If the images you’ve got on your landing pages aren’t increasing your conversions, then it’s time to fix them.

Everything on your landing page should help to improve your conversion rate or it simply does not belong there.

And yet time and time again I see those lame 1990’s stock images that tell me the marketer who put that page together doesn’t know what she’s doing.

Or worse yet, there’s no image at all. Of course, if you’ve tested using a powerful image against no image and somehow not having an image converted better, then that’s great.

It’s also the exception to the rule because having a great image on your landing page that does most or all of the following will increase your conversion rate.

1: Showcases your product.

When you see a TV ad for a hamburger, what do they show? A zoomed in super closeup of a steaming hot burger. If you’re a vegetarian, you’re disgusted. But if you’re their target audience, then you’re salivating for that burger even though seconds ago you didn’t even know you were hungry.

Cut to the chase and show your product at its very best. Make your visitor WANT THAT PRODUCT through the power of your image.

2: Evokes emotion.

This is where you show your customer how your product or service will make them feel once they have it. Maybe they’re hugging your product and grinning. Or they’ve used your product and now they’re radiating confidence and happiness.

Or you can even demonstrate how badly they feel NOW because of their big problem, adding a second image illustrating how great they feel after using your product.

Maybe you help entrepreneurs to solidify their business plan. The before image could be a cartoon of them looking completely baffled by the nearly infinite number of choices and paths they can take. The second image is one of that same entrepreneur looking entirely in control, happy and successful as they take the ONE path that will directly lead them to massive success with no obstacles on sight.

3: Isn’t one of the same old stock images.

It is soooo tempting to find a stock image of a sexy woman looking over-the-moon happy, adding that to your page and calling it good.

And I admit, that might – MIGHT – be the exact image that works best for your page. But 9 times out of 10, a stock image LOOKS like a stock image. People might not realize exactly why the image doesn’t resonate with them; they just know it doesn’t feel right.

Which is why no matter what image you choose, you’ve got to test.

Hunt long and hard for THE exact image that works best for you. Better yet, create your own. Hire a professional photographer, illustrator, graphic artist or cartoonist to make an image that is as perfect as possible at grabbing attention and making the conversion.

4: Doesn’t forget to consider the page copy AND the call to action.

Your image doesn’t stand alone. It needs to work in harmony with everything else on your page, or it simply won’t work at all.

Consider also how your image is being used. Is it the background to the entire page? Is it the border to the page? Or is off to the left of the sign-up form? Location matters. If it’s the background or border, then it needs to support the copy without taking too much attention away from it. But if it stands apart from the copy, it can be more creative, more detailed and more attention getting.

5: Might be a cartoon.

I mentioned this earlier but it deserves a point of its own. People can’t help but pay attention to cartoons. If there is at least one cartoon person in your cartoon, it’s even better. And cartoons can be made to illustrate just about any point you want to make.

The key is to keep the cartoon simple. Don’t use any unnecessary elements in the cartoon that don’t help with the messaging. Anyone should be able to understand the meaning of the cartoon in seconds.

6: Thinks twice before getting fancy.

Things like image carousels, auto-played videos, animations and so forth can be extremely off-putting if the viewer isn’t ready for them. If you do include elements like these, give the prospect a super easy-to-find pause button.

7: Considers your color scheme.

Does the image fit with your overall color scheme? This seems like such a trivial thing, but if you have a particular style associated with your brand, such as colors and fonts, then your image needs to seamlessly blend in with this scheme rather than clash with it.

Don’t know where to start? You might try https://icons8.com/. They’ve got a myriad of design tools to help you create the perfect unique images for all of your marketing.