpg, .gif or .png.”
Product photos should be at least 2000 pixels in either direction, and square horizontal (landscape) photos are best to ensure that the center focal point of the image appears in the cropped thumbnail views. It's also really helpful to have multiple views of the product—especially if it's something 3D art object, or your product have a unique packaging on all of it sides, or jewelry—so that buyers can get a sense of what they're getting. It's also important to note here that Etsy doesn't allow watermarks. It's widely accepted within the community that you should use your brand logo at the bottom of photos instead or some special offer to grab customers attention.
What about the Lighting?
Now let's talk about lighting. Lighting is key to high-quality product photos. You want to make sure the picture is very crisp and clear, with no grain or blurriness. This may require turning up the lighting in your room, going outside for a better natural light or taking several pictures to get it just right. If you have a tripod for your camera that will be a huge help to avoid blurriness on your photos!
Should I Use Props in My Listing Photos?
Props aren't necessary, but they do make a product stand out visually and can help provide context for exactly what the product is (e.g., drink coasters displayed on a coffee table). However, you don't want the props to distract from the product itself and mislead your customers, so make sure whatever you use makes sense for your item and won't take away from it visually.
Model photos - Yay or Nay?
And finally, model photos. If you want to feature models in your product photography, then go for it. Just keep in mind that your product is the star of the show. If you're finding that models are distracting from the product itself, try simplifying the background a bit more or focusing more of the shot on your product than on the model.
It doesn’t need to be a full-length model shot it can be just your hand holding a product - it helps show scale, which is something customers often want to know when they're shopping online.
IMPORTANT: Variety Of The Photos
Product photos are more interesting and have more chances of selling when they are taken from different angles, so take shots from all sides of the product as well as a close-up of any details you want to highlight.
Need a little help with your Etsy photos? Whether you want to learn to take better photos yourself or want me to take them for you, get in touch and I’ll be happy to help :)
