Have you ever scrolled through a website and felt instantly drawn to a particular product? The odds are, it wasn’t just the product description that caught your eye. A great deal of credit for that goes to the website visuals.
Here’s the thing: when customers shop online, they’re not just looking at products. They’re sizing up your brand, checking out your style, and trying to decide whether they can trust you enough to hit the “Buy Now” button.
Since 91% of consumers prefer visuals over plain text, it’s clear that using high-quality images and videos on your website can engage your audience and boost your online presence.
In this article, we’ll discuss how to use website visuals to transform your website and attract the customers you’ve been dreaming of.
We’ll look at real-world examples to show you how it’s done and give you some actionable tips you can easily implement right away.
5 Ways to Use Website Visuals to Attract Your Ideal Customers
Here, we will discuss the most effective ways of using visuals on your website to draw the attention of your customers. Let's dive in!
1. Make a Killer First Impression with a Hero Section That Wows
Your website’s hero section is the first thing visitors will see, so try to make it count. This area, placed right below your logo and above the fold, is valuable real estate. It determines whether your potential customers will keep on scrolling or click the Back button and disappear from your website.
Here are a few tips on how to craft a great hero section that looks great and engages your audience enough to stay and explore further.
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Create high-quality visuals. Use a stunning image or video that grabs attention and showcases your brand’s personality. This could be a product shot, a lifestyle image, or even a short animation.
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Come up with a clear and concise headline. Your headline should communicate your value proposition quickly and clearly. Keep it short, sweet, and to the point.
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Compelling CTA. What do you want visitors to do next? Let them know with a strong CTA that stands out.
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Keep it simple. Don’t overload your hero section with too much text or too many elements. Less is more in this case since you don’t want to overwhelm your visitors.
Take a cue from DialMyCalls and their homepage hero section. The dynamic carousel of high-quality product screenshots instantly shows the platform’s user-friendly interface and features. Combined with a clear headline and subheading, the page leaves no doubt about its value proposition.
The bold, contrasting CTA button stands out against the clean, white background, inviting website visitors to take action. The takeaway? A well-crafted hero section should be visually appealing, intuitive, and persuasive.
Pro tip: Test different hero images or videos to see which resonates most with your target audience. Use A/B testing to compare different options and optimize for maximum impact.
2. Captivate and Convert with Video
Video is the most engaging type of content. Its ability to combine sound and visuals, sometimes even evoking other sensory experiences, creates a more immersive and memorable experience than text alone.
Whether it’s a funny cat clip or a heartwarming story, video can grab our attention and pull us in.
That’s why it can be such a great tool for your website.
You can use the video to:
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Explain. When was the last time you tried to read a product description or instruction manual? It is so time-consuming and often very confusing. In a video, you can simplify complex concepts and demonstrate how your product or service works in a way that’s easy to understand and remember. No wonder
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Connect. People trust other people. Video testimonials from happy customers can build credibility and trust in a way that text alone can’t.
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Entertain and educate. You can use video to educate your audience in a way that’s engaging, uplifting, and memorable.
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Showcase. You can use a video to take your audience behind the scenes, introduce your team, or show your product in action.
GetSafe checks all the boxes with a short, amusing video that shows their medical alert system in a way that makes the situation relatable to potential customers. The video is funny and endearing, and it highlights the product’s simplicity and reliability.
Pro tip: Don’t just post videos on your website. Share them on your social media channels, too. This will expand your reach and expose your brand to new audiences.
3. Use Visuals to Highlight Social Proof
The psychology behind social proof is simple: people are more likely to trust and follow the actions of others, especially in situations when they’re unsure about what to do or how to behave.
That’s why social proof is such a powerful weapon in your marketing arsenal. When potential customers see that others love your product or service, they will be more likely to trust you and give you a chance.
But placing a few testimonials on your homepage won’t cut it. The trick is to strategically incorporate customer feedback throughout your website to build trust and credibility.
Here are a few ways to do it:
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Star ratings. Display star ratings next to your products. This is a quick and easy way to show how much your existing customers love your products.
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Customer testimonials. Nothing beats a sincere testimonial from a happy customer. Use quotes or short videos to share their positive experiences.
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Case studies. For B2B businesses, case studies can be incredibly effective. They provide in-depth examples of how your product or service has helped other companies to achieve their goals.
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Social media proof. Don’t let those Instagram posts and tweets featuring satisfied customers enjoying or praising your product or service go to waste. Embed a live social media feed on your website to show off real-time user-generated content and provide authentic social validation.
Digestive Warrior knows how to use the power of social proof. They strategically placed an eye-catching hot pink “Reviews” button at the bottom of the otherwise simple and minimalistic “above the fold” section. This simple yet compelling call to action encourages visitors to explore honest customer feedback, backing up the service’s value.
But the brand doesn’t stop there. They share customer testimonials throughout its website, telling real-life stories of how their products have helped people improve gut health. This way, their website builds credibility with potential customers and creates a sense of community.
Pro tip: Negative reviews aren’t your enemy, so don’t even think about deleting them. A few complaints can make your positive comments seem more authentic.
Additionally, you can play around with social proof that relies on the authority of a third-party willing to endorse your product. For instance, customer logos that show how your brand provides services to famous brands work marvelously for establishing credibility through visuals. The same goes for media mentions from well-established publications.
If you check out the Dorik homepage, you’ll see mentions of organizations like USA Today, CNN, PC Mag, Netflix, Stanford University, and Flippa. As these are all well-known entities (both in the tech world and outside of it), the logos represent highly-effective, attention-grabbing instances of social proof that carry significant weight in communicating the quality of the Dorik solutions.
Pro tip: The secret to showing off customer logos isn’t necessarily widespread popularity. In fact, highlighting the logotype of a niche client can be just as effective at providing social proof as stating you serve a Fortune 500 company. Especially considering that you’re trying to attract your ideal customers, not just anyone vaguely interested in what you offer.
4. Visual Breakdowns for Better Understanding
Sometimes, your product or service can be challenging for your customers to grasp. It could be a tech gadget with many features or a health product with scientific backing.
In these cases, visuals can help you make complex issues crystal clear.
A well-designed infographic or step-by-step diagram can help explain how your product works, what it’s made of, or why it can benefit your customers.
So, instead of relying on lengthy text descriptions, you can break down complex concepts into easy-to-digest visuals.
Here are a few tips for using visuals to explain your products:
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Use layers. Break down your product into its core components and present each of them individually within an illustration. For example, you can showcase different layers of materials, highlight key features, or illustrate the step-by-step process of how your product works.
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Incorporate icons and illustrations. Simple icons and illustrations can quickly communicate complex information, making it easier for customers to understand at a glance.
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Tell a visual story. Use a series of images to walk customers through the benefits of your product and how it can solve their problems.
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Keep it concise. Don’t overload your visuals with too much information. Focus on the key points and ensure your message is easy to understand.
SomniFix masters this approach by combining clear, concise text and simple visuals to explain their product. They show how the mouth strips work by leveraging a layered visual, which highlights the product’s key features, like the gentle adhesive and mesh vent.
They also include a visual step-by-step instruction guide demonstrating how to properly apply the strips, making it super easy for potential customers to understand how the product works and whether it’s right for them.
Pro tip: Be bold and creative with your visuals. Use icons, illustrations, or even animated GIFs to make your explanations more engaging and memorable. The goal is to make complex information feel approachable and easy to understand.
5. Leverage the Power of White Space
A brick-and-mortar store crammed with merchandise comes across as unorganized and unappealing. The same applies to your website.
Customers can’t focus on anything, let alone find what they need, and probably just want to leave.
The same principle applies to your website. Too much clutter makes it hard for visitors to pay attention to what matters — your products, your message, and your call to action. Actually, a Google study found that visitors preferred less visually complex websites and perceived them as more attractive.
That’s where white space, also known as negative space, can be helpful. You can strategically use this essential web design element to create a clean, uncluttered look that’s easy on your visitors’ eyes. Simply put, white space gives your content and other elements enough breathing room.
Other important factors why negative space works include:
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Improved readability. Big blocks of text can be tiring. White space breaks up your content, making it easier to read.
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Enhanced visual appeal. A well-designed website with plenty of white space simply looks more professional, elegant, and polished.
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Balanced design. Negative space helps you achieve a visually pleasing balance between your text, images, and other design elements.
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Better user experience. Sufficient negative space makes it easier for users to focus on individual elements, navigate your site, and find the information they need.
Uber’s homepage is a great example of how white space can create a visually stunning and user-friendly experience. Customers can easily pick the service they’re interested in — find a ride, offer a drive, or Uber Eats. A clever use of contrasting colors allows all the essential elements of the page, such as the tagline, CTAs, and form fields, to stand out.
Pro tip: White space doesn’t have to be white. You can use any color or even a subtle background image. The key is to create contrast and visual hierarchy, both of which ensure that important elements are prominent.
Wrapping Up
Your website is your brand’s virtual storefront, meaning that the visuals act as a window display. So, it’s essential to make them stunning.
By using these tips, you’ll create a pretty website and craft an unforgettable online experience that draws in your customers, keeps them hooked, and inspires them to take action.
