The Business Porn Crackdown

You may not even know it, but your website could be flooded with porn. No, not that kind (dirty mind). I’m talking about “business porn.”

What exactly is “business porn?” It’s all that irrelevant stock photography that is supposed to bring a corporate edge to your website.

So cover your eyes, because you see it all the time!

Now when is stock photography business porn? Brian Massey gives a basic tip to identify it, just add a caption to your stock photo. Take a look at the image below:

Here’s my caption: Oh look at us, we’re all so corporate looking, wearing fancy suites, and doing absolutely nothing!

Now would you put place a caption like that on your site? I sure hope not… Brian’s are way more clever though. Don’t believe me? Click HERE to read his post.

And just how important is eliminating “business porn?” It just might help better increase your conversions. In fact, it’s one of the 27 Ways To Reduce Shopping Fears On Your Ecommerce Website according to Visual Website Optimizer.

Case in point, use real photos to represent your company or brand. Go to a studio, use Photoshop, and make them look pretty! You’ll be glad you did.

For more on identifying “business porn” ready Brian’s post via Customer Creation Equation.

Eat it #26! OMI’s Top 40 Digital Strategists List

I just received an email that I’m really excited to share:

“The Online Marketing Institute has officially released their list of the ‘Top 40 Digital Strategists’ leading the industry, and they are thrilled to include you, and your advice for 2013.”

Alphabetically, we’re at #25 on the OMI list with some brilliant leaders in the digital strategy field. I’ve had the opportunity to get to know many of them, and they are definitely the cream of the crop.

And, any list that puts the likes of Scott Brinker and Joe Pulizzi in the honorable mention category is clearly less than scientific. Joe, Scott, my advice is to buy OMI’s Aaron Kahlow a cooler full of steaks before next year’s list is published.

Nonetheless, it feels great to have your work recognized.

Check out the entire list of winners.

If you want to know how smart these folks really are, read their top advice.

Thanks again to OMI for the honor. I am…. well….. honored.

[signature]

When is stock photography “business porn?”

On page 83 of my book, I introduced the concept of “Business Porn.” Business Porn is the stock photography found on business websites that is irrelevant at best, and pandering at its worst.

To see if you have business porn on your site, I suggest that you write a caption for the image. For many of these images, the caption would be something these:

image

Diversity. Just the thought of it makes these white people smile.

image

We believe everyone works better when they work together,
even if they’re just standing around.

If you would wouldn’t put the caption on your site, don’t use the image.

Both of these images and the caption quotes come from a parody video aired on a canceled TV show called Better Off Ted.  Some of the classic business stockphotos are here:

image
These people love what they are seeing.
No, it’s not a cat video.

image
We want to shake your hand so you can
start sending us checks.

“Diversity. Good for us.” Watch on YouTube

Two seasons of Better Off Ted are available on Netflix and Amazon Instant Video.

[signature]