How to Capture Viewers Interest With Imaginative Imagery

One of the basic rules for building a great website is that content must be presented in the most visually pleasing way to
ensure that visitors actually read it. Avoiding the dreaded “wall of text” is usually one of the main goals when creating a design to guide viewers through the information, rather than pushing them away. A great way to break up text and create an attractive-looking web page is through the careful use of imagery, whether actual photos or small illustrations and graphics are used. This helps divide the text into smaller, more readable portions of content so that the message of the website is actually understood. The main consideration when using any type of imagery is to use it correctly or it will cause the opposite effect.

White Space
People often feel that white space is “empty” space that could be better used for more text or images; however, this assumption is incorrect because there needs to be enough white space to balance overall page appearance. Pictures and white space can work together to create an interesting, easy-to-read layout that will be much more user-friendly than space filled with more text or other elements. So don’t feel compelled to fill quality white space because an image sometimes only adds clutter rather than benefit.

Bold Look
The idea behind using imagery is to avoid overloading viewers with too many visuals to interpret; the purpose is to complement text on a page. One or two good pictures with bold colors and contrast is more than enough to divide a page into visually pleasing sections. Images with little color will simply blend into the background or look like clutter that does not belong. Finding the right picture may take time; however, once placed on a website it will emphasize the content and give visitors a more memorable experience.

Use of Graphics
A well laid out web page does not have to have actual photographs; however, it should not be void of imagery. Decorative and typographic elements that are strategically placed can work just as well as any picture and sometimes even better, depending on the website. If the design is more subtle and traditional, graphic elements can add form to the function of the page.

Relevancy
Be sure to keep any imagery, whether photographic or graphic, relevant to the website itself. Do not stray too far from the main idea of the page just to keep a visitor’s attention. Images that stray too far from the main topic can increase bounce-back rates when a viewer reaches the page and realizes it has nothing to do with the image displayed and immediately clicks away.
It is generally agreed that the best websites carefully combine text, white space and pictures to create a look that helps the meaning of the content be more evident. A good way to learn how to make the best use of images is to randomly check usage on other well-known websites created by professional web designers. Get some ideas and try them out for a new look that works much more efficiently for viewing and keeping visitors on the page.