How To Take High-Quality Plastic Surgery Before-and-After Photos
Seeing is believing for many patients. You can always provide exceptionally well-written content describing the results possible with a certain procedure, but consumers usually want to see the type of aesthetic transformation you can help them achieve at the end of the day.
With this in mind, it should come as no surprise that photo galleries are generally the most highly frequented sections of any plastic surgery or aesthetic care-related website (e.g. dermatology, medical spas, etc.). In fact, when reviewing site analytics, upwards of 50 percent of plastic surgery website visitors browse before-and-after photo galleries on average. These pages also often have one of the lowest bounce rates (meaning people tend to stick around).
Things to Avoid When Taking Before-and-After Photos
Before we delve into which factors can contribute to a high-quality gallery image, it’s important to highlight what to avoid when taking plastic surgery photos. Remember — the goal of a B&A is to clearly accentuate the differences between the photos taken “before” and “after.” That said, the following list briefly details the biggest no-nos when it comes to taking plastic surgery before-and-after photos:
- Grainy, blurry, or poor quality images
- Inconsistent backgrounds
- Inconsistent distances and angles
- Heavy makeup
- Distracting accessories or clothing
- Dramatic lighting, coloring, or filters placed over the image
Above all else, it’s important to avoid manipulating a photo in a way that may lead to a misleading perception of the final results. Since photo galleries drive traffic and can help boost conversions, ensuring your website’s gallery is filled with numerous high-quality before-and-after photos is critical to your medical digital marketing strategy. People are much less likely to hang around if they visit your gallery only to find limited and/or low-grade pictures for the procedure they are considering.
A Diverse, Expansive Patient Gallery is Key
Prospective patients want to view multiple cases, and they want to be able to clearly see the pre-treatment aesthetic concerns and post-treatment results of each case. Studies show that prospective clients often look for pictures that resemble themselves as a way of evaluating whether you can help them achieve their personal goals. For this reason, we strongly suggest considering patient diversity when building your before-and-after portfolio. This is why it can be useful to highlight cases featuring a range of ages, ethnicities, body types, and genders—where applicable—in your gallery.
In some cases, it may also be helpful to add contextual notes along with your photos, particularly in cases where a specific technique or approach was taken. For example, noting the size of the breast implants used in a breast augmentation or the type of filler used for a non-surgical lip augmentation can provide valuable information for patients doing research on different procedures. This can be especially important when discussing patients who underwent multiple procedures as a part of a mommy makeover or other multi-part treatment plan. Remember: transparency is a vital part of building trust with patients, so being honest about what has been done is the best policy.
What Makes a Good Before-and-After Photo?
So what sets good before-and-after photos apart? The primary factor is consistency. The goal of before-and-after photos is to showcase patient results, and the best way to draw emphasis to those results is by limiting other visual distractions in your photos. Things like pose, lighting, distance from the camera, and even clothing can all make a big difference when it comes to optimally highlighting your work. Plus, having an at least somewhat standardized look to all of your photos can make your whole gallery look more polished and professional!
In the following infographic, we’ve provided some tips to help you take higher-quality photos that can optimally showcase your skills as an aesthetic professional:
How Can High-Quality Before-and-After Photos Increase Conversion Rates?
Whether they’re displayed in an organized website gallery or on the respective procedural pages of your site (perhaps even both), high-quality before-and-after photos can significantly increase conversion rates for plastic surgeons by offering several key benefits:
- Visual Proof of Expertise: Before-and-after photos serve as tangible evidence of a surgeon’s skill and the potential results of their work. When potential patients see the quality transformations achieved for others, it instills confidence and trust in the surgeon’s capabilities.
- Setting Realistic Expectations: High-quality images help set realistic expectations for potential clients. They provide a clear idea of what can be achieved through various procedures, helping patients make informed decisions about whether to pursue treatment.
- Enhanced Engagement: Engaging visual content tends to attract more attention. When potential clients are browsing websites or social media, high-quality, striking images can capture their interest and encourage them to explore more about the surgeon’s services. Indeed, before-and-after photos are a key part of an effective social media strategy for plastic surgeons.
- Emotional Appeal: Before-and-after photos can resonate on an emotional level, especially if potential clients see patients with similar issues to their own who have had successful outcomes. This emotional connection can be a powerful motivator in choosing a surgeon.
- Professionalism and Credibility: High-quality photos reflect a high standard of professionalism and attention to detail, qualities that clients look for in a healthcare provider. Well-composed and clearly detailed photos can enhance the perceived credibility of the surgeon and their practice.
- Marketing and Social Proof: These photos can be used across various marketing channels—website, social media, brochures, advertisements—acting as a continuous form of endorsement and social proof. They tell success stories that are more compelling than text-based testimonials alone. Plus, by utilizing effective branding strategies, your photos can even help expand your digital reach and drive traffic back to your practice!
- Differentiation from Competitors: In a highly competitive field, having superior before-and-after galleries can differentiate a surgeon from others in the area. It showcases the unique results they can provide, possibly appealing to a broader range of client concerns and desires.
Interested in learning more about the connection between photo galleries and Internet marketing success for plastic surgery websites? Whatever your web marketing questions or needs may be, Rosemont Media is happy to help. From advanced plastic surgery website design to search engine optimization (SEO) efforts, our team of specialists can answer your questions, manage the health of your website, and boost traffic to your elective healthcare practice. Contact Rosemont Media online or by telephone today!
Editor’s note: The original version of this post was published on May 23, 2017.