(This article was originally posted on April 11, 2014, and has been updated to be even more fantastic!)
Pictures are a really important component of your website, and they tend to quickly capture our attention and, whether we like it or not, they create an immediate impression.
The images you choose to put on your site are there to draw people in, to tell a story, and to show off your practice. So what do your website images say about your practice?
Let’s break it down a little further here:
Personal or Professional?
While stock photos have their place (and we have a complete list of websites where you can find free stock images), if you’re not also using personal photos from your practice, you’re missing out on a valuable opportunity to make a personalized first impression. When pet owners are looking for a new practice, do you have the website with the same stock photos as every other animal hospital in town, or do you stand out from the crowd? Use actual images of your actual practice to give pet owners a sense of what you’re like and make a memorable impression.
[Related Reading:Â 7 Tips for Taking Great Photographs for Your Veterinary Website]
TMI?
Do pictures of that festering abscess you removed from Fido’s backside relay how approachable and caring you are? Not so much. How about those graphic images of a puppy on an exam table mid spay? Nope. People know you perform these surgeries and that you come across less than desirable situations on a daily basis, but that doesn’t mean they wish they were right there in the room with you watching the drama unfold. In fact I’m willing to bet that, more often than not, a quick exit from your page is the next step for most people.
Pet owners look to you to help their pets and offer reassurance. The last thing anyone wants to see when checking out your site for the first time (or any time) are scary surgical photos – it’s intimidating.
Our advice? Keep the images on your site “PG” and choose ones that show people what a warm, friendly, and fun environment your practice is.
Your choice of images can be the difference between attracting new clients and scaring them away. As for Fido, show the world his smiling “after” picture instead. Because hey, let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a good puppy picture?As you add pictures to your website, pause for a second and ask yourself the question, “What does this say about our practice to pet owners?” The images on your website communicate a lot, so make sure your image choices are presenting your practice as personal and welcoming.
