One of the most overlooked steps in establishing your brand style is your imagery. Your images can have a huge impact on the perception of your brand and deserve attention just like the rest of it. Hiring a professional photographer isn’t always feasible so utilizing stock photos can work wonders for building your brand. But the catch is using high-quality photos, which is why I’ve put together the best stock photo resources for an elevated look.
Why you need branded photos
Images create a perceived value. If your images are poor quality, badly lit, and not styled well, then that is what people will automatically think about your products or services and your brand – regardless of how amazing you may be.
People judge your expertise by what they see. Your images say a lot about your products and services. High-quality images will portray high quality. It’s as simple as that.
Whether you use stock photos or have a custom photoshoot, you need branded photos to elevate your brand and website. The goal is to create a cohesive and professional-looking brand and extend that with your images and product photos.
How to use your stock photos
With all branded photos, you can be creative and resourceful and utilize them in different ways by cropping them or overlaying text or images on them when possible. You can also use them in a wide range of places for your brand so you can get the most use out of every image.
You can overlay text as an advertisement for your brand, place in your product, or use them as is on your website or social media to dress up the area. You also have to pay attention to the way you use them and how you overlay products to ensure that you are keeping the professional look of the image. If you add a product into a photo, don’t forget to pay attention to the shadows of the image so that your product is natural-looking when added.
Here are some different ways you can use your stock photos:
- Website
- Social media
- Ads
- Blog posts
- Email marketing
- Slide design
- Lead generators
- Branded collateral
Best stock photo resources
There are some really amazing stock photo resources available these days so you can more than likely find some that fit your brand well. It helps to find similar photos or images from the same photographer to maintain consistency.
The key to using stock photos is making sure that they are high-quality images and fit the overall aesthetic of your brand. Even if it is the most gorgeous image you have ever seen, you don’t need to buy it if it doesn’t fit with your brand. It will just seem out of place in your branding. 
There are tons of great resources for styled stock photos, but here are some of my favorites (both free and paid options):
Recap
Imagery forms a crucial part of your overall brand. It’s not just about logos and fonts, it’s about the look and feel which is conveyed predominantly through imagery. The type and quality of photos that are paired with your brand can make or break the look of your brand.
Whether you’re using stock photos or custom-branded photos, it’s important to find on-brand images that you can use to keep your brand professional and consistent. Utilizing some of these best stock photo resources will ensure your images are on point.
Next Steps
Once you’ve gathered your stock photos, it’s time to put them to use. Start using them on your website, social media, or brand collateral for a cohesive look and feel. Also, don’t forget to update your photos often for a fresh look.
More Resources
- How to legally use stock photos on your website
- 5 quick tips for updating your website
- Free Website Image Guide
- Website Planner Workbook
- Showit Website Templates
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