USING STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY IN YOUR BRAND MARKETING

So many choices.

We all know that there are TONS of websites that sell stock photographs of almost anything you can dream up.

Need an awesome picture of a sunflower field? Done.

Need a photo of a professional woman answering a phone? Done.

Need a photo of a clown balancing on a tightrope over NYC? Done.

While it's possible to find all of these images quickly and easily sometimes stock photos just aren't the right option...and sometimes they are (I'm looking at you clown).

When is it ok to use stock photos?

Our general rule is that stock photos are fine if you are pairing them with generic, non subject specific text. For instance, that photo on the the left side of the screen is a stock photo. We use them for our general information pages simply because we have a LOT of pages with info that isn't specific to the image.

We also think that if your options are a stock image or a tiny-grainy-10 year old cell phone photo that the stock photo is the only logical choice. This is ESPECIALLY true for print projects. That 10 year old cell phone photo is going to look even worse printed than it does on your computer screen, trust us.

When should you not use stock photos?

The answer to this is pretty common sense.

First, don't use stock photos on your about page or when referring to your own staff. Even a quick cell phone pic is better than a stock photo is this case (we're talking about a current pic, not one that's 10 years old - see above). Whip out that iPhone and snap a quick pic of Marsha sitting at her desk with a smile on her face - it gives your audience something real to connect to.

Let's talk about your product images for a second. If you run an e-commerce site you should NOT use stock photos. Use photos of items that you sell. If you have ever tried to shop online and found a shirt that you LOVE on the home page and then were unable to find it listed for sale then you will understand why it's so important to use your own photos on your online store.

Build a connection with your audience.

The point of using images on your website or marketing materials is not purely aesthetic. You are using images to convey your message and connect with your audience. When you're choosing the images that you want to use keep that in mind. Ask yourself "If I saw this photo would it make me feel connected to my company or would I feel indifferent about it?" If your answer is indifferent, consider choosing a different photo.

We hope that this short article will help you make an informed decision about stock photographs on your website and marketing materials. If you have any questions about your marketing materials we'd be happy to chat with you.

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