Stock Photos vs. Custom Photos – Does It Make a Difference?
Here’s a simple truth: people want to do business with real people, not stock photos.
Yes, paying for custom brand photography is going to be more expensive than going to Shutterstock and purchasing a sale bundle of ten cookie-cutter placeholder photos.
But here’s the reality: if your website is filled with a bunch of stock photography, your customer is going to know. Stock photos communicate a degree of insincerity to your customers. In addition, it creates unease and a sense of confusion about your business overall.
Don’t Prioritize Convenience Over Clarity
When a customer lands on a business homepage that’s filled with photos of unknown people, they don’t have any idea who they are dealing with. Your website may be using popular placeholder photos that are being featured on other websites – maybe even by your competition!
Here is the main reason why investing in custom brand photography is better for your business and can lead to more sales long-term.
In a Highly Curated Age, Authenticity is Everything
For the last five years, I have been on my own personal crusade against stock photography. Stock photos are great because it can fill the gaps for areas that you really don’t have images for. Though if your website is filled with nothing but stock photos, it simply doesn’t ring true.
Maybe your customers can’t immediately put their finger on it, but your website will feel cold and unfamiliar. And people don’t buy from websites that feel cold and unfamiliar.
With stock photos, you’re missing the key element of authenticity that can help propel your messaging. Stock photos can feel inorganic and robotic. Whereas custom photography can achieve something truly exceptional.
In this day and age, it’s deeply important to deliver authentic messages – and having stock photography is the exact opposite of an authentic message.
If you want a website that reflects the importance of what your business is doing, it’s time to invest in custom photography to elevate your brand.
Goalpost Group specializes in helping businesses just like yours find their voice and communicate clearly with their target audience. Schedule a consultation today and discover what’s possible when authenticity is in the driver’s seat of your brand.
