At FYD, we will be the first to chuckle at an out-of-pocket stock photo. However, we also love seizing the chance to enhance a generic stock photo to elevate and support brand marketing and recognition. In this blog, we are offering our guidance on breaking away from boring and basic and doing more with stock photos for business.
The Good, The Bad, and the Basic
Utilizing stock photos for business can create mixed feelings for marketers. This is because there are both pros and cons to these widely available images.
Stock images are a cost-conscious, convenient way for brands and agencies to acquire pictures. Additionally, a stock photo can add a decorative touch to a text-based webpage that does not necessarily need an image to support its content, but benefits from its aesthetics.
However, at the price of convenience, there is also the potential that the stock photo you choose is plastered across other graphics online or even utilized by your competitors. Since images invoke an emotional response, if viewers saw the same photo elsewhere and had a negative reaction to it, they may assign that negative sentiment to your use of the photo.
Also, stock photos are…well…stock. On their own, they are basic and do not contribute to your brand recognition or messaging. Stock photos for business may inhibit the growth of brand loyalty and the personal connection consumers make with brands.
Despite the pros and cons, you can achieve balance by enhancing your stock photos.
Spruce Up the Stock Photos for Business
A little bit of graphic design work can make all the difference for your graphics. Branding, overlays, mock-ups, and filters are quick, simple ways to elevate your stock photos for business.
Branding and overlays allow you to add logos, headshots, and elements like borders to add a unique, personal touch to stock photos. This minimizes their stock-like appearance and makes them more representative of your brand identity, especially when you are consistent in the elements you add.
Similarly, mocked-up stock photos customize your work. For example, you may edit the computer screen in a stock photo so it is displaying your website’s homepage. While it may still have the background of the original photo, the mock-up customizes the stock piece to your brand.
Finally, applying a filter can refresh a stock photo for business. Using the same filter across stock photos on your site or social media page gives a uniform, branded look.
Tips and Tricks
Above all, using graphics on social and online is all about finding a balance. For example, if you frequently use unedited stock photos, you may also incorporate more personal touches into your feed. You can post photos of your team around the office or at events with your clients. This helps provide a mix of both personal and general content.
Additionally, if you are selecting a stock photo for business and want more insight into its previous uses, you can use Google or other search tools to reverse search an image. This way you can check other connotations this photo has had, if it is overused, or if competitors used it.
Stock Photos for Business Success
The digital age requires constantly elevating your visual content with something cooler, more original, and more eye-catching. If you are looking for a design team that can help you keep up, FYD can help. We can help you optimize your use of generic and original graphics so you can meet your marketing goals. Contact us today to get started.
