If we apply content strategy thinking to online photos, will we end up with more effective photos?

1. Photo content strategy
!
Hello I’m @chudders and I’m on a
mission to try and improve the
effectiveness of online photos.
!
I was wondering whether if we
applied content strategy thinking
to photos we might end up
with some more effective photos….
@chudders

2. A content strategy guides
your plans for the creation,
delivery & governance of
content’
‘
‘
!
In case you were wondering what
content strategy is all about here’s a
definition. Generally the word
‘content’ means words but I think we
can apply this thinking to photos too.
@chudders

3. We define content quite
broadly as ‘the stuff in your
website’.
‘
‘
Content strategists
seem to just talk
about text
!
The IA bible also gives a broad
definition so let’s consider photos as
the ‘stuff’ we’re going to focus on.
@chudders

4. There is more to the web than just text
!
Photos play a HUGE part in our online
lives but no one seems to be thinking
about them particularly strategically,
strange isn’t it?
@chudders

5. We need to act NOW and FAST
!
Poorly chosen stock photos have a
detrimental effect on trust and
credibility. Users can’t relate to the
people within these photos. Just how
do they get their teeth so white?…
@chudders

6. Good content management is hard
1. Huge, complex
site redesign
6. What
happened to
5. Death,
decay and
neglect of
content
2. CMS makes it
easy to publish.
4. Production is
fun, maintenance
is boring
our
conversion
rate?!!!
3. Lack of
publishing rules
!
Managing content is really, really hard.
That’s why there is so much poor
content online. This represents a
typical lifecycle of web content.
@chudders

7. The opportunity
Impact on UX &
conversion
!
Photos can have a huge impact
upon conversion but are given
proportionately little consideration
during the design process.
!
Consideration
@chudders

8. Client questions that UX’ers can answer
What effect are my photos having on the
performance of my product?
Which are my most effective photos?
What do my customers need my photos to
communicate?
How can my photos help me to achieve my
business goals?
What messages do my photos
communicate to my customers?
etc...
!
These are all really important
questions. Do you know the
answers for your product?
@chudders

9. Photo WHAT
content
strategy
!
Let’s see if we can apply the content
strategy framework from
“Content Strategy for the Web”
(Halvorson & Rach) to photos
and see if it helps…
What kinds of photos do we
need? (topics, types, sources etc.)
!
What messages do the photos
need to communicate to our
audience?
!
The ‘What’ questions are important
ones to ask to determine just what
you need in the first place.
@chudders

10. Photo HOW
content
strategy
How are the photos prioritised,
organised, formatted and
displayed? (IA, metadata, linking
strategies etc)
!
These are all important questions from
the point of view of managing the
photos within your product.
@chudders

11. CREATION, APPROVAL,
Photo MAINTENANCE & REMOVAL
content
strategy
What processes, tools and
human resources are required
to launch successfully and
maintain ongoing quality?
!
Workflow is really important for
photos as well as ongoing review
and evaluation.
@chudders

12. Photo QUALITY
content
strategy
How is quality maintained and
governed? Who makes the
decisions? When do photos get
removed and updated?
!
Governance is critical to determining
the guidelines that control what
sort of photos are suitable for a
particular brand and experience.
@chudders

13. 1. Define business requirements - Commercial objectives
‘We make our money
from selling holidays to
young families’
!
Take a more strategic approach to
choosing the most effective photos
for your digital products. Start with
working out what the photos need
to deliver for ‘the business’.
@chudders
So how could it work?

14. 2. Evaluate photos with users & audit - Benchmark current
‘I can’t see if there is
space in the hotel room
for a cot!’
!
…then gather user requirements to
determine what your photos need to
communicate to your users..
@chudders
So how could it work?

15. 3. Document user needs and gaps - Understand situation now
!
Use customer experience map
techniques to visualise the user
experience and to identify user and
business requirements that photos
could help to support.
@chudders
So how could it work?

16. 4. Map ideal journey with ideal photos - Vision
e.g. Photos required to communicate key moments for a car repair centre website
2. Menu board
of services
3. Consultation 4. Goodbye 5. Driving away
happy
1. Meet and
greet
The photo MUST...
Convey a job well done
Show a happy customer
Show a professional person
in a relevant environment
Map out your ideal user journey
and determine what the role of
the photos are for the user and
the business at each step.
@chudders
So how could it work?

17. 5. Create shot list & styleguide - Roadmap & Governance
Shot 3 - ‘Consultation’
Shot 1.
‘Interior reception, talking through the service wallet’
Shot 2.
‘Exterior shot with car’
Shot 3.
‘Exterior shot discussing requirements’
!
Your journey mapping work will have
generated your shot list, and also will
have helped you to think about a style
guide of the sorts of shots that are
appropriate for your business.
@chudders
So how could it work?

18. 6. Commission photo shoot/ evaluate existing assets
‘Dispel customer preconceptions’ ‘Health & Safety compliant’
‘Show interaction with experts’
‘Solve people’s problems’
‘Show people what we do’
‘Look realistic’
‘Show motion to add dynamism’
‘Show women looking reassured’
!
Wouldn’t it be cool if photographers
shot lists were actually grounded in
user and business needs?
@chudders
So how could it work?

19. 7. Measure impact against KPI’s - Measurement
!
Once live measure the impact of
the new photos to see if they are
being perceived as you hoped.
Don’t forget, you’ll never be finished.
You’ll need to continually
build, measure and learn.
@chudders
So how could it work?

20. A photo content strategy results in photos that...
Help to sell the product
Address customer needs
Reflect the brand
Work across all view ports
Are searchable
Are appropriate
Lightweight
Communicate the right message
Fulfil their intended purpose
etc...
!
By taking a more strategic approach
to the selection of photos you are
taking control of a key asset within
your product, and not leaving the
effectiveness of your web
photos to chance!
@chudders

21. You want more?!
My book covers more related to this
topic. Also check out my blog at
www.photoUX.co.uk
http://www.fivesimplesteps.com/products/usability-of-web-photos
Thanks!
@chudders
James Chudley
UX Director
!
james.chudley@cxpartners.co.uk