5 Tips for Choosing Fitting Stock Images for Your Business

When custom photography isn’t possible, using stock images for your company’s website, social media platforms and print collateral is a viable option. Stock photography can be an excellent way to visually reinforce what your brand represents, but there are a lot of things to consider when choosing imagery. Here are five tips to ensure that you’re choosing images that suit your business:

Match Your Personality
The most important consideration to make when choosing stock photography is making sure the tone is appropriate. Is your business casual or corporate? Do you prefer brand copy that is no-nonsense and straight to the point or do you like to communicate in a fun and lighthearted style? Think of what your brand’s personality is and always choose imagery that falls in line.

Keep Color Schemes Consistent
To have a more cohesive brand presentation, always be aware of which colors are prominent in the photos you select. Do some planning upfront and decide on an overall look and feel for your images. If the photos on your website have a warm tone, make sure that you’re consistently choosing images with warm colors. If you prefer to showcase photos with bold blues and purples, then be sure to choose images with cool tones and similar hues throughout.

Be Inclusive
Inclusivity within your demographic can be attained through thoughtful image selection. Representation is a crucial element to consider, and it’s important to choose photos that show a variety of age, gender, ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation. Make sure that your brand is approachable for everyone.

Prioritize Relevance
As Instapage mentions in their blog, “How to Select the Best Stock Photos for Your Marketing Campaigns,” choose images relevant to your accompanying copy. For instance, if your blog topic is about optimizing a client’s home-buying experience, look for an image directly related to real estate, such as a family moving into a home, as opposed to just showing a family. The more closely related your images are, the better your audience will connect with them, and in turn, with your business.

Stay in the Present
When looking for photos, pay attention to when the image may have been taken. For instance, you should probably avoid using anything that looks like it could have been taken before 2010. Incorporating up-to-date photography will help communicate to your audience that you are aware of current trends and technology, and are living in the present.