Stock Images vs Real Photos for Your Business Website
Real photos bring authenticity and uniqueness to your Adelaide business’s website, and that always resonates with consumers worldwide, but you have to produce the images first. However, stock images are always available anytime you need them. So, which one is ideal for your Adelaide business’s website and why? Keep reading to get the right answers.
How Do I Choose Which Photos to Use for My Business?
When choosing photos for your Adelaide business, you need to consider the message the images convey, how compatible the photos are with your branding, and if they can engage your audience. Suppose you saw a picture of apples and oranges in a basket before reading this blog. Would you think about digital marketing? We bet not. A photo should complement the message in written content because it can help your audience understand better and lead to more engagement.
Your business website should already have an overall tone and style that matches your brand, and any new images should stay consistent with it to promote the brand. The photos must represent your business’s values and mission accurately, so your customers keep in touch with the brand they fell in love with initially. Finally, always opt for high-quality images because they present your business as trustworthy and credible.
How well do you know your target audience? The best photos you’ll ever use for your business are the ones that will resonate with your target audience. Do your research well to identify what kind of images get the best interactions from your target audience and feature them.
What’s the Difference Between Stock Photos and Real Photos?
Real photos are original images you take or hire a professional to take, while stock photos are already existing photos for general use by anyone who can access them. As you’d imagine, real photos are your best bet at brand originality, but great ones are not easy to come by. Conversely, stock photos are available anytime, but to anyone, too. Let’s check out the pros and cons of either option.
Stock Photos Are Much Easier
Stock photos are much easier because they’re affordable, readily available, and easily accessible. If you opt for stock photos, you can get many of them without having to pay a dime. If you use them often, then you may need to pay to access more photos, but they’re usually affordable with options of an ongoing subscription to a photo service or a one-time purchase of an image. There’s also a much pricier option of sole ownership of a pool of stock images.
Stock Photos Lack Originality
On the flip side, everyone else can access stock photos, so that means that you’re mostly taking originality out of the equation when you use them. Your competition may be using the same images for different content, leaving your customers confused. If you use stock photos for a product promotion, a customer who’s seen the same images elsewhere can assume the worst and believe that yours is fake.
Furthermore, stock images are not easy to customise to your exact needs, and you’d hardly be able to capture a brand message with a stock image fully. Moreover, copyright issues are a thing with stock photos, and you need to do your research to understand how and where you can use them after purchase so you don’t get sued for copyright infringement.
Real Professional Photos Are More Personal
When you take a real photo to use on your Adelaide business website, you almost never have to worry about finding the image elsewhere. That’s because from concept initiation to photography and post-production editing, your brand identity has been foremost and it’s not relevant to any other brand. Customers value authenticity with pictures, and you’re sure to capture the attention of your target audience.
Real Professional Photos Are Expensive
Making a real photo involves hiring professionals to take the pictures and edit it, and you can’t do these on a tight budget. Furthermore, the production process consumes manpower, resources and time, so you can become inconsistent with delivery if you always have to source for these factors.
Stock Images Vs Real Photos- Consult Caffeinated Marketing
Undoubtedly, real photos give the best results for your marketing efforts. However, you need to consider the cost involved before committing to this process. Guiding you to choose the right images for your brand and website strategy is part of our web design process at Caffeinated Marketing. We will also optimise the images for SEO and performance so your Adelaide business can reach the target audience. Don’t hesitate to contact us now to guarantee a seamless visual experience for your customers.