Marketing Websites: An Uncomfortable Truth about Consumers' Love/Hate Relationship with Images
It's strange that consumers are so willing to complain about the dishonest practices of marketers/advertisers, and yet so demanding of the images that are consistently "served" on T.V., via print and online. This article furnishes observations that may help marketers and business professionals to be more successful when marketing websites via the Web.
People complain about the media constantly.
Have you noticed?
According to a percentage of the public (I'm not sure what that percentage would be) the bad media boys and girls are reporting the news inaccurately or are deceiving the public with products and services that are dishonestly portrayed. It's not uncommon to hear that the media is too liberal or too free with the material they are obligated to convey.
However, it's obvious that the media (especially advertisers and marketers) aren't going to stop their combination of imagery and mismatched products any time soon. Why? Because the media is being paid (perhaps indirectly) by a public that is hungry for the food that marketing and advertising provide.
Consumer Confusion: An Interesting and Educational Observation for those Who are Marketing Websites
Frankly put, media dishonesty is often encouraged and/or motivated (perhaps tacitly) by the public. Take for example the cheese melt sandwich advertised on T.V. vs. the cheese melt sandwich that will end up in the consumer's mouth.1 The almost-always-hungry-consumer sees the godlike cheesy creation on T.V. and the next time he or she is driving past the nearest Arby's, Wendy's or McDonald's he (with a vivid image in mind) is going to stop and ask for the steaming, savory creation that he sawon T.V. Of course, once he pays for the restaurant's wares, he will receive only a tangible semblance of the product he or she saw advertised. At this point however it doesn't really matter because the smells and the tastes of the product are there to compensate for the less than perfect aesthetic appearance. In essence, the consumer simply trades any demand of imagery for functionality and/or pleasure. The irony is that the consumer more than likely would choose NOT to support the restaurant that actually portrayed it's food realistically (i.e. straight out of the package) in the first place. Why? Because the consumer apparently wants an image first (which drives him or her to seek the product) and will later settle for functionality and pleasure once a semblance of the product is located. It's a strange phenomenon (it is human nature after all) but the process can give marketers and business professionals interesting clues for marketing websites.
Marketing Websites with Image
Marketing websites with images doesn't have to resort to photos only. Any content that promotes the good perception of products or services will contribute to the "image of your website." Pictures however are a boon when marketing websites since they tend to generate increased sensory responses. For instance, marketing websites with technology products, which are essentially abstract to many users, are best sold via the use of photos that display professional people, people who are having fun, laughing, smiling, etc. These pictures connote positive sensory information which is often just the stimulus that is needed to encourage visitors to call or visit. Marketing websites with images is an important step in the marketing websites process.
Marketing Websites: Support Your Marketing with Good Functionality
When marketing websites, you need to make sure that your products and services provide the functionality that will solve problems that your potential consumers are experiencing. This compensates for any disappointment that would result from image vs. result disappointment.
It will be an exciting day when every product image will it's respective product, but for now, an effective marketing websites process will consist of creating the ideal image and providing a functional product for the consumer.
Good luck with marketing websites!
1 business-opportunities.biz/2007/08/13/the-power-of-a-picture/
Marci Crane is a copywriter for Main10 in Orem, Utah. For more information in regards to marketing websites, please feel free to contact a Main10 representative.
Have you noticed?
According to a percentage of the public (I'm not sure what that percentage would be) the bad media boys and girls are reporting the news inaccurately or are deceiving the public with products and services that are dishonestly portrayed. It's not uncommon to hear that the media is too liberal or too free with the material they are obligated to convey.
However, it's obvious that the media (especially advertisers and marketers) aren't going to stop their combination of imagery and mismatched products any time soon. Why? Because the media is being paid (perhaps indirectly) by a public that is hungry for the food that marketing and advertising provide.
Consumer Confusion: An Interesting and Educational Observation for those Who are Marketing Websites
Frankly put, media dishonesty is often encouraged and/or motivated (perhaps tacitly) by the public. Take for example the cheese melt sandwich advertised on T.V. vs. the cheese melt sandwich that will end up in the consumer's mouth.1 The almost-always-hungry-consumer sees the godlike cheesy creation on T.V. and the next time he or she is driving past the nearest Arby's, Wendy's or McDonald's he (with a vivid image in mind) is going to stop and ask for the steaming, savory creation that he sawon T.V. Of course, once he pays for the restaurant's wares, he will receive only a tangible semblance of the product he or she saw advertised. At this point however it doesn't really matter because the smells and the tastes of the product are there to compensate for the less than perfect aesthetic appearance. In essence, the consumer simply trades any demand of imagery for functionality and/or pleasure. The irony is that the consumer more than likely would choose NOT to support the restaurant that actually portrayed it's food realistically (i.e. straight out of the package) in the first place. Why? Because the consumer apparently wants an image first (which drives him or her to seek the product) and will later settle for functionality and pleasure once a semblance of the product is located. It's a strange phenomenon (it is human nature after all) but the process can give marketers and business professionals interesting clues for marketing websites.
Marketing Websites with Image
Marketing websites with images doesn't have to resort to photos only. Any content that promotes the good perception of products or services will contribute to the "image of your website." Pictures however are a boon when marketing websites since they tend to generate increased sensory responses. For instance, marketing websites with technology products, which are essentially abstract to many users, are best sold via the use of photos that display professional people, people who are having fun, laughing, smiling, etc. These pictures connote positive sensory information which is often just the stimulus that is needed to encourage visitors to call or visit. Marketing websites with images is an important step in the marketing websites process.
Marketing Websites: Support Your Marketing with Good Functionality
When marketing websites, you need to make sure that your products and services provide the functionality that will solve problems that your potential consumers are experiencing. This compensates for any disappointment that would result from image vs. result disappointment.
It will be an exciting day when every product image will it's respective product, but for now, an effective marketing websites process will consist of creating the ideal image and providing a functional product for the consumer.
Good luck with marketing websites!
1 business-opportunities.biz/2007/08/13/the-power-of-a-picture/
Marci Crane is a copywriter for Main10 in Orem, Utah. For more information in regards to marketing websites, please feel free to contact a Main10 representative.
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