How To Use Stock Photography To Grow Your Small Business
We live in a world where visual content is mandatory. And, you not only need great visual content, but you need a lot of it. Your website, socials, and marketing collateral all need photos. That’s a lot of freaking photos for a small business (especially if you’re a solopreneur like me) to cough up. This is where stock photography comes in.
First, a quick caveat about brand photography. Having brand photos is necessary and one of the best investments you can make as a new small business. Planning a photoshoot with a professional photographer who can capture you, your brand, what you do, and your approach is business gold that you will use for years! However, brand photography sessions have a relatively high cost because you’re paying for the expert services and time of a fellow small business creative professional. So setting up a brand photo shoot once or twice a year is a phenomenal investment, but it’s still not going to cover all of your visual content needs. Again, this is where stock photography comes in.
Stock photography will give you a larger photo library to tell your brand’s story and create more visual content. And, it’s going to do so at a much more effective price point! I’m going to do a deep dive on how stock photography can grow your brand, how to choose the right photos, and where you should use them.
Running your own business isn’t easy, but I’ve got ways to make it easier! And, I’m always about finding those ways that keep costs low. We’ve got fun and important things to spend our money on!
At the end of the post, I’ll share my favorite free and paid stock photography sources (like Haute Stock) with you!
What Is Stock Photography
This is a quick definition of stock photography for any y’all who are new to entrepreneurship! Stock photos are images that have already been created which you can license to use for your business purposes. The cost of licensing stock images can range from free to $$$.
You can find stock photography across the interwebs. There are large companies which offer stock images, like Adobe Stock and iStock, to small creative business owners like yourself. There are also free stock photography sites, allowing you to use their library of images as long as you follow the rules.
I’ll share my favorite stock photography sites and creators at the bottom of this post.
The Advantage of Using Stock Photography
Using stock photos to compliment your brand photos is clutch. Here’s why I love utilizing stock photography in my graphic design business.
- Cost Effective : I’ve used both free and paid stock photos in my business. I’ve also had some seriously phenomenal brand photos taken as well. I try to get a brand photoshoot on the books every year for my business, but I need the stock photos as well. You cannot possibly get every photo you’ll ever need for your business in a brand photo shoot. So to accent my brand photos, I hunt and gather stock photos that suit my business. Stock photography is a seriously cost-effective solution for your small creative business. You can access a huge library of high-quality photos for relatively low cost.
- Fast Access : When you are slinging out a month’s worth of social media content, the last thing you want to do is stop to go take a photo. That’s crazy. Instead, head to your stock photography files and grab an image with the subject you need. No need to interrupt your workflow.
- Diverse Selection of Images : I don’t think there’s any subject you can’t find a stock photo of. Seriously. Someone has taken that photo that you need. I love to share logos I’ve worked on with a photo related to the industry underneath it, and I have never not found a photo that I need. Never. If you’re needing a photo, you can find a stock photo to license.
- High-Quality Images : Our camera photos are getting increasingly excellent, but they’re still not the same as a high-quality (especially a high-resolution) photo. Stock photos almost always have a high quality and high-resolution option. This is key because we are getting better at making judgements about a company based on the quality of their images. So you need good quality photos.
- Brand Storytelling : Since we as small business owners literally cannot do everything (but feel like we have to), stock photography can help tell the visual story of your brand without you having to set up five thousand photo shoots. You can use stock photography to target your audience, connect with them emotionally, explain your services, and share your brand’s values.
- Sets You Apart From Others : This is why I push so hard for my clients and friends )and anyone I hear who’s starting a business) to use stock photos. It’s going to immediately set you apart from the crowd. If you only use the photos you or a photographer has taken of you and your business, that’s a good start. But your website and your social media content is going to get boring fast. It’s also going to look like you haven’t actually done that much in your business. Using stock photos to diversify your visual content keeps people interested and shows more depth in your brand.
- You Get To Be Picky : There’s so much stock photography out there, and that is great because it gives us a wide selection. But, I want you to be picky. Don’t over use stock photography and don’t use just any stock photography. Stick to images that work with your brand and tell your story. More on that below.
How To Choose Stock Photography That Fits Your Brand
Okay, so you’re caught up on stock photography. You know it will make your business life easier. Now, here’s how I recommend you weed through the stock photography to find your best options.
- Relevance : If a photo doesn’t fit your brand don’t use it! One of the best ways to start hunting for quality stock photography is to look at the colors in the photos. Do you see your brand colors? That’s a great find! I search for images that include my brand colors, that have subject matter related to my business, and that have an editorial style that matches my brand photography. So, if you’re a cheerful wedding planner with lots of light and white in your brand photos, stick with stock photos that feel similar. Don’t go with moody dark photos or trendy mural photos. You want your stock photos to feel like an extension of your already existing brand photos.
- Quality : If you don’t feel like an experienced, professional, or quality brand will use that image, don’t you use it! Just because it’s out there, doesn’t mean that it’s good. Be picky. You’re pouring time and energy into your business, so don’t let yourself down with bad stock images. Be choosy and only use the ones you think look the best. That being said, as you start collecting stock photos, you’re going to start seeing several that you’ve seen others use. Pass on those. If you recognize them from another brand, chances are your potential customers will too.
- Copyright : Read the rules! Every site that offers stock photography will list out their rules and policies. Take the time to read it over. Most of them have also included a paraphrasing of the legalese so that we use things correctly. The rules aren’t usually complicated, so just take the 5-10 minutes to make sure you know how you can use the images.
Where To Use Your Chosen Stock Photos
Here are some tips for using stock photography in your small creative business:
- Website : Since your website is one of your greatest sales assets, you need it to be visually interesting. Including high-quality, relevant stock photography is a great way to enhance your website, draw in customers, and convert more sales. Use them to tell your brand’s story and enhance your presentation.
- Social Media : We all feed the social media beast with (seemingly never quite enough) content. Using stock photography can help make your social media strategy a bit more pleasant. Now, you’ll have a larger library of visuals to draw from. You can use stock photos (as long as their licensing agreements allow) to create static and video posts.
- Blog : This is one of my favorite ways of using stock photos. When you’re writing long, informative blog posts (like this one), you need photos to break up the copy. I like including relative and appealing stock photos to help visually explain what I’m writing about.
- Email Marketing : This is another great way to include stock photography. Since email marketing is more personal, I tend to make it more seasonal as well. I want to ground my emails in where and when I am so that my readers feel like we’re chatting. Stock photos really help me round out my sense of place!
- A/B Testing : If you’re planning on launching a big marketing campaign, I hope you’re doing some A/B testing to see what copy, images, and headlines work before you spend the bulk of your ad budget. Using a stock photo with a similar subject/vibe as a placeholder to do your A/B testing is a great idea. Then, you’ll know exactly what kind of original image you want to get before rolling out the campaign.
My Favorite Stock Photography Sources
I hope my deep dive on stock photography has convinced you that it’s a worthwhile investment for your small creative business. It can help you expand your brand’s story and create a professional and visually appealing website, social media presence, and marketing materials.
Really, the part where it makes social media batch posting easier is the greatest of game changers.
If you’re looking for ways to enhance the look and feel of your small creative business, check out these stock photography options:
Haute Stock : This is my go to. I have paid for ongoing access to their library and I LOVE it. The photos are gorgeous, and because it’s a paid service you’re not going to see everyone using them which makes my business feel original. AND, they’ve made it so easy to search. You can search by color, by subject, or by collection. I would 100% recommend checking them out.
Creative Market : I am a big Creative Market fan (and a seller there as well). You can search for stock photos individually or by collection. I love recommending collections to clients who have hired me for their website design. We can usually find one collection that I can use to accentuate their brand photo shoot and give their design more depth.
Unsplash : A great free option with some paid licensing options as well. The draw back is that because it’s free, you’re going to notice that a lot of brands are using these images which makes it hard for you to stand out.
Kaboompics : Another free option. I’m using them more and more when I’m in a tight spot and want something different.
Helpful Links
- See all my small business resources
- Work with me on your brand and website design
- Shop my illustrations and graphics
- Find inspiration on my Pinterest
- Connect with me on Instagram
Quietly doing good work in my own little corner of the internet.
Having been a visual artist for over 10 years, I know that every part of a brand (even the parts that are often unseen) deserve to be expressed with honesty and beauty. I am happiest standing behind the scenes, creating every design and detail for focused and intentional business owners. I created EP Design to stand beside visionaries and thought leaders who are fueled by joy.
