Four great ways to use stock photography (and how to optimize your stock images on a Mac)
Photo credit: Styled Stock Society
Updated December 2024
How do you feel about stock photography? I used to be adamantly against using stock photos and insisted that all images be from the organization. That was until my clients started sending me pictures to use on their website that I was not comfortable sharing!
Many small businesses and nonprofits do not have the budget for professional photography. If they do, the number of shots they can afford is so tiny that they use the same photos repeatedly. If that sounds like you, keep reading!
Using stock photography is entirely acceptable and sometimes even preferred if your photos do not represent the quality of your business or the brand you want.
The trick or secret to stock photography is using a service that creates authentic photos that showcase various aesthetics and offers you flexibility in the photos like people of color, no people, workspaces, outdoor shots, etc.
There are many ways to use stock photography, but there are four scenarios where great stock photography can set you apart from your competitors.
Social media content
Creating engaging social media content is crucial for small businesses in an environment where paid ads are dominating the newsfeeds. However, engagement can be devastatingly low without quality photos to stop the scroll, even with the best, well-written content.
Using bright, relevant stock photography immediately builds trust with the viewer, signaling that your content is worth a second look. When choosing photos, opt for images that feature just one or two faces and that evoke emotion.
Landing pages
If you’re promoting a product, lead magnet, or event, using high-quality stock photo images can increase your landing page conversion rate.
Typical landing page templates tend to be on the dull side --- headline, small photo, opt-in box, and maybe a short description. By incorporating a bright, high-quality image as a banner or inset photo next to your compelling content, users are more likely to stop and review the text on the page.
When selecting stock photography for your landing page, ensure you’ve first optimized the image for the web to decrease your page loading time.
If you’re using a Mac, these quick steps make optimizing an image a two-minute task:
Download your stock photo
Open the image using Preview
Go to Tools, Adjust Size
Make sure the “scale proportionally” box is checked
Keep the resolution at 300
Reduce by using the percentage tool until your photo is 500KB or less
Another tip here on landing pages - these pages are designed for conversions. So if you’re using landing pages specifically to promote your e-commerce options and boost online sales, make your landing page as buyer-friendly as possible.
Don’t require multiple steps to view your offers or prices.
Be transparent about what you’re offering and how it benefits your potential customers
Use secure payment processing solutions to make the buying process easy and safe
If you’re selling digital products, automate your process to send receipts, transaction details, or promised products, so the buyer isn’t waiting long for the product to arrive.
Email Newsletters
I typically recommend keeping your email newsletters as close to rich text as possible but adding one or two small stock photos could help draw the reader’s eye down the page and continue reading.
Based on your email topic and format, consider adding a small stock photo near the top of the email, and then use one more toward the middle or bottom half. Each image should be small and contribute to the message your email is trying to convey.
Lead Magnet or Free Resource
One of the best places to use stock photography is within your lead magnet or free resource. By adding high-quality, relevant photos to your downloadable resource, your content’s overall look and feel is improved and immediately more visually appealing. (Check out my photos in this Free Template & Training Bundle)
If you’re creating mockups of your lead magnet (and you should!), use a stunning image on the front cover with some simple text that describes the resource. Then, inside the document, you can use your stock photos as banners, sidebar images, footer background images, etc.
On the final page of your document, add a photo of you or your company’s logo along with ways your potential customers can find you online, shop with you, or book a service.
Why I love using Depositphotos for my stock photos
I use Depositphotos all the time when I need a gorgeous stock photo or a customizable template. Or, I just browse their photo library when I need some inspiration for my brand!
Oh, and my annual stock photo subscription comes with 30 images per month (that roll over if you don’t use them) and an AI image generator tool which can really help when you just can’t find what you need!
Until next time,
Andrea
One Nine Design is a digital marketing company helping small businesses and nonprofits learn how to use their website and email list to grow their reach and make a bigger impact!
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