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Ever landed on a website and felt an instant sense of trust, just because you saw a photo of the real people behind the business?

💡This week’s 80/20 rule – Replace one prominent stock photo on your website with a real, decent-quality photo of you or your team.

It’s a simple swap that takes just a few minutes, but the impact is huge. This tiny change can make your business feel more authentic, relatable, and trustworthy—all without a big marketing budget.

Let’s break down how this small visual tweak can lead to bigger conversions, happier customers, and a stronger brand.

🧠 When people see a real face, they don’t just see a picture. They see a person, and that builds an instant connection that a generic stock photo just can't match.

This is because our brains are hardwired to pay attention to faces and are incredibly good at spotting fakes. We’ve developed "banner blindness," where we subconsciously ignore cheesy, decorative stock photos because we know they’re not real.

A genuine photo of you or your team bypasses this filter and signals transparency and trust.

Here are some powerful stats:

So even though it’s just one photo swap, that small change can:

You’ll see this rule in action everywhere, from huge corporations to your favorite local shop.

👟 Nike – Instead of just showing shoes, their marketing is a "scrapbook of athlete documentaries." They feature real athletes, from superstars to everyday people, creating a powerful emotional connection to their brand values of perseverance and achievement.

💻 Kickstarter – This crowdfunding platform’s team page is brilliant. Instead of stuffy corporate headshots, they group employees by personal interests like "dancers, D&D players, foodies." It instantly humanizes the company and builds a sense of community.

🐶 The Farmer's Dog – This fresh dog food company knows its audience. Their site is filled with "real photos of happy dogs enjoying their meals." It’s authentic proof that the product delivers the desired outcome: a happy, healthy pet.

☕ Creative Agencies & Local Shops – Service businesses know that people are the product. Agencies like Massive Media and photographers on Inkpot Creative use fun, authentic team photos (sometimes with the office dog!) to show their culture and build a personal connection from the first click.

It works across industries because it taps into a universal truth: people trust people more than they trust faceless brands.

Ready to give it a try? It’s easy, whether you sell products or services.

Your clients are hiring you. Let them see who you are!

Audit your site: Find the most important spot to build trust. This is usually your homepage hero section or your "About Us" page.

Swap the photo: Replace that generic "person at a computer" stock photo with a warm, professional photo of you or your team.

Add it next to a Call-to-Action: Placing a real photo next to your "Book a Consultation" or "Contact Me" button can give visitors the final nudge of confidence they need.

📣 Pro tip: You don't need a Hollywood-level photoshoot. A "decent-quality" photo taken with a modern smartphone in good natural light is far better than a cheesy stock photo. Just make sure the background is clean and you look approachable!

Show your products in the real world.

Show the product in use: Instead of just a sterile product shot on a white background, show a photo of a real person wearing or using your product. This helps customers visualize it in their own lives.

Feature your customers: User-generated content (UGC) is pure gold. Ask your customers to share photos with your product and feature them on your product pages (with permission, of course!). It’s powerful social proof.

Go behind the scenes: Show photos of your team making the products or packing orders. This transparency builds a huge amount of trust and makes your brand feel more tangible.

✨ Bonus tip: Add a short caption to your photo to tell a story. Introduce your team member or explain what’s happening in the picture. It adds context and deepens the connection.

To recap, here are the steps to apply this 80/20 rule to your site:

1️⃣ Audit your site – Find one high-impact stock photo to replace (homepage or "About Us" page are great places to start).

2️⃣ Get your real photo – Take a decent-quality photo of you, your team, your customers, or a behind-the-scenes moment.

3️⃣ Optimize it – Make sure the image file isn't huge (it can slow down your site) and give it descriptive alt text for SEO.

4️⃣ Swap it out – Replace the old stock photo with your new, authentic one.

5️⃣ Add a caption – Tell a quick story to give the photo context and build a deeper connection.

A single photo might not sound like much—but the results speak for themselves. More trust, better connection, and higher conversions, all from one simple change.

🔎 For this week’s website review, let’s look at Mark Jupiter. Mark Jupiter is a high-end design studio in Brooklyn, NY, that creates stunning custom furniture. Their website is a visual portfolio that immediately communicates luxury and expert craftsmanship.

💡 The Good:

Authentic Brand Story: They do a great job of rooting their brand in the craft and artistry of their DUMBO, Brooklyn location. It feels genuine and helps them stand out from mass-market competitors.

Well-Organized Portfolio: Their collection is neatly divided into "Residential" and "Commercial" work, with clear sub-categories. This makes it easy for potential clients, like interior designers, to find relevant examples quickly.

Clean, Minimalist Design: The site uses a lot of white space, which makes it feel sophisticated and allows the incredible photos to do all the talking without any clutter.

Socially Conscious Touch: They highlight their tree-planting program on the homepage, which is a nice touch that shows they care about sustainability and can be a great tie-breaker for potential clients.

🔧 Suggestions:

Add Clear Calls-to-Action: The site is a beautiful gallery, but it doesn't make it easy to become a client. It needs prominent, action-focused buttons like "Start Your Custom Project" to guide visitors from inspiration to inquiry.

Create an "Our Process" Page: A potential client has no idea how a project works from start to finish. A dedicated page explaining the steps (consultation, design, fabrication, etc.) would demystify the process and build a lot of trust.

Make It Easier to Get in Touch: The only way to contact them is a small link in the footer. A clear, accessible "Request a Quote" form in the main navigation would make it much easier for interested leads to connect.

See you next time for another simple, high-impact strategy!

The LOGO Editorial Team