- Website Vistor Action to Perform
- Think of the action you want website visitors to perform: Donate, subscribe, share, register, purchase, bookmark, etc; and try to envision a picture that motivates to this very act.
- Images on Your Homepage
- Use large, eye-catching images on your homepage, as long as they first and foremost tell your visitors what you are all about. Your homepage image is typically the first thing visitors see when they come to your website. What does it say about you or about your business?
- Text-heavy Pages
- For text-heavy pages, use images to break up text. Visitors will appreciate the visual pauses.Provide textual equivalents because not all images are depicted clearly by users.
- Formatting Images
- Cropping, enhancing, mirroring, brightening and many other options allow you to optimize your images and match them to the exact look and feel of your website. The Rule of Thirds is a helpful guideline in creating more interesting and dynamic compositions in your images. Divide the image area into thirds both horizontally and vertically, which will create a grid of nine regions. When cropping (or composing) an image, placing the main subject over or near the ⅓ or ⅔ grid lines will create an asymmetrical composition that is more visually pleasing than placing the subject dead center.
- Image Placement
- A webpage should contain no more than 50-75kb of graphics to avoid a longer loading time. Try to avoid stock images. They are a generic solution to a specific problem. Most people can spot the difference between a stock business executive and a real one, and who wants to be thought of as generic? A well-placed editorial illustration or infographic is a great tool for helping your audience visualize data, concepts or opinions that could not be served by a photo or a lengthy written explanation.