"Your Stock Photos" make a Real connection with you web visitors

Using images of People in marketing materials is an effective use. There is a definite appeal to images of people, and psychologists confirm that images of human faces will attract more attention to a web page.

With the easy accessibly of royalty-free, affordable stock photo choices, marketers use stock photos as a crutch – hastily grabbing an image off the web rather than taking the time to develop an effective page design that will move visitors into the conversion funnel.

Have you fallen into the stock photography habit? Before you add one more image to your website or landing page, consider the following list of do’s and don’ts.

1. Don’t use stock photos on a web page just because you think it looks bare. Having access to an iStock photo account does not make you a web designer. You need to know the goal of the web page before you add any images at all, especially if it’s an important landing page for conversion.  

Images should never be used just to fill space - even though that is the number one reason they are added to most web pages. Your landing page has a purpose, and that's to get people to take the next step, buy somthing, fill out a form, browse your products, ect. If your image isn't directly related to supporting that conversion action, leave it out.

2. Don’t use the same old contrived image that everyone else on the web is using. Stay away from using the most commonly abused images and poses. You know the ones I’m talking about: the happy phone operator who is wearing a headset and just waiting to take your call, the business executives gathered around a boardroom table, or the uncomfortably ecstatic computer user.

Using contrived images like these can do far more harm than good. Not only do they look unnatural, but there’s a good chance that your site visitors have seen the same (or similar) images on someone else’s website.

At the very least, using images like these will make you look un-creative and low-budget. Up your game and use your own images to reflect your brand. Come up with visual images using your staff and facilities that viewers will relate to, not some overused generic image that is used by hundreds of other brands.

3. Don’t forget that your employees and customers are your greatest asset when it comes to photos for your website. The way people connect with a brand is changing, and authenticity is key. People want something genuine. They want to do business with humans, not corporations. That’s why images of people can be great if they’re real.

Using your employees and customers add a genuine connection to the product you are selling, and this builds trust with the audience.

A company should use its own people in it's photos. These photos will do an incredible job of positioning their talent as experts, by taking "real" photos of your staff in your environment, whether that's a retail outlet or an office.

Remember, your visitors will notice stock images, but usually not in a good way. Stock photos used carelessly can devalue and cheapen your website and brand.

Call us today and let's make a connection with your visitors as they browse your site. We can help you create "Your Stock" photos.