Stock photos dont a great reputation.
Theyre cheesy and are easily recognizable, so a lot of marketers avoid using them.
But Id like to argue that stock photos arent the issue, its how you choose them.
Genuine top-quality stock photos expand yourmarketingopportunities.
Credit:Pixabay
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ensure they appear natural, just like the photographer captured them in a real-life scene all of a sudden.
This will make the content feel more genuine rather than cheap and staged.
Credit:Liza Summer, Pexels
2.
They have different stories and backgrounds, which make each photo real and vivid.
Credit:fauxels, Pexels
3.
Dont get me wrong, Im not suggesting leaving metaphors and conceptual photography exclusively to professional artists.
Credit:Rakicevic, Pexels
Credit:cottonbro, Pexels
4.
Over-editing
During the golden age of fashion magazines with flawless imagery, stock photography looked perfectly polished too.
Cheesy clipart
You cant have an article on stock photos without mentioning clipart.
Clipart portrays abstract concepts like leadership, motivation, teamwork etc.
They fail to grab attention and are hardly able to drive action.
Are there any alternatives?
Consider choosing more appealing and fresh imagery.
For example, take 3D illustrations, which are still not outdated (the keyword isstill!
), or make a collage with several relevant photos.
But, just stay away from any images demonstrating abstract concepts literally!
The image youre going to choose should be a perfect match between your product and clients.
Story byAlina Valyaeva
Alina is a communication pro with a journalist’s mindset.
She is excited about PR, tech, content creation, and the mix of them.
