Moving Beyond Product Shots - The Power of Story and Process
Many e-commerce brands focus heavily on polished product shots in their social media feeds. While these images are great for showcasing the final product, they often lack the emotional connection that keeps an audience coming back. To create deeper engagement, it’s time to shift from just finished product photos to storytelling and process-focused content.
We’ve worked with brands that specialise in handmade and customised products to elevate their social media strategies. By focusing on the journey—from rough materials to polished pieces—these brands can engage their audiences on a much more personal level.
Here’s how you can make the shift:
Step 1: Show the Process
One of the most effective ways to create a connection with your audience is to show the process behind your product. Whether it’s a jeweller working with raw gemstones or a manufacturer refining a product through multiple stages, people love to see how things are made.
For example, sharing videos of a jeweller shaping, polishing, and setting stones brings the audience into the heart of the work, allowing them to appreciate the craftsmanship behind every piece.
Step 2: Include Faces
Incorporating faces into your content is one of the easiest ways to boost engagement. People connect with people, so showing your team at work, a jeweller crafting a custom piece, or a customer wearing your product helps humanise your brand.
For instance, instead of just showcasing a finished ring, you can post a photo of the jeweller wearing the piece or a client beaming with joy as they try it on for the first time. These moments bring emotion to the product story.
Step 3: Tell the Story Behind the Product
Every product has a story worth telling. Was a particular gemstone sourced from a remote location? Did it take hours of meticulous work to achieve the final design? Sharing these details allows your audience to connect emotionally with the product, turning it from just another item into a memorable piece of craftsmanship.
We built a strategy that will help a client shift from fact-based posts to more romantic storytelling—explaining how a gemstone was found, shaped, and turned into a unique piece of jewellery. This approach will help potential customers see beyond the product to the journey that created it.
Step 4: Use Video to Engage
Video content is a must in today’s social media landscape. Short clips that showcase the transformation of raw materials into a finished product are captivating and add a dynamic element to your feed.
For example, showing the contrast between a rough gemstone and the final sparkling piece through video highlights the craftsmanship and makes the end result even more impressive.
Step 5: Focus on the Journey
While the final product is beautiful, the journey to get there is what makes it meaningful. Sharing the steps of creation—the tools, the techniques, the transformation—gives your audience an appreciation for the artistry involved. This is especially relevant for brands that deal with handmade or highly customised products.
By posting side-by-side images of the raw materials and the final product, or a jeweller’s hands at work, you can show the care and skill that goes into each piece, building more than just aesthetic appeal—you build emotional value.
Why Storytelling Matters for E-Commerce
We believe that moving from product shots to storytelling and process content can make a significant difference in how your audience connects with your brand. By focusing on the people, the process, and the journey, you’re creating a relationship with your customer before you rey and sell them a product.