You can now add 10 photos to every listing - here's how to make the most of your extra pictures

How to make the most of your extra product shots on Folksy

This week we increased the number of photos Folksy Plus sellers can add to each listing, from five to 10. So if you have a Folksy Plus account, you now have twice the number of spaces to show potential customers details of your products, possible variations, how you’ve made it and and how it will be packaged, and how it looks from different angles or in-situ.

In this post we’re going to show examples of how you could use those extra five photos to encourage customers to buy your products:

Show your packaging

If your packaging is particularly beautiful and ready to gift, you have invested in custom packaging as a way to build your brand, or your packaging is plastic free or entirely recycled, show your customers in one of your extra photos. It could be the little push a customer needs to press that ‘buy’ button.

In the Making Aprons packaging — Lisa from In The Making – Aprons uses one of her photo slots to show her plastic-free packaging

Autumn Nights candle — Joelle from Nickola Candela highlights her stylish and natural eco-friendly packaging

Highlight customer reviews

Reviews give customers more confidence when buying online. So if you have a particularly good review from a previous customer, why not create a graphic using a service like Canva to show as well as tell. This can be particularly effective if you offer a bespoke service or higher-value items.

Bespoke-pop-art-pet-portraits — Leanne Warren from LeapUp uses several of her photo slots to share reviews of her pop art pet portraits

Show your making process

One of the reasons people choose to buy from makers is because they know they are getting something unique and handmade, so highlight your skills, experience and technique with a photograph of your making process. This also helps customers understand why handmade products will sometimes (and should more often) cost more than a product that has been mass-produced.

Robyn Coetzee glass birds in the making — Show customers your making process, like Robyn Coetzee has in this photo, to give them an understanding of the work and craftsmanship involved and also feel more invested in the product

Add a Pinterest-friendly (tall) image

It makes sense for the first image on your listing to be square format, as then you can be sure it looks right when cropped to a square in searches, gift guides and on your shopfront. But to do well on Pinterest, images usually need to be tall (ie portrait format, rather than landscape or square). So why not use one or two of your extra photo slots to add a tall Pinterest-friendly image? Then anyone who has the Pin It button installed in their browser can pin it directly from Folksy in one click.

Mermaid Baking Board by Sarah Watkins — Use a square format photo like this one by Sarah Watkins Design as your first image

Have a mix of different styles of photographs

Styled shots can elevate your products, reinforce your branding and inspire potential customers. We’d say they’re essential when you sell online and recommend having at least one well-styled product photograph in your listings. However, magazines and newspapers quite often ask for white background shots (sometimes also referred to as cut-outs or packshots), as they’re easier to drop straight into page spreads, and reduce the amount of work needed at their end. So consider including a very clear image of your product, taken straight on, against a white background among your 10.

Well-styled product shots, like this Robin Pin Cushion by Number Sixteen, can really elevate your products

Focus in on the details

If you pride yourself on your high-quality finish and attention to detail, use some of your extra photos to draw attention to these aspects of your work. Zoom in on the texture, the stitching, the fabric or the markmarking. For instance, if you make ceramics, show your potter’s mark on the base as well as the inside of the vase or cup, so customers can see the glaze. If you’re a jeweller, show the hallmark on the inside of the ring or the clarity of the gemstone. These details can be really important when selling online, as you can’t handle the product and have to make your decision based purely on the images, description and reviews.

Cross Back Potter's Apron — Here Lisa Bennett uses one of her additional photo slots to show the crossback of her Potter’s Apron

Show your product in situ

When buying jewellery or accessories online, it can be hard to picture how those pieces are going to look when worn. Even if when a listing gives you the length of a necklace, for example, it’s tricky to picture how it will hang. The same applies to art and homeware. A listing might give the size, but how will that look on your wall or on the sofa? So help your customers out by showing them a picture of your product in situ, either being worn or in a home setting.

Showcase the different options available

If you makes variations of the same product, for example in different colourways or sizes, it makes sense to use your photos to show your customer the options they can choose from. This is also a great way of showcasing a collection or range.