Did you know consumers need to see at least 11 sets of photos before they are able to make a decision?
Before and after photos are a critical component in a consumer’s decision-making process. So to help, we’ve curated a few tips and best practices we’ve learned through consumer and provider research.
Best practices
- Upload only photos you would consider showing to prospective patients
- Utilize good lighting and upload photos of a uniform size – we recommend square dimensions, ideally 400×400 pixels, with a max size of 6 MB
- Include photos of patients in all shapes, sizes and skin tones – consumers will look for photos that look like them, so the more variety, the better
- Do NOT include any unnecessary nudity (for instance, bare breasts on tummy tuck photos), unless it is relevant to the procedure performed
- Check off relevant tags for the photos when uploading to enable consumers to easily find photos
- Avoid posting photos that are blurry, distorted, askew, or show mismatched views — borders and text are also not allowed in the RealSelf photo galleries
- Manage the order of your photo gallery via the links in your dashboard
- For Spotlight providers, uploading photos in sponsored treatments will allow more opportunity for local promotion
- Ensure all your uploaded photos adhere to the RealSelf Photo Gallery Guidelines
Pro tip: Share helpful details
Consumers love photos they can relate to, so be sure to share specific details in the “Caption” field. Helpful captions include:
- Particular techniques, settings, products, and devices used
- Area(s) or problem(s) treated
- Relevant patient info (e.g. age, weight, desired outcome)
- Time elapsed between procedure and after photo
- Factual info about procedure or treatment vs conjecture about patient satisfaction or ‘happiness’ with results (i.e., ‘the patient loved her results’ is subjective and unverifiable)
