What is the difference between Photos and Images?
Photos are what you take with a camera or mobile phone. Do not upload your photos to your website, because it will take too long for your website or your store to download for buyers to look at.
Images are when you have improved your photos for upload to your website. Images will download very quickly and are marvelous for your online store and your customers.
I have added both descriptions because most of the time people don’t know what the difference is.
7 Types of Images for Your Product Page
Try to use quite a few images of your products and don’t forget a video of how to use the product.
- Product image on white background
- Lifestyle product image
- Different views of your product
- How to use your product
- Benefits of using your product
- Ingredients in product
- Close up view of your product
6 Tips For Your Product Images
- Show off the product.
- Demonstrate ownership benefit.
- Load FAST (image optimized)
- Have at least 6 - 8 ‘looks’.
- Build a desire for the products.
- Showcase product videos/gifs, anything that is not directly a product image.
How To Add Images for Your Product Page
You can drag and drop your images or upload your images to your product page. You can drag the images and sort the images differently while you are on your product page. The larger image on the left (below) is the first image you will see on your product page.
Ideas to Enhance & Improve Your Product Images and Page.
IMPROVE IMAGES
Step 1.
The images should be of the same size.
You can edit your images in Shopify - it is a bit limited but a fast way to improve your images.
Click on the image and your image will pop up.
Now you can edit your image - see icons at the bottom left of the screen.
Crop and rotate your images.
You can draw in different colors on your image.
Step 2.
Make sure your images load fast in your store.
Resize your images.
I tend to stick to 1000 x 1000 pixels so that the images are also ready to upload to Amazon. It is a requirement for your images for Amazon.
Keep your DPI (Dots Per Inch) as small as possible. As shown, rather have your images as low in KB (kilobits) than high in MB (Megabits).
TIP: Don’t try to make your image a larger size from a small image. The quality of your image will degenerate and look pixelated or unclear. Either has it professionally enlarged (sometimes this is possible) with photo software.
IMPROVE YOUR IMAGES ON THE PRODUCT PAGE
Step 1.
You can add any of your images to your variants.
When a customer picks a variant of the product, the appropriate image for the product will appear.
Step 2.
Add Your Alt Text to your images
Shopify says:
“Alt (alternate) text describes an image and is an important part of a product description. If an image can't load for any reason, then the alt text is shown instead. It's also used by assistive technology to describe an image to a customer who is visually impaired. Including alt text can boost your website's SEO (Search Engine Optimization) on Google and other search engines.”
Step 3.
Protect Your Images - Watermark
If you want to protect your images, you can use a Shopify App to add a watermark or have the watermark added manually.
How To Add Videos to Your Product Page
Do you know, a video on your product page will seriously boost the possibility of selling your product by 85%.
What type of videos?
- Unboxing videos
- Product tour videos
- “How to” videos
- Lifestyle videos
- Production line videos
- Customer testimonial videos
- Customer unboxing videos
On the editor (where you add your descriptions) click on the video icon and the insert box pops up. Here you will insert your embedded code you get from either youTube, Vimeo, or Wave.video - or where your videos are hosted.
Voila, you have a video for your product page in your product description.
This is what the embedded code looks like:
So this is what it will look like on your product page. The video will be in the description part of your product page. Which adds another layer of boosting your product to your customer.
If you have a paid theme (for instance, Out of the Sandbox theme) you can actually add your embedded code to an image.
Select the Alt Text option on the image pop up and add your embedded code. Your video will appear in the image section of our product page.
So you can see I added the video to the highlighted image. So a good idea would be to add a thumbnail as the image part so the customer will actually know it is a video.
But I like the video on the description page as well. Both are a great idea!
Leave a comment
Also in eCommerce Success Blog
What is the difference between Shopify CSV and Matrixify Products import and export?
By Veronica Jeans, Bestselling Author November 16, 2024
Shopify CSV vs Matrixify Excel: A Comprehensive Guide to Product Management
Managing product data in an e-commerce platform can be a complex task, especially when dealing with large inventories. This article compares two prominent methods for handling product data in Shopify: the native CSV system and the Matrixify Excel approach. We'll explore how these tools differ and why choosing the right one can significantly impact your workflow efficiency.
Shopify vs Matrixify Comparison
Detailed Comparison between Shopify & Matrixify Product Management & Uploads
File Format and Basic Handling
Shopify CSV
Matrixify Excel
Data Management Capabilities
1. Product Export Features
Shopify CSV
Matrixify Excel
2. Image Handling
Shopify CSV
Matrixify Excel
Advanced Features
3. Metafields Management
Shopify CSV
Matrixify Excel
4. Product Updates and Maintenance
Shopify CSV
Matrixify Excel
5. Inventory Management
Shopify CSV
Matrixify Excel
6. Template Management
Shopify CSV
Matrixify Excel
Special Features
Matrixify Exclusive Capabilities
1. HTML Code Optimization
2. Variant Management
3. Publishing Control
Best Practices and Recommendations
When to Use Shopify CSV
When to Use Matrixify Excel
While Shopify's native CSV system provides basic functionality for smaller stores, Matrixify Excel offers a more robust, flexible, and efficient solution for managing product data. The choice between the two largely depends on your store's size, complexity, and specific needs. For larger operations or those requiring detailed control over their product data, Matrixify Excel presents clear advantages in terms of functionality, efficiency, and scalability.
Remember that investing time in learning the more powerful tool can save significant time and reduce errors in the long run, especially as your store grows and your product management needs become more complex.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
General Questions
What's the main difference between Shopify CSV and Matrixify Excel?
The main difference is that Shopify CSV is a basic file format with limited functionality, while Matrixify Excel offers advanced features like real-time tracking, multiple sheets, and partial updates. Matrixify also allows you to work with pure Excel files instead of CSV format.
Which option is better for my store?
It depends on your store size and needs:
Use Shopify CSV if:
Use Matrixify if:
File Size & Limitations
What are the file size limitations?
Shopify CSV: 15MB maximum
Matrixify: Can handle gigabytes of data (600,000+ products)
How many products can each handle?
Shopify CSV: small catalog
Matrixify: 600,000+ products in one import
Features & Functionality
Can I update specific fields without replacing entire products?
Shopify CSV: No, you must replace the entire product
Matrixify: Yes, you can update individual fields
How do multiple images work in each system?
Shopify CSV: Requires separate rows for each image
Matrixify: All images can be in one row, separated by semicolons
Can I manage metafields?
Shopify CSV: No metafield support
Matrixify: Full metafield support with column-based management
Import/Export Process
How do I track the progress of my import?
Shopify CSV: No tracking wait for email notification
Matrixify: Real-time progress bar with estimated completion time
Can I cancel an import once it's started?
Shopify CSV: No
Matrixify: Yes, at any time during the import
Data Management
What happens to product IDs during import?
Shopify CSV: Creates new IDs, breaking collection references
Matrixify: Maintains existing IDs and references
How are variants handled?
Shopify CSV: Each variant requires a separate row
Matrixify: Can generate variants from combinations using semicolon separation
Technical Questions
How does each handle HTML in descriptions?
Shopify CSV: Leaves escaped HTML code as is
Matrixify: Automatically fixes escaped HTML code to normal HTML
Can I manage inventory across multiple locations?
Shopify CSV: Limited location support
Matrixify: Full multi-location inventory management
Best Practices
What's the recommended way to update product prices?
Shopify CSV: Must upload full product data
Matrixify: Can update prices alone using a simple price column
How should I handle large product catalogs?
Shopify CSV: Split into multiple files under 15MB
Matrixify: Can handle in single file with filtering options
Troubleshooting
What if my import fails?
Shopify CSV: Check email for basic error message
Matrixify: Detailed error reporting with specific row/column information
How do I fix broken product references?
Shopify CSV: Manually rebuild collections and references
Matrixify: No action needed references are maintained
Integration & Compatibility
Do these work with all Shopify plans?
Both work with all Shopify plans, but Matrixify requires a separate subscription.
Can I use these with other e-commerce platforms?
Shopify CSV: Shopify-specific format
Matrixify: Designed for Shopify but Excel format is more universal
Support & Resources
Where can I find documentation?
Shopify CSV: Shopify Help Center
Matrixify: Comprehensive documentation with tutorials and examples
Is there technical support available?
Shopify CSV: General Shopify support
Matrixify: Dedicated support team with Excel/import expertise
Cost & Efficiency
Which option is more time-efficient?
Matrixify is generally more time-efficient due to:
Faster processing of large files
How do they compare in terms of cost?
Shopify CSV: Free with Shopify subscription
Matrixify: Requires separate subscription but offers more features and efficiency
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