Amazon Image Optimisation: Why Visuals Matter on Amazon

How to Increase Amazon Conversions with Image Optimisation

1. The Main Image That Sells at First Glance

On Amazon, the main image is your first impression and your most important one. Shoppers are scrolling on small mobile screens, often scanning dozens of products in seconds. If your main image isn’t instantly clear, you’ve already lost.

Before diving into what works, it’s important to understand the goal: to make subtle yet strategic enhancements to the packshot. These changes shouldn’t drastically alter the original design but instead emphasise decision-making cues for shoppers like quantity, product type, or flavour, while reducing or removing clutter, such as excessive text or icons, that distracts from the core message.

What Works

• Brand name and product type are immediately visible
• Quantity and key selling points are readable at thumbnail size
• Strong contrast and clean layout make the product stand out

Case Studies from our Clients

Allos (My Raw Date bar)

• Not optimized: Flat, single bar on white
• Optimized: Multipack with visible count and product benefits
• Result: +8% CTR MoM and +3.5% conversions MoM

Isola Bio (Rice Coconut Drink):

• Not optimized: Plain carton with minimal clarity
• Optimized: Bold layout with clear flavor, volume, and visual contrast
• Result: +120% traffic and +16% conversions MoM

Bjorg (Almond Vanilla Drink):

• Not optimized: Dim, cluttered photography
• Optimized: Bright packaging with key product attributes upfront
• Result: 4X sales increase in the first month

Why Amazon Image Optimisation Matter?

According to Amazon research, Mobile Ready Hero Images (MRHI) can improve click-through rates by up to 20–30%, simply by making the offer more scannable

2. Secondary Images That Eliminate Doubt

Once a shopper clicks into your listing, your visuals must shift from attracting attention to building confidence. At this point, the shopper is evaluating: Is this the right product for me? Does it solve my need? Is it worth the price? Your job is to reduce uncertainty and help them move toward a decision — and you do that by answering every important question visually:

• What’s included?
• How big is it?
• What makes it different?
• How do I use it?

Pro Tip 🌟

Great Amazon listings often follow a visual narrative:

1. Product callouts (ingredients, USPs)
2. Size/scale images (in-hand, next to common objects)
3. Comparison charts
4. How-to or assembly visuals

Result:

By making answers visual, you reduce cognitive load and keep users focused — increasing likelihood to convert.

3. Lifestyle Images That Build Emotional Connection

Shoppers don’t just buy a product – they buy into a lifestyle, a mood, a feeling. In an online environment where physical interaction with the product is impossible, lifestyle imagery becomes a key bridge between brand and buyer. These images evoke aspiration – showing how the product fits into a desirable daily routine, emotional moment, or personal identity. Customers are more likely to trust and buy a product if they can picture themselves using it.

Examples:

• A protein bar placed on a gym bag post-workout
• A face serum on a morning vanity with natural light
• A toddler holding your BPA-free snack pouch at a picnic

Why It Works:

Lifestyle images help people see themselves using the product, which increases trust and emotional buy-in. These images have been shown to:

• Improve conversion rates by ~15–25%
• Increase time spent on page
• Reduce bounce rate

4. Short Videos That Create Instant Clarity

Video content is booming on Amazon and for good reason. As shoppers become more visual and less willing to read long descriptions, video bridges the gap between product detail and user experience. It gives customers a quick, immersive glimpse into the product’s functionality, scale, usability, and value — often answering multiple questions in just a few seconds. A short, well-executed video can dramatically enhance product understanding and confidence, reducing hesitation and boosting conversions. A 15–30 second video can:

• Show how the product works
• Highlight benefits in action
• Build confidence in the purchase

Best Practices:

• Keep it under 30 seconds
• Show real use, not just fancy animations
• Use captions for silent autoplay
• End with a benefit-driven CTA

According to Amazon, listings with video see up to 80% higher conversion on some product types.

5. A+ Content That Feels Like a Real Brand

A+ Content (formerly Enhanced Brand Content) lets brands design below-the-fold sections with visuals, copy, and rich layouts. Think of it as a mini landing page inside your product listing – a valuable space to reinforce your brand, communicate benefits in more detail, and differentiate your product when the initial image carousel has done its job.

With A+ Content, you’re no longer limited to plain bullet points or basic descriptions. Instead, you can strategically craft a layered story: from ingredient highlights and brand values to product comparisons and usage scenarios. It’s where thoughtful design meets persuasive content — and it can make a measurable difference in shopper trust and conversion.

What Smart Brands Do:

• Use branded icons and graphics
• Highlight unique value propositions
• Compare their product to alternatives
• Create modular sections for easy reuse across SKUs

Bonus Tip 🌟

Top brands maintain consistent A+ layouts across their catalog to build brand identity and shopper familiarity.

Industry Stats

• 90% of Amazon shoppers say image quality impacts purchase decisions (Amazon Insights)
• Listings with MRHI images see 20–30% higher CTR (GS1/McKinsey)
• A+ Content increases conversion by up to 10% on average (Amazon Data)
• Mobile-first visuals lead to 40% longer page views (Statista, 2023)

From Our Experience: What Works Best in Amazon Image Optimization

At New Wave Digital, we’ve helped dozens of brands improve their Amazon performance through visual optimisation. A few patterns we’ve seen:

• Brands that switch to MRHI-style main images consistently see +15–25% lift in CTR
• Adding lifestyle imagery increases conversion even for utility products
• A/B testing layout variants can lead to surprising wins

One client in the snack category increased monthly revenue by ~33% simply by redesigning their image stack to prioritise simplicity, lifestyle, and visual storytelling.

The Bottom Line: Key Takeaways on Amazon Image Optimization

Amazon isn’t just a search engine. It’s a visual battlefield.

The brands that win don’t always have the best products — but they do have the most effective presentation. That means:

• A Hero Image that’s instantly understood
• Supporting visuals that answer questions
• Lifestyle shots that create emotion
• Short videos that explain in seconds
• A+ content that seals the deal

If you’re not actively optimising your visuals, you’re leaving conversions (and revenue) on the table. But the good news? Smart changes can lead to massive results – fast.

Frequently Asked Question