Best Practices for Perfecting Product Images in 2024

June 20, 2024
By The Badger

Product images can make or break your e-commerce sales. High-quality images attract customers, convey essential details, and build trust. In this article, we’ll share best practices for perfecting your product images in 2024. From meeting Amazon’s standards to utilizing advanced photography techniques, you’ll learn how to create images that convert browsers into buyers.

Mike, along with Emma from Marketing by Emma, discuss how effective product images play a crucial role in e-commerce success and share insights on optimizing listings to attract and engage customers.

Why Are Amazon Image Requirements Important

High-quality images can make or break your success on Amazon. Amazon’s guidelines for product images are strict, but following them is essential.

Іmproving your product images can lead to a significant increase in sales, sometimes by as much as 30%. Effective images act as your silent salespeople, conveying key product details quickly and engaging customers by meeting their expectations.

They make your products more appealing, helping to build trust and boosting your conversion rates.

Make sure your images are clear and free of clutter.

What Size Should Amazon Product Images Be

Wondering how to get your product images just right for Amazon? Amazon accepts JPEG, PNG, GIF, and TIFF files. But which one should you use?

JPEGs are great for a balance between quality and size, while PNGs and TIFFs are perfect if you need to maintain high detail or transparency.

Ever noticed how some products let you zoom in and see every little detail? That’s because their images are at least 1000 pixels on the longest side. Large, high-quality images build trust and showcase your product’s features more effectively.

What Are the Standards for Amazon’s Main Image

The main image of your product is your frontline warrior in capturing customer attention on Amazon. Amazon’s main image standards are strict and specific: the image must have a pure white background (RGB 255, 255, 255), and the product must occupy at least 85% of the frame. This helps the product stand out without distractions.

The image should not include any text, logos, or additional graphics that can clutter the view. The product must be professionally lit, in focus, and have realistic colors. Avoid any props or accessories unless they are part of the product being sold.

A good main image should be at least 1000 pixels on its longest side to enable the zoom feature, allowing customers to see details up close.

This first impression is critical—it can either attract customers to your listing or lead them to click away. A high-quality main image is essential for making your product visible and appealing.

What Are Amazon’s Guidelines for Secondary Images?

While the main image captures initial attention, it’s the secondary images that convince customers to make a purchase. Amazon’s guidelines for secondary images provide an opportunity to showcase your product in a comprehensive and engaging way.

Here’s how you can effectively use your secondary images to increase sales:

Show your product from different perspectives. This helps customers understand its shape, size, and features better.
Highlight the key features and details. Close-ups can showcase the material, texture, or any unique aspects of your product.
Amazon allows lifestyle images that show the product being used in a real-life setting. This helps customers visualize the product in their own lives.
Provide images that offer a sense of scale. Use common objects or models to show the actual size of your product.
You can include images that highlight specific benefits, features, or usage instructions. Adding infographics or text can help explain your product better.
All secondary images should be high resolution, preferably 1000 pixels or more on the longest side.
Maintain a consistent style and quality across all images.

How to Edit and Enhance Product Photos for Amazon

Once you’ve captured your raw images, the next step is to polish them to perfection.

Editing and enhancing product photos is crucial for making your products stand out on Amazon. This involves a few key tasks to ensure your images are as appealing and effective as possible.

Start with color correction to make sure your product colors are accurate and consistent. Adjust the brightness, contrast, and saturation to make your product look natural and inviting.

It’s important to remove any background imperfections. Amazon requires a pure white background (RGB 255, 255, 255) for the main image, which helps your product pop and keeps the focus on what’s important.

Next, highlight key features by zooming in and cropping images to focus on important details. Show off textures, finishes, or any unique aspects that make your product stand out. Make sure every detail is crisp and clear, as blurry photos can deter customers.

Let’s talk about these stages more deeply.

What Basic Editing Tools Are Essential for Amazon Product Images

The digital darkroom, equipped with tools like Adobe Photoshop, offers endless possibilities for refining product images.

To ensure that every image presents your product in the best possible light, here are some practical tips on how to use basic editing tools effectively.

Adjusting Tones and Colors in Adobe Photoshop

In Adobe Photoshop, use the Levels or Curves adjustment layers to fine-tune the brightness, contrast, and overall tone of your image. This helps bring out the true colors of your product and ensures consistency across all images.
To correct colors, the Hue/Saturation tool can be particularly useful. It allows you to adjust the color balance, making the product appear more vibrant and realistic.
For example, if the product looks too dull, increase the saturation slightly to make it more appealing.
Use the White Balance adjustment to ensure the product’s colors are true to life.

Sharpening Details

In Photoshop, the Unsharp Mask or Smart Sharpen tool can enhance the clarity of your image.
Apply the sharpening filter with a subtle hand to avoid making the image look unnatural.
Typically, setting the Amount to 100% and the Radius between 1 and 2 pixels works well for most product photos.

Removing Imperfections and Backgrounds

Use the Spot Healing Brush or Clone Stamp tool to remove any unwanted blemishes or imperfections on the product. For Amazon listings, a clean, white background is essential.
The Pen Tool or Magic Wand in Photoshop can help isolate the product and remove the background, leaving a pure white backdrop that meets Amazon’s requirements.

Tools in Amazon Listings

Amazon also offers basic editing tools within its seller interface. While not as advanced as Photoshop, these tools allow you to crop, rotate, and adjust the brightness and contrast of your images directly on the platform.

Additionally, Amazon’s Image Quality Checker can help ensure your photos meet the necessary technical standards, such as resolution and file format.

This allows customers to zoom in and view details closely, which can significantly impact purchasing decisions.

When uploading images to Amazon, use the Zoom Function by ensuring your images are at least 1000 pixels on the longest side.

This allows customers to zoom in and view details closely, which can significantly impact purchasing decisions.

How Can Informative Text and Graphics Enhance Amazon Product Images

Adding informative text and graphics to your Amazon product images can make them more engaging and useful for potential buyers.

Amazon provides several built-in tools and features that allow you to enhance your product listings effectively.

How to Use Amazon A+ Content Manager

Amazon’s A+ Content Manager is a powerful tool that lets you add enhanced product descriptions and images to your listing. You can use this feature to incorporate infographics, comparison charts, and detailed product images with text overlays.

If you’re selling a water bottle, use infographics to show its capacity, material, and unique features like a built-in filter.
Display different product variations or compare your product to competitors, highlighting what makes yours stand out.

How to Use Amazon’s Enhanced Brand Content (EBC)

If you’re a brand-registered seller, Enhanced Brand Content allows you to add rich images and text to your product descriptions. This tool is particularly useful for creating engaging, informative visuals.

Add bullet points or short text snippets to images to point out specific features. For example, if you’re selling a smartwatch, highlight features like battery life, water resistance, and connectivity options directly on the image.
Include images showing your product in use with text annotations explaining the context or benefits.

How to Create Amazon Images with Text Overlays

Amazon allows you to use text overlays on secondary images, making it easier to provide key information directly on the product photos.

To convey size and scale information, you can include text that specifies the dimensions of the product, such as its height and width.

For instance, you might display the height and width next to a familiar object to give customers a sense of scale. This helps potential buyers visualize how the product will fit into their space or compare it to something they know.

In addition to size information, adding text to describe usage instructions can be very effective. You might include simple benefits or instructions directly on the image.

For example, text like “Dishwasher Safe” or “Fits Standard Cup Holders” can quickly communicate important details about the product’s use or compatibility.

How to Implement Amazon’s Product Listing Tools

Amazon’s Seller Central offers a variety of tools to help you enhance your product images with text and graphics effectively.

To start, the Image Quality Checker tool ensures that your images meet Amazon’s required resolution and clarity standards, which is essential for maintaining readability when adding text.

Once you’ve verified the quality of your images, use the Image Upload Tool to add your enhanced images to your product listings. This tool allows you to upload images that include text overlays and graphics.

It’s important to ensure that these images comply with Amazon’s guidelines, which means avoiding excessive or promotional text.

This way, your images can effectively convey key information without violating any of Amazon’s rules.

How to Add Alt Text for SEO on Amazon

While customers can’t see it, adding alt text to your images is vital for improving SEO. This text should provide a clear description of the image and include relevant keywords to enhance your product’s visibility in search results. By carefully crafting alt text, you can ensure that search engines better understand your product.

To make the most of Amazon’s tools, utilize features that allow for the addition of informative text and graphics to your images.

This creates more engaging and detailed product listings. A well-crafted listing with informative visuals can attract more customers, making it easier for them to find what they’re looking for and encouraging them to make a purchase.

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How Can A/B Testing Improve Your Amazon Product Images

A/B testing for Amazon product images allows you to compare different image versions to see which one performs better in attracting clicks and conversions.

Amazon’s Manage Your Experiments tool is specifically designed for this purpose, enabling you to test variables such as image layout, background, and text overlays.

By analyzing the performance data, you can determine which images resonate most with your audience.

How Can Advanced Technologies Enhance Amazon Product Listings

Leveraging advanced technologies like 3D modeling and augmented reality can significantly enhance your Amazon product listings.

Amazon’s AR View tool allows customers to visualize products in their own space using augmented reality, making it easier for them to make informed purchasing decisions.

3D Product Imaging on Amazon lets you create interactive models of your products, providing a detailed view that static images can’t offer.

These technologies increase conversion rates by offering a more immersive shopping experience.

Summary

As we wrap up, it’s clear that perfecting product images for Amazon involves understanding their requirements and using the latest technologies to showcase your products effectively. Creating the ideal product image is a mix of creativity and technical know-how. By following these best practices, you can improve your Amazon listings, build customer trust, and boost loyalty.

Frequently Asked Questions

What types of file formats are accepted for Amazon product images

You can upload product images in TIFF, JPEG, GIF, and PNG formats to Amazon. These file formats are accepted for Amazon product images.

How important is the background in product photos

The background in product photos is crucial as it helps the product stand out and meets platform image requirements.

What should I focus on when editing product photos

When editing product photos, focus on adjusting tone, brightness, and contrast, enhancing colors, sharpening images, and removing imperfections for a polished look.

How can I ensure my images are optimized for mobile users

To ensure your images are optimized for mobile users, focus on reducing file size and ensuring clear visibility on smaller screens, including important details in your images.