- Ido Kosover
- 6 hours ago
- 7 min read
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As the Head of Media at Wix, I spend a lot of time looking into what makes a website successful. And if there’s one element that’s consistently overlooked, it’s photography.
Your images are often the first things that people see when they land on your website. But too often, business owners rush through the process of picking (or, nowadays, generating) images—and end up losing sales because of it.
So, if you’re not fully convinced, or if you’re wondering if your pictures are “good enough,” join me in this discussion about the power of good website photos.
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TL;DR
People judge your website in seconds, and your images do most of the talking. Clear, relevant photos help visitors understand and trust your business. The best visuals show what’s better seen than explained, plus work seamlessly with your website’s copy and structure. And with AI and stock options at your fingertips, it’s never been easier to develop consistent, high-quality website images.
Why website images matter
As cliché as it sounds, it’s impossible to deny that pictures are worth a thousand words, especially at a time when most people scroll before they read.
People expect instant gratification. And unlike text, which takes extra time and brainpower to read, images can immediately communicate what your business is about. It can spare you the trouble of having to explain what you do or sell with words.
At the same time, bad images can lead to a lousy experience. Low-quality images create trust issues. Images that don’t match what you do create confusion. Images can be just as much of a distraction as they can be helpful, if you’re not careful. (Think about all those phishing scams you hear about and the advice to avoid sketchy-looking URLs; the same idea applies to your website.)
Plus, with AI and stock photos making professional images accessible to everyone today, there’s no excuse for weak visuals on your site.
The perfect trifecta of website content
With all that being said, sometimes, the problem isn’t laziness. Sometimes, it can just be difficult to know what images to put where on your site, and what constitutes as a “good” photo.
If that’s the case, you’ll want to think about how—just like when you’re starting a business—creating a website involves thinking about your website as a whole. More specifically, there are three foundational components you have to get right:
Your website’s structure
Your website’s copy
Your website’s images
A lot of times, people will pick any website template that looks good and simply change the content within the template. The problem with this approach is that they haven’t thought through key questions, like what is the intent of the website? How does each component align with their business’s values and goals?
If the three components above aren’t in harmony, you risk launching a website that doesn’t actually serve your business in any material way. Think: a portfolio website that doesn’t clearly show what you do, or an eCommerce website that doesn’t build enough trust for people to click “buy.”
Read also: How to make a website
My tips for picking strong website photos
So, how do you avoid filling your website with distracting photos, and instead, enhance in with the right images? Here are some of the things I’ve learned over the years.
01. Think about what’s better shown versus explained
Remember, your text and images are meant to work together—they don’t always have to say and show the exact same thing.
So, if you’re a fitness instructor who offers a variety of classes, you can save yourself the trouble of explaining everything you do by showing yourself instructing a yoga, pilates and other fitness class. You can sum up what your business does in just a few seconds.
Taking this one step further, your photos can instantly communicate whether you do group or 1:1 lessons. The most important here is to understand what people need to see to feel confident about you and your brand.
02. Reliable is better than “good-looking”...
Your images should never be misleading. If you’re a yoga instructor who teaches yoga classes on the beach, then use a picture of you teaching yoga on the beach. But if you only teach in a studio—or used to teach yoga on the beach but don’t anymore—then don’t put pictures of you on the beach.
The worst types of photos are ones that set the wrong expectations. And if I had to pick my poison between having low-resolution images that are reliable, versus professional images that have nothing to do with what I offer, then I’d pick the first option 100% of the time.
03. …but “good-looking” is easier to achieve with AI
However, with the tools available today, there’s no need to settle for low-quality images. Wix, for example, offers built-in AI design tools that can improve the resolution or the colors of your images.
You can take photos you took from your phone, or photos you’ve received from manufacturers, and make them look much more professional. With these tools, you can even make the backgrounds more consistent. So, let’s say you get 50 product photos from different suppliers with all different backgrounds and lighting. Using Wix’s AI image editing tools, you can cut out the background and make them all white.
04. Your hero image really, really matters
We’ve all heard the statistics that most people will only spend a few seconds on your website before deciding if they want to stay. For this reason, the first image above the fold (the hero image) is super important.
Be very intentional about what you want to show here. Is it most important for visitors to see your product first? Or, is it important to display an image that resonates with people from a specific region? Or, should you showcase your team in action to create a deeper connection between you and your audience?
05. Think mobile, even with your images
More than half (62.5% to be exact) of internet traffic comes from mobile, which means that you should expect a lot of your website visitors to be looking at your images from small screens. The mobile version of your site is also where your images shine; there’s less space for text and more opportunity for your visuals to fill the screen.
Because of this, it’s important to choose images that work well on mobile. Use visuals that are easy to understand at a glance and still look great when scaled down. Prioritize simple compositions, clear focal points and fast load times.
Read also: Mobile first design
06. Get feedback from other people
When you own the business that you’re creating a website for, it’s easy to forget how much more context you have than your visitors. You know the backstory, the details and the “why” behind every image. It’s therefore impossible for you to assess your site the same way a first-time visitor would.
Ask people around you (friends, colleagues or even past customers) to take a look at your site and share their honest reactions. Resist the urge to fish for compliments or to explain your choices as they’re reviewing it. Instead, listen closely to the most critical feedback. Pay attention to moments where they feel confused or unsure what an image is meant to communicate.
Related reading:
What’s better—owned, stock or AI-generated images?
Spoiler: There’s no “better” source of imagery. Sure, stock imagery can sometimes look fake, and AI-generated ones can sometimes look too aspirational. But stock photos can also look professional, and AI-generated ones can also be inspirational.
Rather than stressing over which source to use, ask yourself, “Where can I get the most reliable and relevant photo?” Look at your options and pick the one that serves you best.
I’ve been fascinated by how the boundaries between these three image categories are continuing to blur, too. I used to think that GenAI tools would replace stock images. But that hasn’t happened; honestly, not everyone wants to spend the time generating a new image.
And these days, you can take a stock image and blend it with your own content or tweak an existing image using AI (read my other article on 8 things you can do in 30 seconds using Wix’s AI image tools).
The possibilities are virtually endless. Lucky for us, we get to experience this shift in technology in real time. Therefore, I implore you to lean into it. Try new things, break old rules and see what’s possible.
Read my other work: Sure, AI can design your whole website—but you give it soul
Website images FAQ
Where can I find pictures for a website?
You can find website images in stock photo libraries, image marketplaces or by taking (or creating) your own. If you’re using Wix, the Wix Media Manager gives you access to free stock photos from providers like Unsplash and Shutterstock. You can also build images from scratch using its built-in AI tools.
How to find images free to use?
Look for images labeled “royalty-free” or “free for commercial use.” Popular options include Unsplash and Pexels. On Wix, you can use free Wix stock images or create your own visuals with Wix AI Image Creator to avoid copyright concerns altogether.
Can I use any image for my website?
Not always. Many images are protected by copyright, which means you need permission or a proper license to use them. Using Wix’s free stock images, licensed premium images or AI-generated visuals ensures you’re using images legally.
How to make photos for a website?
You can take your own photos with a smartphone or camera. Or, use tools like Wix’s Photo Studio and AI Image Creator to design graphics from scratch Wix also makes it easy to crop, resize and enhance existing images so they’re website-ready.
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