The world of digital marketing is constantly evolving, with ever-growing emphasis on providing a seamless and engaging user experience (UX) that inevitably leads to higher conversion rates. One of the powerful, yet often overlooked tools in achieving this, is the use of ‘Lifestyle’ images. Images that not just portray the product in isolation but present it in a context that resonates with the users’ lifestyle aspirations.
Why 'Lifestyle' Images Matter
Product images serve a purpose beyond just revealing basic product facts. They play a crucial role in making a product seem fun, exciting, and desirable. A plain “Cut Out” image depicting the product alone often falls short in inspiring users to make a purchase. Instead, users need more—they want to visualize how a product fits into their lifestyle, how it enhances their identity, or complements their aspirations.
The power of ‘Lifestyle’ images lies in their ability to emotionally engage users by helping them associate a product with a desirable lifestyle. This psychological association makes products more appealing, ultimately encouraging a potential customer to convert into a paying one.
The Psychology of 'Lifestyle' Images
The use of ‘Lifestyle’ images as a marketing tool builds upon fundamental principles of consumer psychology. Humans, by nature, are story-driven creatures—we understand and connect better with narratives. ‘Lifestyle’ images tell a story of what could be if a customer-owned the product. It could be a story of driving along scenic roads in a new car, hosting parties with a portable speaker, or wearing a stylish jacket on a hiking adventure.
Through ‘Lifestyle’ images, you are not just selling a product—you are selling an experience, a lifestyle. This concept isn’t new; traditional marketing practices have long employed this approach. Think about car commercials showing vehicles in motion, cruising along beautiful scenic roads, not sitting in a dealership. The same principle applies online as well.
Putting 'Lifestyle' Images into Practice
Despite the power they hold, ‘Lifestyle’ images are often overlooked in digital marketing strategies, confined only to the homepage or intermediary category pages. This approach misses a vital point: users who land directly on the product page—via internal search or external traffic—will never see these captivating images. Hence, it is essential to include ‘Lifestyle’ images on the product page as well, ensuring all users have a chance to be inspired by these visuals.
Moreover, with the rise of social media and influencer marketing, brands often already have a bank of ‘Lifestyle’ imagery at their disposal. These images can easily be repurposed and integrated into product pages, providing valuable context and customer-driven narratives for your products.
A Word of Caution
While ‘Lifestyle’ images are powerful, overuse or irrelevance of these images can lead to a negative response from the users. All product images, including ‘Lifestyle’ ones, must enhance users’ understanding of the product and its use cases. Irrelevant imagery or unrelated tie-ins are more likely to be ignored and should be avoided. Common sense must prevail in deciding the appropriateness of ‘Lifestyle’ images for a particular product type.
The Bottom Line
Examples
Good - Microsoft (Mobile Web)
Microsoft (Mobile Web)
In the realm of digital innovation, Microsoft stands out as a leader, demonstrating their commitment to providing an exceptional user experience (UX) through their ‘Product Page’ implementation. Microsoft ensures that at least one captivating lifestyle image is present, enriching the user’s journey.
Guided by research and industry best practices, Microsoft recognizes the significance of incorporating lifestyle images that resonate with the site or product context. By featuring at least one relevant lifestyle image, Microsoft’s product pages elevate beyond the ordinary, capturing users’ attention and inspiring them to envision how their products can integrate seamlessly into their lives.
Microsoft’s adherence to this guideline reveals their understanding of the psychological impact of lifestyle images. These visuals forge an emotional connection with users, allowing them to imagine the possibilities and associate Microsoft products with their desired lifestyle aspirations.
Microsoft’s strategic use of lifestyle images showcases their commitment to user-centered design and their understanding of consumer psychology. By telling a visual story, Microsoft enables users to envision the transformative power of their products, making them more appealing and increasing the likelihood of conversion.
Bad - Gap (Mobile Web)
In the world of fashion retail, GAP’s ‘Product Page’ implementation falls short in delivering an optimal user experience (UX). The absence of lifestyle images, highlights a significant UX issue that GAP needs to address urgently.
To improve the UX, it is imperative for GAP to incorporate at least one relevant “Lifestyle” image when it aligns with the site or product context. Merely including “Lifestyle” images on the homepage or intermediary category pages is not sufficient. Users who directly land on the product page through internal search or external links may not have the opportunity to view the homepage or intermediary category pages. Therefore, including “Lifestyle” images on the product page itself ensures that all users can experience the emotional engagement and inspiration provided by these visuals.
Other good examples:
Hi-Fi Klubben: The company successfully used ‘Lifestyle’ images to show their products in use, offering customers a clear impression of how they might incorporate the products into their lives.
Amazon: Their product page for a chair included a ‘Lifestyle’ image that showcased the item within a home setting. This representation allowed customers to envision the chair within their own spaces.
Sears: By providing images of a desk set within a room, Sears made it easier for customers to conceptualize the product and its potential placement in their space.
Adidas: The sportswear brand effectively harnessed social media images as ‘Lifestyle’ imagery, providing real-world contexts for their products and offering a glimpse into the lifestyle associated with their brand.
Tempo: They integrated social media images that showed how their fitness equipment works and looks in real-life settings, offering potential customers valuable insights into their products.
Other bad examples:
O’Neill (UK): Despite making great use of ‘Lifestyle’ images on category pages, the company failed to include them on the product pages. This means that users landing directly on product pages, such as those from internal search or external traffic, would miss out on these potentially impactful ‘Lifestyle’ images.
Sephora: Sephora’s use of ‘Lifestyle’ images for certain products may not effectively enhance users’ understanding or appeal. It is crucial to ensure that the chosen images resonate with the target audience and effectively communicate the value of the product.
Mahalo: In some cases, excessive use of ‘Lifestyle’ images can have a negative impact on the user experience. Mahalo’s overabundance of such images was perceived as an aggressive marketing strategy, potentially overwhelming users and detracting from the overall product experience.
InsightLens Key Bullet Point: PDP - Product Image Lifestyle
- Providing at least one “Lifestyle” image for products can help inspire and excite users about a product and increase the likelihood of a purchase.
- “Lifestyle” images help users associate products with desirable lifestyles and make them more emotionally engaging.
- Images of products in attractive environments can make them seem more appealing to users.
- Including “Lifestyle” images only on the homepage or category pages is not enough; they should also be included on the product pages for users who arrive there directly.
- Common sense should be used when deciding whether or not a product needs “Lifestyle” images.
- Irrelevant imagery or unrelated tie-ins should be avoided.
- Prioritizing “Lifestyle” images for the most important product verticals and best-selling products is recommended.
- Images from social media can sometimes serve as “Lifestyle” images that may be appropriate across the site.