Are you feeling stuck on what images to use for your Wix website? Part 4 of our series is here to help!
In this last instalment, we will cover everything you need to know about selecting the right images for your website to catch your audience's attention and get your message across.
As a website designer and mentor, I understand the impact that visuals can have on a website's success, so it's essential to choose the right images that align with your brand personality words from Part 1.
In this final instalment of our series, we cover everything you need to know about selecting the right images for your website. From choosing a hero image to optimising your images for SEO, we'll go over the process of selecting, optimising, and naming images, and provide resources for free stock photos. Keep reading to learn how to make your website picture perfect!
Choose a Hero Image
Did you know our brains process images 66,000 times faster than text? A picture really is worth a thousand words!
And right at the top of your homepage, you need a big attention-grabbing picture or graphic (we call this a hero image).
Your hero image acts like a sign that tells your site visitors what your website is all about, so it needs to make a great first impression and help your ideal client feel like they're in the exact right place.
Here are some tips for choosing a good hero image:
Reflect on your brand personality words: Refer to the three adjectives that best describe your brand (from Part 1 of this four part series), and use them to guide your choice of a hero image that truly reflects your brand's essence.
Focus on the benefit: You could use an image that clearly illustrates the benefit of your offer. For example, a yoga teacher who promotes inclusivity and body positivity might use an image of herself leading a class with participants of all sizes and shapes, conveying the message that yoga is for everyone.
Evoke emotion: Consider how you want your ideal client to feel when they visit your site and choose an image that elicits that emotion. Whether it's joy, inspiration, or calmness, an emotionally resonant image can help make a strong connection with your audience. Use an image that evokes emotion or captures the spirit of your brand.
Use professional brand photos where possible: Using brand photos, which are images that are specific to your brand, is an excellent way to strengthen your brand identity and stand out from the crowd. These photos can include images of your products, team, office, or anything else that is unique to your brand. By using your own photos, you can create a more personal connection with your audience and help them relate to your brand on a deeper level.
Stock photos: When choosing stock photos for your brand, it's important to consider the overall quality and uniqueness of the images. While free stock photo websites can be a convenient option, they often have a limited selection and may feature overly-used or generic images that can cheapen your brand and make it look less authentic. So choose wisely! Paid stock photo websites typically offer more diverse and high-quality images that can help your brand stand out and feel more professional.
Keep it simple: A cluttered or overwhelming image can distract from your message. Choose a visually appealing but simple image that doesn't take away from your call to action
Use images of people: Our brains are naturally drawn to faces and we seek eye contact to build trust and connect with one another. Incorporating images of people in your hero image can help foster a sense of connection and build trust with your audience.
Use high-quality images: Blurry, pixelated, or low-quality images can make your brand appear unprofessional. Choose high-quality images that are visually appealing and eye-catching
Use colours that complement your brand: Consider using colours consistent with your brand's colour scheme to create a cohesive look and feel for your landing page. This can help reinforce your brand and message and increase the likelihood of visitors signing up.
No matter which type of hero image you choose, make sure it is high-quality, visually appealing, and relevant to your audience. Remember, your hero image should capture your visitor's attention, evoke emotions, and help them feel like they are in the right place.
Stay tuned for a list of places to find good stock photography!
Pick the other images for your Wix website
Aside from the hero image, there are other photos you might need for your website. These may include your:
About section (on your homepage): This section usually features a photo of yourself or your team, along with a brief description of your business.
About page: This page is where you can tell your customers more about your business, your mission, and your values. You can include photos of your team, your workspace, or any other images that help tell your story.
Product photos: If you sell products on your website, you'll need high-quality photos to showcase your product's features, benefits, and unique selling points. Show your product in use, or highlight its design, quality, and functionality. Make sure these photos are clear, well-lit, and show the product from different angles.
Team photos: If you have a team, consider including individual photos and bios on your About page. This can help customers connect with your team on a personal level.
Social proof photos: These can include headshots of previous clients to accompany testimonials, or photos of customers using your product or service. Social proof photos can help build trust with potential customers and show that your business is reputable and trustworthy.
Lifestyle photos: These are photos that show your product or service in action, or in the context of your ideal customer's life. Use images that evoke emotions, aspirations, or desires, and show how your product or service can make your customer's life better, easier, or more enjoyable. These types of photos can help establish an emotional connection with your audience and help to differentiate your business.
Images that illustrate your brand values: If your business values sustainability, for example, consider including images that show your commitment to the environment. This can help customers understand your brand values and connect with your business on a deeper level.
By making a list of the photos you need, you can ensure that your website tells a cohesive story and showcases your business in the best possible light.
Designing with images and text
Adding text over an image is a great way to make your website more immersive and engaging! It's a technique that combines both text and images to create a cohesive design that captures your visitors' attention and makes your content stand out.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind when adding text over an image:
Contrast is key: Choose an image that provides enough contrast with the text so that it's legible. If the image has a lot going on, consider adding a semi-transparent overlay to make the text stand out.
Choose your fonts wisely: The size and style of your font can make a big difference in how easy it is to read your text. Pick a font that is both easy to read and matches the tone of your content. And remember, smaller fonts can be more difficult to read when placed over an image.
Placement is important: Think about where you want to place your text on the image. You'll generally want to choose areas of the image that are less busy or complex. Don't be afraid to experiment with different placements to see what works best for your design.
Be responsive: Keep in mind that people will view your website on different devices with varying screen sizes and resolutions. Make sure your text and images adjust to different screen sizes.
With these tips, you can use text-over-image design to create an impactful and engaging experience for your website visitors!
Image Size, Format and Orientation, Copyright
Now that you have chosen the perfect images for your website, it's important to ensure that they are optimised for web use. This includes considering the size, format and orientation of your images as well as checking the copyright (and that you're allowed to use the images on your website).
Image size: Large images take longer to load, so it's important to resize them to an appropriate size before uploading them to your website. Wix recommends that images should be no larger than 3MB and suggest using a resolution of 72dpi.
Image format: JPEG is the most common file format for web images, but PNG and GIF can also be used for specific purposes. JPEG is the best option for photographs, while PNG is great for graphics and illustrations. GIF is often used for animations.
Image orientation: Ensure that your images are in the correct orientation before uploading them to your website. This includes ensuring that they are not upside down or rotated incorrectly. Landscape/ horizontal orientation is generally best for your hero image, whilst portrait orientation (vertical) is usually best for smaller photos that don't need to take up a full screen.
Copyright: It's important to use images that you have the legal right to use. This means ensuring that you either own the copyright to the image or have obtained permission to use it. Avoid using copyrighted images without permission or you risk facing legal consequences.
By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your images not only look great but are optimised for web use, meet legal requirements, and help your website perform well in search engines. Don't forget to also name your images using descriptive, keyword-rich titles and add alt text to improve your website's SEO.
Use Diversity and Inclusivity
When choosing stock photos for your brand, it's important to be aware of the potential for unconscious bias that may exist in the selection and curation of these images. While free stock photo websites offer a wide range of images to choose from, the creators of these websites may not have the same awareness or sensitivity to issues of diversity and inclusion as you do.
To ensure that your brand feels authentic and inclusive, it's important to be conscious of this potential bias and to actively seek out diverse and representative images. This means taking the time to look beyond the first page of search results and to consider the perspectives and experiences of your diverse audience. By doing so, you can create a brand that truly reflects your values and attracts a diverse range of clients.
SEO
Optimising your images for search engines is an important step in improving your website's visibility and attracting more visitors. Here are some tips for optimising the images on your Wix website for SEO:
Use descriptive file names: When uploading images to your website, make sure to use descriptive file names that include relevant keywords. This will make it easier for search engines to understand what your images are about.
Add alt text: Alt text is a description of your image that is displayed when the image cannot be loaded or read by a screen reader. Make sure to include relevant keywords in your alt text, but also make sure that it accurately describes the content of the image.
Compress your images: The good news is that Wix automatically optimises your images for best online quality and fast download. This means that, unless your file is over 25MB, you do not need to resize or compress it before uploading.
Choose the right file format: Different file formats, such as JPG, PNG, and GIF, have different pros and cons. Make sure to choose the right file format for the type of image you are uploading.
Add captions and context: Adding captions and context to your images can help provide more information to both search engines and your visitors. ]
By following these tips, you can help improve the SEO of the images on your Wix website and attract more visitors to your site.
Finding stock photos
Adding high-quality images to your Wix website can help make your site more visually appealing and attract more visitors. But we know that taking your own photos can be time-consuming and expensive. So if can't invest in personal brand photography at the moment, or need some additional images for your website that aren't from your shoot, here are some resources for you.
As a Wix user, you have access to Wix's own stock photo library, which includes a wide range of high-quality images that are free to use for your website. You can only browse them from inside the Wix editor though so you’ll need to have a Wix account before you start looking. To access Wix's stock photo library, simply click on the "Media" button on the left-hand side of your editor and select "Wix Stock Images" from the dropdown menu.
Shutterstock - You can buy individual Shutterstock images from within your Wix account and they are reasonably priced at £2.50 each (no need to sign up to a package!).
Unsplash - Beautiful, free images and photos that you can download and use for any project. These are also accessibly from your inside the editor of your Wix account
Pexels - Free stock photos & videos you can use everywhere. Browse millions of high-quality royalty free stock images & copyright free pictures.
Kaboom Pics - This website offers a collection of authentic and consistently high-quality stock photos, which have been curated with creatives and professionals in mind. Unlike traditional stock photography, this website takes a different approach. All of the photos in the collection have been carefully planned and designed in photoshoots, and are provided completely free of charge to users.
Nappy - Nappy.co is a Black-owned brand, offering a solution to the underrepresentation of Black people in stock photos with their collection of high-quality, everyday images. These images are available for free download, modification, distribution, and sharing, and while photo credit is not mandatory, it is encouraged.
Body Liberation - Stock photos often depict a narrow range of body sizes, which can be limiting and fail to accurately reflect the diversity of people in our society. Many people are now looking for more representation and inclusivity in the media they consume. By using images that show a variety of body sizes and types, you can build trust with your audience and show that your brand values diversity. This approach can help you reach new audiences who have previously been overlooked, and create a more authentic connection.
Gender Spectrum - The Gender Spectrum Collection is a collection of photos with trans and non-binary models that go beyond stereotypes. This collection helps the media to represent these communities as individuals with careers, relationships, passions, and home lives, and not just defined by their gender identities.
When choosing stock photos for your Wix website, it's important to choose images that fit with your brand and message. You want to create a cohesive look and feel that reflects your business and what you have to offer. Also, be sure to read the licensing agreements carefully to make sure you're using the images in compliance with the terms of use.
Create Your Own Brand Board on Canva
Now that you've updated your logo, it's time to organise and document all your branding elements in one place.
We recommend using a brand board to keep everything visually consistent and easily accessible.
Here's how to create your own brand board using the Canva template we've provided:
Click the 'get template' button in your email
Customise the template to your liking by adding your logos
Save your brand board in a folder on Canva that you can come back to later
And it's as simple as that! By updating your logo, you're creating a strong and memorable brand identity, and you're playing an intentional role in choosing how your audience perceives your brand.
And there's more to come! In the rest of the series, we dive into colours, fonts, and logos to complete your brand board. So make sure you've signed up to our mailing list and keep an eye out for our emails.
Hi there! I'm Caitlin Pieters, a Wix Website Design & Brand Strategist with over 2 decades of experience working in the creative industry. Originally from South Africa, I'm now based in London, UK.
I'm passionate supporting small business owners and helping them build brilliant Wix websites that connect and convert. In 2017, I started my own journey into self-employment to work with purpose-led business owners and help them create websites that truly reflect who they are. I believe in the power of collaboration and am committed to helping more women to achieve financial security through self-employment.
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