One of the best way for site visitors to process information is with visual data. Before and after shots offer a strong image that shows potential customers exactly what your company has to offer. When it comes to before and after pages, there are many different ways to present this information in order to increase website conversions.
There is a psychology behind good before and after photos. These pages work so well because they help persuade your prospect that your product will deliver results for them specifically. Before and after photos serve as proof that the product (or service) works.
There is not really a right way or wrong way, but studying a few great examples of how others have created strong before and afters can help you choose a style for your own page. More important than the style you choose, though, is the content you choose to show your services and products to their absolute best.
1. A Variety of Topics
There is no reason you should be limited to only one before and after page. In fact, some industries lend themselves to offering a bigger variety of topics. For example, if you run a home improvement business, you might show before and afters of woodwork. But, you might also have a before and after page showing off rooms that have been painted.
One example of a before and after page with a variety of types of images can be found on eLearning. The examples on this page work particularly well because eLearning uses slider effects to show the images side by side while still allowing the viewer to zoom into one image or even layer images. In the image pictured below, the site shows the Animas River before and after mine waste.
Takeaway: Don’t limit yourself to only one type of benefit of your product/service, but show off everything you do with various images.
2. Dramatic Differences
Another way to grab your site visitor’s interest and create a desire for your product is by showing a drastic difference. The visitor should be so impressed with the way that the product works that she feels she simply must try it for herself. The idea is that if the product worked so well for the person whose image you are showing, then surely it will work for the potential customer viewing those images.
One example of a before and after page with a variety of types of images can be found on eLearning. The examples on this page work particularly well because eLearning uses slider effects to show the images side by side while still allowing the viewer to zoom into one image or even layer images. In the image pictured below, the site shows the Animas River before and after mine waste.
Takeaway: Don’t limit yourself to only one type of benefit of your product/service, but show off everything you do with various images.
3. Dramatic Differences
Another way to grab your site visitor’s interest and create a desire for your product is by showing a drastic difference. The visitor should be so impressed with the way that the product works that she feels she simply must try it for herself. The idea is that if the product worked so well for the person whose image you are showing, then surely it will work for the potential customer viewing those images.
Quality Overhead Door offers just such a photo gallery. They show a before shot of a beautiful home with a plain set of garage doors. Just under that image is the after shot once they’ve replaced the doors. It changes the entire appearance of the home. Those visiting the site and thinking about replacing their garage doors can see how aesthetically pleasing the finished product is.
Takeaway: Choose images that show the difference very clearly. Exactly what does your product do and how can you show that best?
4. Offer a Searchable Database
Do you have a big collection of before and after photos to share? Placing them in a database that users can search is a great idea. With a search feature, a user could plug in the type of project they are interested in and find all the before and after shots that match that particular type of product or service. This is especially helpful for companies that offer more than one product or service.
For example, StagedHomes.com offers a searchable database of before and after images. Within this database, you’ll find images of before and after landscaping, and home staging for bedrooms, bathrooms, entry ways, outside, offices and more. They even explain that it is a tool to get ideas for your own staging projects and to learn from different design styles.
Takeaway: Add a searchable database if you offer more than one product or service.
5. Show the Benefits
One of the most important parts of before and after photos is showing the benefits to the customer. A before and after gallery should serve as a selling point. You are basically creating an online ad without using any, or using very few, words. The format of the gallery can vary, but the images should be the best examples of the work you do and how much it improves whatever it seeks to improve.
Mixan Mudjacking uses a photo gallery to show the benefits of repairing concrete. Mudjacking, also called slabjacking is a way to repair sidewalks, basements and other types of concrete. Basically, the company lifts a building or diveway and pumps concrete under that object. They also use other techniques, such as injecting resins. To show the benefit, including the cost of repairing versus replacing, the company offers images of the specific jobs they’ve completed. They show a collection of steps, sidewalks, driveways, and interiors.
Takeaway: Show your customer how you can benefit him.
Adding a before and after page to your website is a fairly straightforward proposition. However, doing so can translate into conversions of site visitors into customers. Plus, you’ll show your work in the best light possible.
Lexie Lu is a designer and writer. She loves researching trends in the web and graphic design industry. She writes weekly on Design Roast and can be followed on Twitter @lexieludesigner.