Among the most influential pieces of Amazon Content are high-quality photos. In fact, 30 percent of shoppers won’t even consider a product with low-quality images. Fortunately, professionally shot and art-directed Amazon product photography will help you create visuals that don’t just look good but also help you sell. 

To do so, the photos on your product pages or Amazon store should tell a story by showcasing your product from multiple angles, utilizing compelling text overlays to relay product benefits, and incorporating precise measurements and comparisons to establish its size and function. Done well, often with the help of a professional photographer, product photography can engage your customers and provide valuable information that minimizes confusion and results in fewer returns and better reviews. Use the eight tips to elevate your Amazon product photography and stand out among the competition. 

#1 Know the rules

As is often the case for Amazon sellers, knowing and complying with the rules is critical to sales success. Listing photography is no exception. As a result, the platform has a number of specific guidelines for product photography to ensure that shoppers enjoy quality and consistency when exploring the marketplace. Among the standards that exist for all Amazon photos, the company states:

• Images must accurately represent the product that is for sale.
• Amazon product Images must match the product title.
• The product must fill at least 85% of the image.
• The optimal zoom experience for detail pages requires files to be 1600px or larger on the longest side. Zoom has been shown to help enhance sales. If you are unable to meet this image requirement, the smallest your file can be for zoom is 1000px, and the smallest your file can be for the site is 500px.
• A product image must not exceed 10,000px on the longest side.
• Images must be JPEG (.jpg or .jpeg), TIFF (.tif), PNG(.png), or GIF (.gif) file formats. JPEG is preferred. Our servers do not support animated .gifs.
• Images must not be blurry, pixelated, or have jagged edges.
• Images must not contain nudity or be sexually suggestive. Leotards, underwear, and swimwear for kids and babies must not be shown on a human model.
• Images must not include any Amazon logos or trademarks, or variations, modifications or anything confusingly similar to Amazon’s logos and trademarks. This includes, but is not limited to, any words or logos with the terms AMAZON, PRIME, ALEXA, or the Amazon Smile design.
• Images must not include any badges used on Amazon, or variations, modifications or anything confusingly similar to such badges. This includes, but is not limited to, “Amazon’s Choice,” “Premium Choice,” “Amazon Alexa,” “Works with Amazon Alexa,” “Best seller,” or “Top seller.” Refer to trademark usage guidelines for more details.

In addition, a product’s main image must have a pure white background without any text, logos, watermarks or other graphics. Depending on the product type, there could also be additional restrictions or requirements for the primary or secondary images. For example, main images of shoes must show a single shoe facing left at a 45-degree angle, while all photos of kids and baby clothing must be photographed flat and off-model. 

#2 Take it to the max

While it can vary depending on the product category, most Amazon listings allow up to seven still images and six videos. In most cases, the initial listing page will display six images plus the video library, with the additional image or images available in the product’s photo gallery. 

Sellers need to take advantage of all the photo slots available to them. Doing so allows them to provide shoppers with multiple angles, an infographic or a lifestyle photo which will be discussed in further detail below. It also increases the appeal of the product and engagement metrics that can influence Amazon’s crucial organic search results. 

In addition, using all the available photograph slots and fully utilizing the features offered by Amazon can give a listing a more comprehensive and professional-looking appearance that reassures customers and supports the brand.

#3 Size matters

One thing that every e-commerce retailer should want to avoid is confusing or misleading prospective buyers. Unfortunately, with photography, it’s not that hard to create an image that misrepresents a product’s size. Without clear communication about the item’s dimensions and visual components that reinforce that aspect, a customer’s preconceived beliefs can fill in the gap.  

Obviously, this will result in a poor shopping experience as well as avoidable returns and negative reviews that can harm a seller’s ability to continue selling on the marketplace. Lifestyle images that show the product in a recognizable environment and infographics that include measurements are one way to ensure that the actual size of the item is apparent. But it’s also important to follow the guidelines for Amazon images to ensure consistency with other listings and less chance of misunderstanding. 

#4 Capture all the angles

In most cases, online shoppers want to avoid surprises when the product they are purchasing arrives. But, the inability to see a product in person and experience it physically can be a challenge. One way to help prospective customers overcome this hurdle is by making sure the photos show more than just the primary view of a product. Instead, the gallery should feature multiple angles or relevant positions. 

While Amazon’s main image must display the product’s front view, additional angles can help shoppers understand the item’s design and functionality. In the case of some products, such as decorative items, other angles can be the primary concern of buyers.  

Of course, the number of images allowed in an Amazon listing is limited, so it’s not as simple as taking studio shots from every side. You’ll need to have a strategy to be sure that in addition to meeting the front-facing, white background requirements imposed on the main image, the remaining slots can convey additional angles and achieve the other goals discussed in these tips. In other words, you’ll benefit when your secondary photos pull double or triple-duty with regard to their purpose. 

#5 Step outside the studio

Not every photo on an Amazon listing should be shot inside a product photography studio. Sellers often overlook the value of using lifestyle photography to give potential customers a better sense of the product’s size, scale, and functionality by showing the item in use. These types of images can help convey the product’s benefits and features in a more relatable and tangible way. 

In addition to making product listings more visually appealing and exciting, which can help to attract more potential customers, real-world context can enhance a brand. It can create an emotional connection with shoppers who don’t already have experience with the seller. A lifestyle image also has the advantage of setting appropriate expectations that may influence a buyer’s satisfaction or their Amazon review. 

#6 Integrate infographics

Since the main image is the only one required to be on a white background, graphic design can be used to text, graphics, and unique backgrounds can be added to a listing’s other images. Infographics are visual representations of information that are designed to make complex ideas or data easier to understand. In a competitive online marketplace like Amazon, they can be an effective way to convey information to potential customers, particularly when the product has many features or technical specifications.

A well-executed infographic can clarify and simplify complex information, making it easier for potential customers to understand. They can also help to break up long blocks of text and create a more visually appealing image. Infographics can also make it easier for potential customers to compare the product to similar ones, as they can quickly see the key features and specifications side by side. Integrating infographics into an Amazon listing can be a valuable tool for sellers looking for better ways to convey the value and benefits of the product visually and in a more engaging way.

#7 Remember your brand

The images on your product pages and your Amazon store should reinforce your brand story. It’s not just a matter of what these images depict but how. Professionally shot and art-directed product shots – by people fully briefed on your brand narrative–will help ensure your pictures do more than just look good but say something too. 

From the hero image at the top of your brand store to the photos in your slideshows and galleries, the choices of subject matter, angle, lighting, color, etc., should be driven by your brand story.

#8 Get help

Amazon’s competitive environment presents a challenge for sellers on the platform. In pursuit of winning the Buy Box and climbing to the top of the site’s organic ranking, they often need to become an expert in building brand awareness, designing Amazon advertising campaigns and managing customer fulfillment. 

However, some brands have discovered there is a viable alternative to do-it-yourself Amazon product listing optimization and management. A full-service Amazon agency or qualified partner can allow them to eliminate the learning curve by shifting specialized, time-consuming responsibilities to a capable third party. But finding an Amazon optimization partner that can actually help you master Seller Central and contribute to your goals requires a deliberate approach. 

Let Amify create a picture-perfect strategy to grow your Amazon sales

A lot of work goes into optimizing photos for such a competitive platform, and success takes more than just hiring the right photographer to shoot your Amazon product photography. If finding a winning formula for the marketplace seems overwhelming, a full-service Amazon partner could be the answer. Amify has experts ready to assist with all the demands that listing creation, Amazon FBA, and marketing place on your business. Contact us to discover how our experience can address your Amazon challenges and grow your brand.