Deadly Sins: Photography Styles and Concepts You Should Avoid on Instagram

If there’s one important thing you should realize when it comes to selling online, it’s that good product photography is as important as the product itself. The perceived value of your products contributes to your trustworthiness and credibility. Today, having high-quality product images on Instagram is practically required to stay on top of the game.

Failing to have good photos of your products is not an option. Keep in mind that your product’s images are all you’ve got to offer initially. After all, your customers can’t touch or smell your items online. Your potential customers should feel that your products are worth buying just by looking at your product images.

To explain things better, aesthetics is not the only thing you should perfect if you want to succeed. The difference comes in when your traffic actually converts into solid sales. If you are experiencing this conversion for at least 50% of your content within a week, then you are doing a great job in showcasing your products.

Your conversion rate vs. the number of your followers are totally different stories. Just use “weekly” (7 days) as your bracket time frame as it is a lot easier to monitor this and you can act on it immediately. If you think that something is off with your numbers, consider rethinking your approach to product photography.

There are a lot of tips and tricks around when it comes to utilizing Instagram for branding, but here are some tactics that you should avoid at all cost — styles and concepts that are considered as “Deadly Sins.”

1.       INFORMAL PLACE

Shooting in an informal location almost always means having a bad background. Expect that your product images will look unprofessional, dull and suspicious. Try to set up a simple box with a white background so that when your camera flash hits it, it will highlight a specific area around your product, making your shot clear and tidy. You may also use natural light, but this could also mean taking the shoot outdoors.

2.       LOW QUALITY CAMERA

You don’t really need a ridiculously expensive camera unless you have the budget, you know how to use it and you are actually a pro. If you fall under none of the above, you can just simply use a regular camera in high resolution — 720p would do.

The thing with high-end cameras is that they’re tailored to suite a professional’s needs, which sometimes makes them more difficult to use. Luckily, a smartphone can be an easy fix. Just find the right angle and voila! You’re done in seconds.

3.       NOT GETTING A TRIPOD

If you are trying to showcase your product images for a gallery style portfolio, getting a tripod is a must. A tripod helps you maintain a consistent angle and keeps your shots from being blurry due to shaky hands. It is also convenient to use, especially if you are looking into adding thumbnail views to your gallery page. You can multitask while you take pictures and still do some stuff with both hands free.

4.       USING MULTI-COLORED BACKGROUNDS

When it comes to product photography, a solid background is ideal. Using a light, solid background gives emphasis to your product and helps it stand out. A light, solid background also gives the feeling of cleanliness and sleekness. It helps establish a nice minimalistic appeal as well.

On the other hand, using a multi-colored background does the opposite. It somehow steals the spotlight from the main element which is your product. Using it is still okay, but you have to be extra careful not to let a loud background steal the spotlight from your product.

5.       POSTING UNORIGINAL PHOTOS

The purpose of posting photos of your products is to help your customers learn more about your store and what you are offering. Posting unoriginal photos won’t help with this goal. Anything that you did not create should be credited, unless you are okay with being sued. Copyright issues are definitely not and shouldn’t be part of your plan as a professional and ethical businessman.

There’s a lot of competition in all social media outlets, so doing everything you can to stand out is of utmost importance.

In the case of Instagram, your skill with product photography can make or break your brand. Remember to avoid doing the things above to ensure that your Instagram account stays in excellent form!

Ready to take your business to new heights? Read our Exclusive Scoop for Small Businesses: How to Build Your Brand on Instagram.