From browsing to buying: Unraveling the role of content consistency in e-commerce conversion

Visual content in e-commerce

Nowadays it’s no secret that when we’re reading something, we literally skim through the text looking for the most juicy parts. It’s the same for lengthy paragraph in a book or a detailed description on a product page. 

That’s why visual content became so popular over the last couple of years and it’s more than anticipated by every customer. Not to mention it should be informative, interactive and true to reality, so that the customer would set up the right expectations towards the product. But not only that. It should also be CONSISTENT. 

Why? Because brands that are consistently presented see an average revenue increase of 10-20%. Impressive, right? Not to mention that according to Forbes, 91% of consumers prefer visual content to written content. But enough statistics. Maybe you’re already convinced that consistency may be the holy grail of a seamless shopping experience and enhanced brand messaging. 

After all, online retailers that can get that consistency across all their channels will build a strong brand identity and boost customer experience thanks to high-quality content.

Why consistency in e-commerce matters

Authenticity

A positive brand reputation demonstrate to customers that your brand possesses self-awareness, it’s true to itself, and remains loyal to its customer base. This is the key factor that draws the right target audience towards your brand.

Brand awareness

Having the same standards for visuals makes the businesses much more accessible and recognizable to the target audience. Think about brands like IKEA or Apple, their messaging is so well-known, you don’t even have to buy something from them to know who they are. That’s the power of consistency.

Trust & loyalty

Brand consistency also entails trust. Customers feel like they know the business thanks to consistent messaging across different channels. This consistency also gives them a sense of stability and authenticity.

The challenge of consistent visual content across multiple channels & solutions to them 

Customers who engage with brands online want and need a seamless transitions between social media, websites and other channels. In other words, everything, that is visuals, product descriptions, brand value, should click at the end; no matter if you’re looking at it from your laptop or smartphone.

Plus, there is also the complexity of social networking. Brand consistency is often difficult on social media, as every platform has its own standards and best practices, so even though something may work perfectly on one platform, there’s no guarantee it’ll be a success on others. That’s the hard truth.

Solution? Develop content strategy for different channels and create a style guide for the marketing team and others to follow the same guidelines as to the brand communication.

About content strategy

A content strategy outlines the objectives, target audience, and key messaging for each channel. It helps marketing teams create a roadmap for their content creation efforts, ensuring that they deliver the right content to the right audience at the right time. This strategic approach enables the teams to align their content with business goals, whether it's driving product awareness, generating leads, or fostering customer engagement.

About style guide

A style guide serves as a blueprint for maintaining consistency in content creation. It provides guidelines for elements such as brand voice, tone, grammar, vocabulary, and visual elements like color schemes, fonts, and imagery. By adhering to the style guide, retailers ensure that all content, regardless of the channel or the team member creating it, remains coherent and aligned with the brand's identity.

Why it’s beneficial

Consistency across different channels, such as social media platforms, blogs, email newsletters, and website content, is crucial for establishing a cohesive brand identity. When customers encounter consistent messaging, visuals, and tone of voice across these channels, it reinforces their trust in the brand. By ensuring that the content reflects the brand's values, personality, and unique selling points, retailers can cultivate a strong and recognizable brand image.

• Enhances brand loyalty

Consistent content enhances brand loyalty by creating a sense of familiarity and trust among customers. When customers encounter a brand that consistently delivers valuable and relevant content, they are more likely to perceive it as reliable and credible. This fosters a deeper connection with the brand and encourages repeat purchases and brand advocacy.

• Boosts sales

In addition to building brand loyalty, consistent content also has the potential to boost sales. When customers consistently engage with quality content that addresses their needs and preferences, it drives them further down the sales funnel. By providing valuable information, showcasing products or services, and offering personalized recommendations, e-commerce retailers can effectively influence customer purchasing decisions and drive conversions.

• Improves brand position

Moreover, consistent content reinforces the brand's positioning in the market. By consistently communicating key brand messages and values, retailers can differentiate themselves from competitors and carve out a unique space in the minds of their target audience. This helps to create a strong brand identity and can lead to increased market share and customer loyalty.

So all in all, by aligning content with business objectives and maintaining a coherent brand voice, retailers can effectively engage their audience, influence purchasing decisions, and establish a competitive edge in the market.

Other consistency challenges: Product quality

When people finally make the decision to buy something from an online retailer, it often comes after a considerable amount of time spent researching other companies offering similar products. It's now a common practice for customers to take days or even weeks before finally clicking that "buy" button and entering their credit card information. Do you know why? Because they want to make sure they're getting their money's worth. 

That's why it's crucial for e-commerce businesses to ensure that the item they list or showcase on the website matches customers' expectations when it arrives at their doorstep. Brands should create the right product expectations through photos, descriptions and more. Because if a product claims to be top-notch online but turns out to be faulty or disappointing, well, that's a recipe for unhappy customers. Consistency in product quality is great for keeping customers satisfied and maintaining a reputable brand.

Why automated product photography may be the solution you’re looking for

Automated product photography can be a game-changer for e-commerce businesses when it comes to maintaining content consistency. By utilizing automated systems and technology specifically designed for product photography, retailers can streamline their content creation process and ensure that each product image aligns with their brand standards.

Little space for human error

One of the key advantages of automated product photography is the elimination of human error. With manual photography, there is always the risk of inconsistencies in lighting, angles, and overall image quality. However, automated systems provide precise control over these variables, resulting in consistent and professional-looking product images. This consistency enhances the overall visual appeal of the brand's online store and creates a cohesive browsing experience for customers.

In Orbitvu Station, you can create custom workflow templates. That means every setting from shooting, through post-production, to publication is saved as a template, so that you can repeat the same setup and create consistent, quality content in no time.

Also, Orbitvu's automated systems allow for efficient and consistent product image capture. With features like motorized turntable, products can be automatically rotated and positioned, ensuring consistent angles and perspectives for each shot. This eliminates the need for manual adjustments and reduces the risk of human error.

Scalability 

Automated product photography also allows for efficient scalability. E-commerce businesses often have large catalogs with numerous products that require consistent visual representation. But manual photography of each item can be time-consuming and costly. However, automated systems can capture multiple product images in a fraction of the time, ensuring a swift and efficient content creation process. This scalability becomes especially crucial when businesses introduce new products or update their inventory frequently.

Orbitvu's software includes advanced algorithms for automatic background removal. This feature helps create consistent, clean product images with transparent backgrounds. By removing distractions and standardizing the image background, businesses can maintain a consistent look and feel across their product catalog.

Also, thanks to Orbitvu's digital asset management and distribution platform, Orbitvu Sun Cloud, you can store and manage your product images centrally. This facilitates easy access and collaboration among team members involved in content creation, ensuring consistency in image selection and usage.

Multi-destination publishing

Another benefit of automation is the ability to synchronize product images across various channels and platforms. With automated systems, businesses can generate images in different sizes and formats optimized for specific platforms like websites, mobile apps, social media, and online marketplaces. This ensures that the visual representation of products remains consistent across different touchpoints, providing a seamless brand experience for customers.

With Orbitvu, you can publish your content directly to your e-commerce store,

or easily export it for any other purpose. And what’s great is that you don’t have to spend another minute on it, as the process runs seamlessly in the background.

Consistency

And finally, automated product photography enables businesses to maintain consistency in image style and composition. By utilizing predefined settings and templates, retailers can ensure that all product images follow a consistent visual format. This includes factors such as background, product placement, angles, and zoom levels. Consistent image style enhances the overall brand aesthetic and reinforces the identity and professionalism of the business.

For example, thanks to Ghost Image feature, you can use previously shot products as overlays in your live-view and place your product in exactly the same manner. In this way, you achieve consistency and you don’t even have to think about it! And what about photos with models? Well, here, we have a position laser, a virtual mirror, and visual and sound signals that help the whole crew get consistent shots throughout the entire photo shoot.

And do you know what these and many other features ensure? That’s right, consistency. 

Key Takeaways

• Consistent content of a world-class quality may be your winning strategy to building trust and win the hearts of customers,
• There is no consistency without a good strategy, 
• Automated product photography solutions can help you immensely with keeping your content consistent in a long run.

All in all

No doubt, retailers these days are in for a tough ride when it comes to delighting customers. With countless ways to amp up the commerce experience, it's easy to get overwhelmed. 

But here's the deal: if you invest in improving the customer experience without nailing down consistency, they might as well be throwing money and time out the window. However, if you prioritize consistency and actually commit to it, you will not only build customer loyalty but also position yourself to ride the wave of future customer demands like pros. So, remember folks, consistency is the name of the game in winning over customers and staying ahead of the curve!