Updated December 2024

This post was born out of me stumbling onto a website I created for a client a while ago (client shall remain nameless, of course!). Imagine my delight when I see that they have:

Stock photo with books, glasses and a camera

a) updated their website with new events - yes!
b) added new content since I created the original site - yes!
c) added new photos - ye…uh oh.

These new photos were not exactly a great addition to the site. I mean, the photos themselves were great. High quality. Super clear. But also, not relevant to their mission at all, and the photos were obviously not taken in a rural WV setting where the nonprofit was located. It got me thinking about stock photography and all the ways it’s actually really great if used correctly. There are tons of free photos out there (stick around to the end of the post, and I’ll share my faves with you). But, they can also be tricky to manage.

Here are three mistakes you might be making with stock photos:

You’re not using stock photos.
I recommend using your own photography whenever you can if you have high-res images that clearly communicate the idea you’re trying to share. But often, especially with nonprofits, you just lack the photos you need. In this case, stock photos are a great asset. Don’t be afraid to explore using stock photos when you’re in need of a visual to better tell your story. Remember to stick to photos that focus on just one or two subjects and that evoke emotion.
If you’re using a Squarespace website, you have access to thousands of free stock photos right within your website builder, thanks to their partnership with Unsplash. Not using Squarespace? Check out my favorite stock photo sites at the end of this post.
You’re not using the right stock photos to represent your work.
As my client experienced, you can use stock photography the wrong way. When choosing a photo to use, be sure that it represents the clients you serve (or want to serve) and your organization's location (if you’re in a small city, steer clear of photos in front of skyscrapers), and the work you’re doing. If you’re having a hard time finding the right photo, try altering your search terms or getting ideas from websites of organizations similar to yours. It goes without saying - do not take photos that do not belong to you - but you can get ideas of the kinds of photos others are using.
You’re not optimizing stock photos for your website.
What’s great about stock photos? They are very high-resolution and look crystal clear when used online or in print. What’s not so great? The file sizes are normally very large, and if you’re not optimizing the images for your website, you’re going to slow down the load time for your website, frustrating visitors.
I recommend downloading the original size, naming the photo descriptively, and then resizing the image to be optimized for the web. If you’re not familiar with this process or need a more in-depth explanation, this post on how to optimize photos is a great place to start! You can resize photos using any number of applications (I prefer my Mac hack of using preview) or even try some of the free online programs like tinypng.com
Update! If you’re struggling to understand the legal rules for using stock photos for your project or are overwhelmed with information about the legal and ethical implications of using stock images – this guide has got you covered. A big thanks to the team at stockphotosecrets.com for sharing it with me!

Are you making any of those mistakes? I hope not! But if you are, choose one from the list and make a plan to fix it this week!

How do you find the best stock photography service for your business?

Stock photography can get a bad reputation because there are so many businesses using bad photos or misusing stock photos in a way that feel inauthentic.

However, finding the right stock photography solutions can improve the experience of your audience, increase the time people spend on your website, and help you make your business look and feel more professional or established.

So how do you choose when there are so many options?

Find an aesthetic and stick with it.

If you’ve done any research or read about branding, you’ll know that branding is about much more than your company’s logo, fonts, and brand colors. While your website design and printed marketing materials have different objectives and sometimes even different audiences, your branding should be consistent among all of your marketing materials and convey something about your company’s values, position, or image.

A company’s branding can often be on point in its messaging but gets lost in the imagery used online or in print. Generic or low-resolution photos can detract from your message and actually pull readers away instead of drawing them in.

(Side note: I attended a huge conference last year with a well-known keynote speaker whose slides were atrocious. The slides were filled with terrible photos that were as far from his “online brand” as they could be and were very distracting. So, this message translates into online presentations, as well.)

Once you’ve established your brand, choosing stock images (or any images, really) that enhance that message and vibe is essential. For example, if you’re going for a dark and mysterious vibe for your retail shop, choosing artsy or abstract photos is a great way to further that message.

However, if you’re a fashion boutique and want to portray a light, airy atmosphere, choosing stock photography with bright colors and minimalist features make more sense.

This concept applies to virtually every industry as well. Stock photography isn’t just for creative businesses or small shops. Large manufacturers need professional photography just as much as smaller businesses as specialty industries.

Some companies do a really great job at this. For instance, in the marine and boating world, supplier Volvo Penta uses captivating imagery relevant to the industry throughout their website that pulls the reader in.

Find the price point that works for you.

The old adage that you get what you pay for holds very true in the stock photography industry. But unfortunately, most businesses overlook budgeting for photography even though it’s a significant component of every marketing tactic.

When evaluating the price point, it’s essential to consider several factors beyond the actual cost of the photo. For example, consider that most stock photos are versatile enough to use in multiple campaigns and in multiple angles, meaning you’re getting several uses from one image.

For instance, when I choose stock photos for my website, I know I will reuse them in my social media posts, blog posts, and emails. Being able to repurpose them, often cropping them in a new manner, enhances their value.

It’s also important to consider the cost of not using professional photography. If you’re a website designer and someone lands on your website without knowing much about you, only to find poor-quality images that are apparent stock photos, their impressions may lean toward the negative side.

Or, if you’re using the same photos as everyone else, the user may make a judgment about your design abilities or your ability to think creatively.

Choose a stock photo website with enough variety.

Once you’ve identified the need to use stock photography, it’s sometimes challenging to sort through all of your options and find the site that offers enough variety to make the investment worth it.

While I use the term “stock photography,” this can also encompass stock videos. The rise of video marketing is exploding right now, and the cost of original, custom videography isn’t attainable for many small businesses.

When evaluating a stock photography website, consider how much variety they offer in terms of photo content and whether or not video is an option. For example, if all of the images are background images and never include people, the result will be tiresome at best.

Try to find a site that offers a mix of workspace imagery, lifestyle imagery, people of color, and indoor and outdoor photos. This mix of images will help your marketing material feel more organic and balanced.

It’s also helpful when your stock photography site gives you options for download sizes to save you time from having to optimize every image.

Evaluate a membership vs. a pay-per-photo model

Finally, as you decide on the best stock photography option for your business, consider whether or not a membership is a better investment than a per-photo arrangement. Sometimes, you just need that one photo, so using a site that allows you to purchase one image at a time makes sense.

However, if you’re going through a website redesign or planning a new campaign, having a set of photos that all align to swap out and rotate is really valuable.

A quick comparison: Adobe Stock Photos vs. Depositphotos

When I first started One Nine Design, I used Adobe Stock photos since I was already an Adobe user. I liked how the images integrated with other products and found the variety excellent.

However, about a year in, I also noticed my photos were very disjointed. While the individual photos were pretty high quality and relevant, they weren’t cohesive at all as a group. As a result, my website felt off. The price was very high per photo, so I was reluctant to use it consistently.

I’ve since switched to Depositphotos, and it has become one of my most used business tools. The subscription is straightforward and affordable, and I love that I can save photos to collections meaning that I can curate all the photos I want to use in a design project in one place for easy sorting, sizing, and downloading.

Key Takeaways on stock photography

Don’t be afraid to use stock photos because you fear looking inauthentic. Spend time choosing the right stock photos for your business.
Be consistent. If possible, choose one stock photography service and stick with it so that all of your photos have a similar look and feel.
Optimize your stock photos, so they don’t slow down your website.
If possible, budget for a stock photography subscription.

Are you using stock photos? What’s your favorite site? Tell me in the comments below!

Until next time,

Andrea

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