Deciding to have plastic surgery can be a life-changing moment. As a result, there are many factors that require extensive research and consideration when choosing a surgeon. A significant part of a patient’s decision-making process is viewing before and after photos to better understand what their body could look like. For this reason, patient images are a crucial component of plastic surgery websites.
Using stock photos to fulfill this aspect of your site may save time and money. Additionally, stock photos are abundant, so finding enough content would not be an issue. However, there are many drawbacks to using pictures that don’t represent the true nature of your practice.
First off, we live in a social media world today where developing rapport, a sense of connection, and “likeability” are essential in today’s websites. Visitors can immediately recognize stock photos that do not reflect your work or practice.
Additionally, in some cases, practices need to label stock photos as “models” to ensure visitors do not mistake them for actual patients or representatives of your work. Potential patients want to see real before and after pictures that may resemble their body types and features to understand what they can achieve. They also want to see an accurate representation of your work.
There is also a significant chance that potential clients looking for a surgeon have already seen these stock photos. They may be dissuaded from working with your clinic if they recognize generic images. You will not stand out from the crowd using the same stock photos as multiple plastic surgery websites. This may also decrease your ability to attract new clients.
Investing in custom photography was once seen as cost prohibitive or not worth the investment. Today, with so many platforms to leverage and ways to utilize custom photography and video, a custom photo/video shoot may be an upfront investment, but it can be amortized in so many ways that the value far outweighs the cost. Using genuine, authentic photos from your practice is a great way to gain clients’ trust and boost your company’s credibility. Publishing these images using SEO best practices can also help improve your online visibility. For more information on posting and optimizing photos on your plastic surgery website, contact our office today!