Investors browse Wefunder with two main motives 1) to find something that speaks to them personally and 2) to find the next big thing. And the one way to determine whether your business speaks to either of those criteria is to show off what you’re working on.

We'll break Design into two sections. First, we’ll go through the three main elements of imagery you’ll be using on Wefunder: the Banner, the Card, and the Graphics. Second, we’ll go over the basics of what makes a great image. Let’s go!

1. Header

Banner images should be both compelling and revealing. Remember the banner has a 2000:800 aspect ratio and to avoid images that scream stock photo.

You can also add a video to your banner which you should absolutely do if you have a high quality clip. If you don't have a high-quality video, you should let text and photos do the talking for you instead—a poor video can actually harm your campaign with a bad first impression.

Example: Valet Anywhere

The Valet Anywhere banner contains action to one side, creating negative space on the other which is ideal for text. The strong contrast, with shadow on the left and sunshine on the right, is pleasing to the eye. The man in the photo is also wearing company apparel which is definitely a bonus for branding!

2. Card

Your Card is the first thing investors will see when they’re browsing through Wefunder. It will determine whether any investor decides to view your business at all. There are three elements that determine the success of your card: image, tagline, and milestones. Let’s focus on the image.

You want to give investors a broad idea of the product you’re providing. If you’re building an app, show someone using that app in the particular situation it's needed. If you’re building a toy, use an image that showcases that toy alone.

Examples: Chronos and Emberlight

Both Chronos and Emberlight use their Card photo to embody a single subject. For Chronos, watches, and for Emberlight, light bulbs. So the viewer knows both companies have something generally to do with those ideas. The eye then moves downwards and the tagline reveals exactly what is so special about this particular watch and light bulb.

3. Product and Traction

At the bottom of the Design tab, you’ll find an option to “Add Another Section.” This will allow you to add product photos and videos, upload graphs or publish numbers, or custom code an image yourself.

This is the meat of your profile.You need to convince investors you can execute fast and effectively. Show off growth, revenue, customer retention, etc.—investors want concrete evidence.

Example: Magnises

1. Simple and Clean

Whether it’s a photo or an illustration, you need negative space. The eye wants it. Negative space draws the viewer’s attention to the most important object. Avoid clutter and use images to convey one strong idea rather than several weak ones.

A Good Example: Toymail

Let’s take a look at this effective (and very adorable) photo. The subject of attention is placed on the far right, creating plenty of negative space to the left. It allows the eye to concentrate on a single, important idea: this girl’s relationship with her toys. Her black outfit over the off-white background also creates a strong contrast which makes her pop out.

This is a good example of creating negative space, using contrast, and keeping it simple without sacrificing personality!

A Bad Example:

This is a photo we took at one our Wednesday dinners. There’s quite a few issues here. First, I have no idea where I’m supposed to be looking at. The food? The guests? The chef? Second, the filter overly saturates the photo and instead of a clear, crisp subject, everything is hazy and melts together.

Don’t make the same mistake we did! Opt for single subject photos with a sharp contrast that draws the eye.

2. High Quality Media Only

This might seem obvious, but sometimes using mid to low resolution images can be tempting to get the job over with. Don’t underestimate the power of imagery! It's 2016. No one wants to look at a blurry photo or watch a 480p video, when HD is everywhere. Investors have no qualms about skipping over your profile if you haven’t taken the time to find or create high quality photos and videos.

3. Show Investors What You’re Building

When it comes to product photos, the more the better. If you run a restaurant, use images or videos to seat your investor at the table, show them the menu, tantalize them with the first course. Put investors as close to your product as possible, whatever it may be.

This can be difficult for certain companies, such as SaaS businesses, who don't have physical products. In these scenarios, we recommend to instead showcase a) product screenshots or b) use illustrations.

Example 1: Automate Ads

Automate Ads is a SaaS company that allows businesses to, well, automate ads. Because they don’t have a product you can hold in your hands, they opted to illustrate what they do: they make automating ads so easy, all you have to do is press a button.

Example 2 : Flaviar

The winning aspect of this photo is its straightforwardness. One look and you have the gist of what Flaviar’s product is—a box with a variety of alcohol samples. Your eye doesn’t have to do any digging or make any inferences. The viewer immediately knows that if they order from Flaviar, this is what to expect.

The KISS principle was coined by the US Navy in the 1960s, and it means exactly what it sounds like. Avoid complexity. Simple is best. Being straightforward in both language and design allows you to communicate with a diverse audience. Rely on universal concepts and basic language to convey unique, specific ideas.

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