Why content photography matters.
Hi all. You know, we hear a lot of talk about the rise of AI, and there are many who extol the benefits of this technology and others who lament it as an evil which will ultimately bring about the end of all life as we know it.
Product photo selling lemonade
© Vincent S. Coster 2025
The same thing was said of photography, and rather than killing art, it led to some of the most inventive, groundbreaking and truly moving works of art of all time.
That being said, there is a lot of justified worry about the fact that businesses looking to save money are going to AI and using this to create content, for advertisements and the like, unaware that the copyright of this imagery does not belong to them because AI cannot be copyrighted and nor should it be. Especially when it uses the copyrighted works of artists to create those images in the first place.
But moving away from the legal and ethical situation caused by the use of AI by companies that previously used illustrators and photographers, let’s talk about photography and the impact of cheap, DIY-made, AI-prompted or open-license stock images on your business.
The first thing that many companies might think is that the images don’t matter. In fact, most businesses that struggle to make any form of headway will make the mistake of thinking that the images they use are not that important.
But they are wrong.
Images are how we read today. Most people will look at your content, and if there is nothing there to engage them, they will walk away from it. Nothing says “I want you to pay through your nose at my establishment, but I can’t be bothered to spend the money to show you what we are about” like pictures shot on a camera phone, stock photos, or AI images. You want your client to feel happy spending money in your place, because they know that you will spend money to draw them in. Also, if you want to stand out from the crowd, why would you use AI or stock imagery that they can use, or post the same DIY content that they are using?
But there’s a kicker to this. The money you spend on a photographer, who will shoot photographs that are unique and personal to you, and cannot be copied or used by other people, will actually lead to a return on that investment. Because market research now shows us that professionally taken photographs lead to a higher conversion rate on social media. And I am not just talking about likes and shares here. I am talking about actual sales.
Spec-shot for Orchard Thieves Advert
© Vincent S. Coster 2025
For example, a survey carried out by Google in 2019 discovered that 50% of online shoppers say images helped them decide what to buy. Further research by Google Business shows that most people, when shopping, will search for items using search terms like “the best” and “the cheapest.” Then they will look for items that lie between these two options. The messy middle, as it is called, is often that spot where an item is not quite the best, not quite the cheapest. What helps people make the purchase? Research shows that they buy based on the images that are displayed. Why?
Because people are driven by cognitive bias. This is where people are driven to make decisions based on things like endorsement of an authority or celebrity, high approval from society, how long they have to wait for services or products, just to name a few. One way of harnessing this cognitive bias, or overcoming it if you are more defensive, is by promoting your brand’s narrative in a clear and appealing manner. Strong, compelling imagery is one of the best ways to do this.
“You want your client to feel happy spending money in your place, because they know that you will spend money to draw them in. Also, if you want to stand out from the crowd, why would you use AI or stock imagery that they can use, or post the same DIY content that they are using?”
According to Meta research, younger audiences are highly visual — brands that invest in strong imagery connect better and increase engagement on Instagram. This engagement doesn’t just end with likes but can lead to sales. Shopify’s merchant guidance and case material repeatedly show that better product photos increase conversion and are worth the cost for sellers using social commerce or stores. This highlights that there is scope for substantial ROI ( Return on Investment) when companies invest in using a professional photographer. While CMI research shows visual content (photos, video) is core to content strategies that drive lead generation and conversion.
So what is the takeaway?
It’s simple. We live in an age that is driven by images. Companies that want to connect with their customers today in a way that drives sales and encourages customers to feel a bias driven by identifying with that brand’s narrative need to move beyond relying on cheap images and spend the money on photographers and videographers to promote their companies. Because in the long run, it will pay off.
© Vincent S. Coster 2025
1 “Online shopping image statistics” — Think with Google (Google’s marketing insights site)
2 “How people decide what to buy lies in the ‘messy middle’” — Think with Google (consumer insights)
3 “Growing up in a visual world” — Facebook / Meta Business insights
4“Your product photos are a high-impact sales tool” — Shopify (merchant platform resources/blog)
5 “State of Marketing / HubSpot research & marketing statistics” — HubSpot
6 “Content Marketing Institute — Research & insights (visual content & B2B/B2C trends)”
