Why Lifestyle Photography Helps to Sell More on Instagram

Instagram has transformed into a powerful marketing platform, with a majority of users engaging with businesses and discovering new products.
The platform's features like product tags and stickers enhance in-app shopping, driving sales potential. However, traditional polished product images are no longer as effective; modern consumers prioritize authenticity.
Therefore, businesses should focus on lifestyle photography to showcase products in relatable contexts, fostering trust and transparency with their audience.

What is Lifestyle Photography?
Lifestyle photography focuses on capturing the essence of the customer who uses the product, rather than solely highlighting the product itself. It tells the story behind the product, showcasing people in real-life situations and events. By providing a glimpse into the experience of using the product, lifestyle photography resonates with consumers who seek authenticity and connection. Major brands like Nike, Gap, and Converse utilize this approach on Instagram, but it's equally important for small businesses to embrace lifestyle photography to engage their audience effectively.

5 Reasons Why Lifestyle Photography Sells More on Instagram

Lifestyle photography provides a glimpse into how a product is used or fits into its intended environment, setting expectations for potential customers. Ralph Lauren's 50th-anniversary campaign utilized custom lifestyle photos and videos to target Gen Z and millennials, resulting in significant increases in online sales and engagement metrics. Incorporating lifestyle photography into Instagram marketing strategies can drive sales by:

1. Creating relatable content that resonates with the target audience.

2. Showing products in real-life scenarios to illustrate their value.

3. Building brand awareness and trust through storytelling.

4. Increasing engagement and product page views.

5. Achieving a high return on ad spend with dynamic ads.

Here are five key strategies for leveraging Instagram marketing effectively:

1. Drive Engagement: Increase user engagement by incorporating captivating content that draws attention without sounding overly sales-focused. Utilize user-generated content (UGC) and subtle product placement, like Cluse's use of a French Bulldog puppy in their post.

2. Build Trust with Authenticity: Focus on authenticity to build trust with your audience. Use Instagram Stories to create a sense of FOMO (fear of missing out) and provide genuine insights into your brand and products, as demonstrated by H&M's use of product stickers in ephemeral content.

3. Create Emotional Connections: Harness the power of emotions to connect with your audience on a deeper level. Share lifestyle images that evoke emotions like happiness, sadness, fear, anger, or empathy, as exemplified by Nike's emotionally charged posts.

4. Sell a Lifestyle: Shift the focus from merely selling products to selling a lifestyle that resonates with your target audience. Highlight the lifestyle associated with your brand, such as GAP Kids appealing to millennial moms by showcasing moments of motherhood.

5. Explain Product Features: Showcase product features through lifestyle photography rather than relying solely on textual descriptions. Use images that demonstrate how your product solves specific problems or enhances experiences, as seen in Lululemon's depiction of leggings with deep side pockets for smartphones.

In a Word

In the Human Era, customers crave a lasting emotional connection with the brands they love and choose. This means using overly polished ads won’t help to sell, and brands have to seek out new alternative ways to promote their products in an authentic way. Thus, the popularity of lifestyle photography is on its rise. For a variety of reasons, this is a proven way to hook potential customers, engage your followers, and sell more.