Stock photography is an effective and efficient way to add visual content to blogs, websites, and more. And if you’re not using, it, you should be!
What is Stock Photography
Stock photographs are photos taken by professional or amateur photographers selling their work through various websites. These photos can be used by anyone in nearly any way they like – be it on a blog post, social media post, or advertisement.
Stock photos have been around for quite awhile—since the the 1800s, in fact! Today stock photography has grown into a thriving industry that allows everyday people to find great imagery for their personal or business projects.
Should I use Stock Photography for my website?
Yes! Stock photography is a great way to provide high-quality images for your website. There are many reasons that stock photography is great.
- High quality images dramatically improve your website’s user experience.
- Great photographs are easy to find. Whether you’re using Shutterstock, Adobe Stock Photos, or iStockPhoto, you can easily find images using their powerful search filters for just the right image.
- When you purchase a stock photo, you’re ensuring yourself against the risk of copyright infringement. You should never copy an image from another website without the express written consent of the original owner. Buying a stock photo means you never have to worry about that!
- It saves you money! Hiring a photographer can get pretty expensive. Though a stock photo might not be exactly what you want, you’ll likely find that you can find something that works pretty well!
- It saves you time! Need a quick image with a lot of impact? Just do a search and you’ll find something in no time!
Why You Should Use Stock Photography on Your Website (And When)
It’s a common misconception that stock photographs are not as high quality as professional photographs. The truth is that a lot of professionals use stock photography because it saves them time and money, and they still get high-quality images for their website.
What’s more, you can find a wide range of photos from different categories that will suit your needs. You can also find specific photos to fit your branding needs or even create an interesting collage for your landing page with several photos from the same category.
Ultimately, using stock photography has some major benefits if done correctly and there are many places where you can find free images online.
What are the 2 different types of stock photos?
There are 2 primary types of stock images: royalty-free and rights-managed.
Royalty-free images are images you can use for any type of project without any restrictions. The downside is that you’ll need to pay every time you want to use the image again.
Rights-managed images are more expensive but you have a lot more control over how they can be used. These types of images may come with a contract which states how many times it could be used and for what purpose it could be used.
How Much Does it Cost to License a Stock Image?
License prices can range from $0.25 to $200 with most being in the $5-$50 range. The more expensive licenses are often for professional use, and cheaper licenses are for personal use. You can also get subscriptions to sites like Adobe Stock or iStockphoto which give you 10 assets per month for $30.
Try it yourself or get a little help!
If you haven’t tried finding stock photos to snazz up some of the more visually bland pages of your site, give it a try! Simply head over to a stock photo site like iStockPhoto, Adobe Stock, or Shutterstock, and try searching for free. For just a few dollars, you’ll help bring some life to your website, and keep visitors more engaged in your message!
If you need help finding a stock photo, or are looking to add some more visual flair to your current site, feel free to contact us or schedule a call today!
