The photo book market is growing, projected to reach $4.95 billion by 2032. Yet despite this growth, many printers face a familiar challenge: customers start photo book projects but don’t finish them.
This isn’t a lack of interest; people value their photos and want tangible keepsakes. The problem is that traditional photo book creation is time-consuming, overwhelming, and prone to abandonment.
Why Do So Many Photo Books Go Unfinished?
For customers, the excitement of turning digital memories into something they can hold quickly fades once the work begins. They face hundreds, sometimes even thousands of images to sort through, making choices about which ones to keep, and then arranging them into a visually appealing story. Even with pre-designed templates, this process can take tens of hours. For many, it’s easier to give up than to finish.
This friction isn’t just a customer frustration; it’s a business problem. Every unfinished book represents lost revenue, lower customer lifetime value, and fewer opportunities for upsells like calendars, wall art, or duplicate gifts.
That’s Where AI Comes In
Artificial intelligence offers a way to address these challenges head-on. For photo book companies and printers, it’s not about replacing creativity; it’s about removing the tedious steps that keep customers from getting to the fun part.
AI can instantly identify the best images in a customer’s library, skipping duplicates, blinks, and blurry shots. It can group photos into natural storylines such as vacations, milestones, or holidays, and suggest layouts that look professionally designed. Instead of starting from scratch, customers begin with a curated, organized set of pages they can personalize.
This shift is powerful for two reasons: it makes completion far more likely, and it keeps customers engaged long enough to say “yes” to their purchase.
But Can AI Really Choose Photos for Me?
It’s normal to be skeptical of AI and worry that it can’t truly reflect a customer’s preferences. We can’t speak for other AI platforms, but this is exactly where MediaViz AI stands apart.
MediaViz AI doesn’t rely on a single set of rules to decide which photos are “best.” Instead, it takes a multi-layered approach, first looking at objective qualities like clarity, composition, and facial expression, then going deeper to analyze the overall style and tone of the images in a specific collection.
Because every set of photos is different, the AI adjusts its choices based on each collection. For example, if most of the images in a project are candid, in-the-moment shots, it will prioritize other candid images to keep the style consistent while also taking uniqueness into account. One-off photos are valuable as well; there may only be one photo of Grandma during vacation, but that doesn’t make it any less special. This way, the selections feel like they were made by someone who understands the story being told, not by a one-size-fits-all algorithm.
The Business Impact for Photo Book Companies
The business impact is straightforward. When the creation process is faster and easier, customers finish more books. Finished books mean more orders, higher conversion rates, and more opportunities for upselling. AI can also help recover abandoned projects by auto-filling layouts, giving customers a visual preview that tempts them to click “buy.”
Imagine what your business could look like if 50% of abandoned books were completed? 75%? Or even more?
The gap between customers’ intentions and completed photo book projects has long been a challenge for printers and online platforms. AI doesn’t just make the process faster; it makes it more personal, engaging, and profitable.
Ready to Integrate AI Into Your Photo Book Platform?
For businesses, the opportunity is clear: integrate AI-powered curation to turn unfinished projects into sales, reduce abandonment, and create an experience customers will come back for again and again.
The MediaViz AI API can help your customers choose images, suggest photos for your layouts, and ultimately help your business print more photo books. Contact us today to learn more!