If you were to take a quick look at the websites you’ve visited recently, you might find more differences than similarities – after all, variety is one of the biggest benefits of the digital world. However, many of those websites probably have one key characteristic in common: when you scroll through their various webpages, you can probably count more than a few digital images with faces in them.

Are you wondering exactly what we’re getting at? Take a moment to click around our website, if you’d like. It probably won’t take long for you to notice that many of our website images include people as the primary subjects. The same would probably be true for any well-designed website you’ve browsed in the past several days, weeks, and months.

In the early days of the Internet, many websites were incredibly text-heavy. At that time, people were still learning about how users experienced digital content, and how that translated to web design best practices. Even now, there are still some websites that follow that outdated trend… but you can bet that the user experience falls short on those sites.

Today’s web designers understand that less really is more, and that audiences prefer that text content be broken up into smaller, easy-to-skim chunks that are balanced out by plenty of imagery. And ideally, this imagery will communicate a clear message that emotionally resonates with users – and that’s where digital images with faces come in.

Important Reasons to Use Digital Images Featuring People – and Their Faces

Let’s imagine that you were a devoted dog owner searching for a veterinarian in your area. Understandably, you would want to find a compassionate, competent vet that made you feel like they would genuinely care for your beloved pup. If you were comparing the websites of two different vet practices, which would you be more likely to connect with?

• A website that was mainly text-based, with a home page that just had several paragraphs explaining why prospective clients should choose the vet; or
• A website that included a variety of photographs of the vet and other staff members, smiling as they cuddled their four-legged, furry patients

Odds are, you would have a far more positive reaction to the second website, right?

Most people would much rather “see,” not just read about, a topic. This is especially true when it comes to designing websites that evoke powerful feelings in an audience. And when a site includes photos of people, who are clearly demonstrating emotions, it becomes much easier for viewers to connect with the feelings and message the website designer is trying to convey.

There are three key reasons for using website imagery with faces:

1. It sets the stage for a personal connection between the audience and your brand, product, and/or service.
2. It adds visual interest to a website, capturing the audience’s attention and encouraging them to stay on the site longer.
3. It helps evoke the precise emotions you want your audience to experience, allowing you to achieve your specific goals.

Do Photos of People Make a Website More Successful?

There are actually several research studies and industry surveys that show that photos with humans in them positively impact websites:

• One study found that users perceived websites with these types of photos and videos to be more trustworthy than those that did not have any “human” imagery.
• Testing has shown that websites with face-centric photos had higher conversion rates than those that didn’t have them.

These are just two of the many examples of the real-world benefits of using photos of people for website design. Ultimately, effectively incorporating human imagery into your website can make a measurable difference in your short- and long-term success alike.

Master Marketing and Website Design with an Education in Digital Media

There is so much to learn about the complexities of digital media, and web design – and the BeOnAir Network of Media Schools is the perfect place to do just that. With campuses in Chicago, Miami, Colorado, and Ohio, our media schools offer students a hands-on education in digital media production, audio, video, and other aspects of the media industry. Here, you can learn how to level up your current professional skills; or, you can revamp your career altogether.

Get more information about how to make digital media an asset for your future when you contact us today!

Featured Image: Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock