The pros and cons of using stock photos versus original photography

The pros and cons of using stock photos versus original photography

Original stock photos can make or break your marketing. A poor stock image can damage your brand or simply not attract the attention you need. Find out why original stock photos can help build your business. Authentic commercial photography can make or break our marketing communications.

Images invite our audience to dig deeper into our content. They make us laugh and cry. They explain. They entertain. They provoke and inspire. Photos and graphics add meaning to our words. They also have a practical purpose. Images break up our text-based messages and make it easier for people to read the messages we’re providing. We use original stock photos on our website, in email newsletters, in printed brochures, in our social media.

Here’s proof of why your marketing needs original stock photos:

• Adding images boosts engagement on your social media – on Facebook it increases engagement by 2.3 times; on Twitter, tweets with images received 18% more clicks than those without images and 150% more retweets.

• Articles with images get 94% more total views.

• 60% of consumers are more likely to deal with and buy things from organisations with images on the local search results.

Stock photos versus original stock photos

With so much riding on having a good image in your communications, it’s no wonder there’s been an explosion of online photo libraries chock-full stock images. Stock photos are a convenient way to access thousands of photos directly from your laptop.

Certain services like Pixabay.com, Kamboompics.com, and Unsplash.com offer free stock photos. Of course, there are a few rules when using these images. Usually, you need to attribute the photo to the image creator, and there may be other limitations on how many times you can use it. Then, there are paid stock images.

Services like istockphoto.com and Shutterstock.com offer limited rights access to hundreds of images. There’s no doubt that stock photos can be handy if you’ve got a limited budget and need an image in a hurry.

But there are a couple of downsides to stock images:

• Haven’t I seen your face before?

You often see the same old faces pop up time and time again. Specific stock photos are viral. The trouble with this is that you tend to see them everywhere, which can detract from your branding. This is a real problem if an image is used by competitors in your industry.

• This is not the image you’re looking for

Though there seem to be loads of images to choose from, sometimes you have something particular in mind, which might be hard to find. For example, with ‘people’ shots, you might be trying to include a diversity of faces that’s simply not available. Or you’re trying to avoid that fake ‘samey’ look. You know the photos, I mean. There’s that ‘random group of executives in a suit staring at a whiteboard’, the ‘smiling customer service women’, or the ‘active older couple’ you see everywhere once you start looking!

What about creating stock photos yourself?

Equipped with a smartphone, everyone’s a photographer, aren’t they? There’s no doubt that if you’re on a budget, taking some of your photos is a great alternative. If you’re a small business, you may not have the cash. And you might even become a better photographer as you go along. But let’s face it: professional photographers spend years perfecting their craft. If you’re going to ‘hang out your shingle’ and start your business on the right foot, nailing the right images for your communications upfront could make a massive difference to your overall business image.

4 Reasons why using a professional photographer is essential

1. The right image helps build trust

In some ways, it’s all about trust. Building your business encourages people to know, trust, and like you. Once you’ve achieved those goals, people will give you their time and money.

2. Build your unique brand story

Having original images can help you stand out from the competition and make you look more credible and professional. It means you make a good impression when someone contacts your organisation. Poor quality, amateurish photos will not reflect well on your business.

3. You need to personalise your stock photos

Some photos must be personalised. They include photos of your team, workplace, products, or projects. Professional headshots on your website's ‘About Us’ page are essential. It helps people connect to the people they may be speaking to shortly.

For online retailers, high-quality product shots are necessary if you convince buyers to part with their cash. Showcasing your best projects is an effective way of communicating your achievements.

4. Professional photos can be cost-effective

Investing in your quality photography means that you own those original photos. There’s no royalty to pay. And if you’ve planned it well, you can use those images repeatedly. In that way, having original photos can be cost-effective.

Having a professional photographer can also save the time and hassle you’ll spend searching for the right image or setting up to take your images.