When it comes to social media and content marketing, visuals matter a lot. In the race to capture users’ attention and manage your marketing strategy, it can be tempting to rely on stock images for quick and easy content. They’re readily available and often free or low-cost. But how much are they really helping your brand?
At InSynch, a full-service creative content agency, we work closely with businesses to ensure they’re aware of the pros and cons of using stock images, and why, in most cases, it’s best to leave them out of your social media strategy.
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Where Stock Images Fall Short
Stock imagery isn’t all bad; it has its place, particularly when you’ve got a tight budget or need a blog or thumbnail quickly. But when it comes to social media, the cracks in stock image usage start to show in these ways:
It Can Dilute Your Brand
Your social media feed should reflect your brand’s tone, USPs and personality. Stock images are often designed to be as universal as possible, meaning they’re not really you, or specific to your unique brand. Over time, using stock images regularly can create a mixed and disjointed feel that disconnects your audience from your real brand and ethos.
It Can Lacks Authenticity
Stock images often look artificial and staged, especially when they feature actors in unrealistic settings. Audiences on social media value realness; a candid photo taken on your phone will resonate more with your audience than a polished, generic stock image.
Misleading Your Audience
Using imagery that doesn’t accurately represent your team, business, location, or products can fall into unintentional false advertising of your business. For example, using a stock image of a burger for your food truck using different ingredients than you do could cause false expectations for the real menu item.
You’re Not the Only One Using the Image
Ever recognised the same stock image used on different websites? If you’re using free or widely popular stock images, there’s a high chance that someone in your audience has already seen that image somewhere else. This can weaken the brand and undermine the originality of your overall brand, especially in social PPC ads where visual impact is everything.
Usage rights
Even with free stock image sites, not every image is safe to use everywhere because of the license attached to it. Some may not be allowed to be posted online without significant edits made to the image, and some may only be free for non-commercial uses. The usage rights on stock images can vary, and not checking the license attached to the image can land you in hot water.
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What To Do Instead Of Using Stock Images
Viral content doesn’t need to be expensive to be effective; not every photo needs a professional photographer or a team behind it. The key is to be authentic and stay relevant with current trends. There are a few realistic ways to strengthen your visual content, without breaking the bank:
Use Your Phone Camera
Most smartphones today can take perfectly good pictures for social media. Just make sure the lighting, framing and backdrop are of good quality. Many of the most engaging Instagram and TikTok videos were made with fewer megapixels than a professional digital camera. It’s not just the strength of your tools that makes a good image, but how you use them.
Capture Real Experiences
Behind-the-scenes photos, staff introductions and on-the-day activities give your audience an insight into the business and a real feel for what you do. Here, professional photo quality is not what you need to convey the authenticity of your business and brand.
Collaborate With Your Audience
Content made by your customers or clients is powerful at building trust. With their permission, you can share customer photos or feedback on your socials.
Get Help From InSynch
As a digital marketing and creative content agency, we understand that not every business has an in-house designer, marketing team, or professional photographer to hand, which is why we offer cost-effective solutions for social content creation. Whether you need ongoing social media support, custom graphics, or just a hand in knowing how to capture your professional photos or videos, we can help. We also work closely with trusted photographers and videographers, so we can get authentic content tailored to your brand, without blowing the budget, helping you stay ahead in both content marketing and social PPC ads with visuals that actually reflect your brand.
Want help building your brand’s visual identity on social media? Get in touch with one of our experienced team members today.
