Etsy – Product Photography
Listing Photos
All about listing photos.
Once a buyer discovers your listing, your photos communicate your product and brand. Listing photos are a major influencer on purchase behavior. And if your items get views from shoppers but are not converting into purchases, majority of the time, it’s the photos.
You can have up to 10 photos on each listing, and that first photo is super important — that’s what gets you the click! Then, the rest of your photos can help you get the sale.
When taking your listing photos, ensure they:
- Grab attention
- Often, your listing is appearing next to much competition. You want to compel shoppers to click yours!
- Display the product clearly
- Give information about size, color, and materials
- Capture both the purpose and feeling of the product
- Help shoppers imagine the product in their lives
Essential Product Photos
Using a variety of photo styles can convey a variety of information about your product. In this Lesson, we’ll go over seven types of listing photos that we see perform well on Etsy.
7 Essential Types of Product Photos
- Studio shot
- Lifestyle shot
- Scale shot
- Detail shot
- Group shot
- Packaging shot
- Process shot
These seven photo types will give shoppers a well-rounded understanding of your product. Let’s review these photo types in more detial. And I created this handout for you to print and refer back to when taking photos.
Studio Shot
A studio shot shows your product on a plain background with plenty of light.
This is typically what Etsy suggests for the first listing photo. It’ll be quick to communicate what the product is and will look good in the eyes of Google Search, during their ranking process.
A studio shot is a clear way to show potential customers what you’re selling. When shoppers browse thumbnail images, they’re drawn to clear, bright photos that show off the product. Clear photos help set a realistic expectation of what a customer will be receiving in the mail, helping you to avoid the hassle of returns and exchanges.
Etsy also thinks this is a good shot style to use for more than just one of your listing photos, to help you hit filling all 10 of your photo slots. Just try it from a different angle!
Lifestyle Shot
This is your product looking good in its natural habitat.
A lifestyle shot helps people imagine what their lives would be like if they owned your product. This aspirational style of photo creates a scene illustrating the product being used that can help sway shoppers to make a purchase.
If you sell complementary items, such as garlands and wreaths or wreaths and bows, in the same color palette, try photographing them together to encourage additional purchases.
This is another shot style Etsy thinks is great to have more than just one of. This type of photo can help sway those more on the fence buyers!
Scale Shot
The objective for this shot is slightly different – it’s not really about how it looks on or in it’s intended space, it’s more about communicating size or dimensions – how big (or small) it is.
Shoppers want to know:
- What that wreath will look like on an exterior door;
- If that knit hat fits an infant or an adult;
- Or,if that bow will look good on a 24′ wreath.
Detail Shot
This detail shot of one of my bows shows off the softness of the picks as well as the rough glitter texture of the ribbon.
A close-up photo that highlights your product’s features from different angles.
Close-up shots show off the quality and texture of the materials and zoom in on important details (i.e. the texture of an ornament, stitching of the ribbon, texture of a leaf, binding of a book, etc).
Tip: For vintage pieces, detail shots can also be used to show imperfections and set clear expectations for shoppers.
Group Shot
Your products clustered together. There’s power in numbers!
- Group shots are especially good for documenting products sold in multiples, such as sets of wreaths on double doors, craft supplies, like beads and buttons.
- Products available in different colors, finishes, or materials (such as buffalo plaid in black or red, hydrangea wreaths in various colors available, rings available in silver and gold metals, or signs painted in different color options) also benefit from the group treatment.
- Grouping can be a good way to depict depth, variations, and different sides and angles of the product in one compelling image.
How OOAK (one of a kind) sellers use this shot style in their product photos? By making various pieces that match or enhance each other. An example would be garland with a wreath, wreath with lantern bow, table arrangement with matching the smaller arrangement, etc.
Packaging Shot
An image of your product’s packaging.
Knowing how your product is packaged gives customers a better sense of your branding and what to expect in the mail. A beautiful packaging shot can also help to convey that your item makes a great gift. This is where it pays to slurge on tissue paper, twine, branded stickers, handwritten cards, etc.
Altogether, it can create a little bit of hype and excitement – good for converting those on the fence buyers.
Process Shot
Your product being made. This reminds shoppers why they are shopping on Etsy.
A process shot can be used to emphasize the level of workmanship that went into a particular item. These types of shots are also handy for promoting your business on social media.
Review
Listing photos are one of the top influences on purchase behavior and while the number of images you upload won’t directly impact search ranking, it does help to convince a shopper to make the purchase.