Should I be using custom or stock photos & video for my business?
Let's say you're finally designing your website and have added in your copy to all the sections and pages you've created.
Now, you’re ready to start adding in some visual content!
Photos and video are the best way to tell the story of your business visually to your clients.
They help showcase your latest product or help tell your story to increase your audience’s connection with you or your brand.
Yes, you can source these images and videos online through stock photo or video websites - we’ll recommend a few later.
However, we really wanted to share with you why you should consider getting custom photos and videos for your website.
Cohesion & Consistency
Like we mentioned above you can use stock photos and videos on your website. However, this strongly disrupts the cohesion and consistency of the design of your website.
It also can be difficult to find stock photos that display exactly what you envision.
When you hire a professional photographer you are going to get that next level cohesion and consistency with your photos and videos.
Professional photos and videos can relate to your existing website design more seamlessly, because you get to work with your photographer and plan out the shots that you would like to see and use on your website or throughout your social media platforms.
Originality
Professional photos and videos that were taken for your business specifically will have their own flare.
In addition, every photographer or videographer will also have their own style that can come through in these visuals.
Most stock photos will feel very basic or just simple because they are meant to be able to appeal to a wide variety of people for many different reasons.
Getting professional photos or videos taken for your business will be specific to your business and your design only.
Branding
Photos and videos can be tailored to your brand to make a more distinguishable online presence and this will be used across all platforms for your business. This can be your website, social media platforms, or any other marketing materials.
Trust
Using professional photos and videos curated for your business will foster trust between your business and your clients.
When a customer goes to your website or social media pages they will see a consistent design and see you're a legitimate business. Investing in high quality, professional photos and videos for your business shows that you value your products and services and your customers should too.
You have taken it to the next level with photos and videos that align with your business.
If you have to use stock photos or video here is how you should do it.
We know not everyone can always afford hiring a professional photographer or videographer to get visual content for their business.
With that in mind we wanted to recommend a few options that have worked for us and clients in the past to achieve a cohesive website design.
We recommend using Unsplash for a free photo option, and AdobeStock for a paid photo option.
We also recommend AdobeStock for paid video options. We have also heard of Pexels for free stock video options, and Story Blocks as another paid option.
Hopefully this was helpful and made it easier for you to determine what type of photos and videos you would like to use on your website. Either by hiring a professional photographer/videographer or by utilizing stock photos and video.