The air is getting chilly. So you decided to buy a sweater online.
While browsing through your favorite online store, you saw one that looks really cozy.
You were not sure if it would fit you. And the model in the product photo is wearing the size you want.
To make sure you chose the right size, you looked for the reviews.
This is what you saw:
Obviously, the sweater went straight to your cart.
And it was one of the best purchases you made!
Like you, most of your customers look at reviews and product photos before purchasing. And, of course, Google Search.
And do you know what pushes them to buy your product or service?
Customer photos. Or also known as user-generated images.
Most consumers are likely to buy something if they see photo/video content from existing customers.
But here's another fact: 34% of eCommerce sites don't allow customers to leave an image with their reviews.
So if you are one of them...
That means less compelling reviews. Which leads to fewer sales!
There's no need to worry anymore, because I am going to walk you through...
- Why user-generated images are crucial for your eCommerce business
- How to fully leverage photo reviews
- How to gain more review images from your customers
Let's dive in!
4 Fundamental Reasons Why You Need User Images Product Reviews
1. Photo Reviews Makes Your Product Seem More Trustworthy
As you were compiling your product images, you chose best ones.
The lighting is perfect. All of your photos show every angle of your product. It even includes videos!
After all, you want to show your product or service in the best light.
But here's the catch...
Your customers still feel distrust even with the product images. They think that all of the enhancements made on it can be deceiving.
(source)
And you can't blame your customers for being skeptical. They want to see how the product looks in "real life" instead of the product images you provide.
Enter photo reviews for social proof.
User-generated images build more credibility for your shoppers to trust your brand.
Here is how it works...
Reviews are every new customer's most valued information source. They find reviews to be authentic and trustworthy.
Plus, your customers would seek user-generated images in your product review section.
Potential customers like to see customer photos on your reviews. It gives a more realistic description of your products.
After all, the customers' photos are them sharing their own experience with your brand. They are using it in real-life scenarios.
The photo reviews also show a unique perspective of your products or services. It shows different attributes of your shop. As well as the quality and durability of it all.
Yes, your site-provided product images look way better than review images, aesthetically speaking.
But photo reviews are more valuable to your customers than other resources.
A product review that includes photos can also help customers get a better idea before their purchases.
That is because...
2. Review Images Fill In Details About Your Product Or Service
The pictures you provide help new customers have a good look at the feature of your product.
But what if they need more information about each feature? Your product description can only contain so many characters. And you can't immediately attend to customers' questions all day.
Here is where photo reviews can be helpful.
Photos on a product review add more validation for each feature you wrote on your product description.
Let me explain.
If your customers need more information before they purchase, they won't have to go back to your home page.
All they need to do is look through your reviews that include user-generated images. The photos can help fill the gaps or provide more context than any product review.
Let me give you an example.
Your customer finds a high-end oven in your online store. It is exactly what they want in a kitchen appliance.
They look through the photos you provided. However, they also want to know if it can fit multiple baking pans all at once.
Since they won't be able to try it out just like in a physical store, photo reviews are helpful.
Photos and videos can give them an idea of how big the oven is.
The photos can also show the features or texture or materials of the products. It shows the overall quality of the product they want to purchase.
As you can see, user-generated content can give shoppers helpful additional information.
Remember the sweater you purchased?
That's right... Photos on a product review can also give them a clearer idea on a product's scale. Shoppers can estimate the approximate size through the images.
Photo reviews also have an impact on your sales.
It's true...
3. Photo Reviews Increases Revenue
You can't deny it... The process of taking photo images takes a lot of your time and effort.
You have to take a lot of photos of your product. And if you sell a lot of products... it would take days to get photos of them all!
Of course, it also costs a chunk out of your store budget. Paying for a professional set-up for your product photos is costly.
Thankfully, user-generated content can take a load off your shoulders.
Crowdsourcing images from your customers can save you from shooting a variety of photos. That means you can actually save money with the help of customer photos.
As a bonus, customer photos also serve as inspiration.
Future customers see the images as a "Lifestyle" influence. The photos highlight how your product can fit a shopper's daily life.
And when it does, it's the boost they need to finish the checkout process on your store!
As if that's not enough reason to incorporate images in your product review...
4. It Encourages Other Shoppers To Leave More Reviews
As we have established, letting your customers upload images on reviews is a powerful strategy.
You see, reviews are the ultimate social proof. Consumers find user-generated content to be 3x more authentic than brands' content.
And seeing happy customers sharing their experience with their purchase also builds trust in your store.
For example, Sephora lets shoppers upload images with their reviews. This customer shows their own picture, which shows how the product looks on their skin tone.
Doesn't that want you to share how it looks on your own skin, too?
That trust can translate to them being more engaged with your store. That means they would leave reviews with their own photos to share their experience.
And the more positive reviews you have, the better your social proof is!
Now that you see the value of letting customers upload images on your reviews, you have to learn...
How To Accumulate User-Generated Images?
Positive reviews are all well and good. But giving users the ability to add an image or two will make the reviews on your site even more compelling.
To get more reviews with the image you want, you can...
1. Ask Customers For Photo Reviews
Sounds easy to ask for a review, right?
That's because it is.
You can include a link to your customer's post-purchase email. The link will lead the user to a page where they can upload an image together with their review.
Of course, you should give your customer the chance to use your product first. So the time you send out the email depends on the product they shop.
For instance, a user bought a tumbler from your eCommerce site. As the product can be immediately used, it's safe to send the email a few days after it is delivered.
On the other hand, if a user bought an oven, then you might have to send out your request for a review a little later.
A little push can also get a user to submit a review with photos. That means you can also...
2. Add Incentive When Collecting Reviews
Nope, I'm not talking about brands buying customer reviews. It's illegal and unethical. Overall, it's a bad move for your site.
What I am talking about is giving users a little incentive without paying them outright.
It can encourage your customers to leave more reviews that you can use on your home page.
For example, you can give users a promo code or a discount code for them to submit a review.
But here's a warning. Don't just ask them for a positive review. Whether they leave negative reviews or positive ones... The incentive will still be redeemable on your site.
Once users decide they want to leave reviews on your Shopify store...
The ball is on your court to not make them aimlessly search for your review tab.
It's up to you to...
3. Make It Easy For Users To Leave A Review
When your review box is hard for users to find... You only create more hurdles for you to sell.
Keep the search process to a minimum. Give your users a link that is visible and accessible.
That should also show on the review form itself.
Make sure that the process of submitting only takes a couple of minutes. Not a lot of users can spare the time of leaving a review. It should be easy to fill it out on mobile, too.
To make it easier, don't ask for unnecessary information.
Your company already has the customer information, such as their name and purchasing history.
If your company can get away with a review and a photo, then go with it.
Are you ready to take action? So don't miss out and...
Show Off Your User-Generated Images!
Here's a heads-up...
In the coming months, Google is introducing user-generated images in reviews on Google Shopping.
With Google Shopping, online stores can make use of the product rating program. This shows up on Google search results when customers look up your business.
It's available for US eCommerce businesses and will expand to more countries.
Here is the point... You are going to miss out on your brand awareness and sales if you don't use photo reviews.
And thankfully, Debutify Reviews can help you maximize your reviews and review images... So look out!
Furthermore, don't let your awesome reviews go to waste. You should be able to collect and manage them efficiently... and of course, show them off. So...
Trisha Ballesteros
