Images are powerful. Just look at the top-ranked business websites. Good images matter. In the current era of information overload, the images on your website, ad campaigns, brochures, business cards, and fliers deliver your business critical benefits. Your images brand you swiftly and profoundly because they not only grab, but also hold the attention of potential customers. Consider whether people take a second look at your images.
Custom Photos vs. Generic Photos
Images create an emotional anchor that people recall and refer to forever. Hired photographers and stock photos are the two chief sources of images licensed for business use. Photographers shoot unique images that personalize your brand, projects, and business. Only you can use these photos.
Stock photos permit you to choose from countless generic photos of things, places, and people licensed for commercial use. Anyone can purchase these images and use them.
Benefits of iStockphoto Images
If you desire to enhance your website and blog posts, you can rely on iStockphoto for acquiring an assortment of images quickly. This website offers countless images to website owners, publishers, web graphic designers, animators, web designers, and photo gallery designers to fulfill their image related needs. iStockphoto permits you to search and acquire high-quality, professional images that vary in resolution at cost-effective rates (most of the time).
Stock images appeal to small business owners because of their swift availability. They fit tight budgets, too. Their quick availability suits tight timelines.
Customized Images Create Lasting First Impression
Your new customers always prefer to visit your business website first. If the visuals and images on your homepage don’t invite visitors to stay, they won’t.
Customized images hook your customers visually. It’s similar to how great copywriting hooks them the instant they read about you. Hence, if you fail to arouse the interest and curiosity of your visitors within those vital first few moments, they leave.
First impressions are indispensable to engage your visitors visually. A good first impression helps you show your visitors that you share a mutual emotional connection. When they make that all-important call to explore your website, they feel they know you. They connect with you.
Images of iStockphotos are Generic
Stock photographers aim to reach many buyers. They don’t focus on creating the finest or most unique image for any particular individual. They aim to sell more images by shooting photos that appeal to the broadest possible audience. Hence, the more popular an image, the more individuals buy it. Consequently, the saturation of that photo becomes greater in the market.
Stock photographers strive to create generic photos that are not one-of-a-kind or unique. Unique photos don’t sell. Stock photos fit the mood or message of businesses with tight budgets perfectly.
Hence, if you aim to send the message, “We’re similar to others,” then stock photos will do precisely that.
Customized Photos are Unique
Although customized photos entail an initial investment, they help you reflect how strongly you trust your brand. Anything you attach to your design, language, photography, employees, and brand creates a strong message. Your potential customers know who you are. They understand what you stand for.
Customized photos permit you to emphasize your message with images that are consistent with the values of your business. Hiring a photographer guarantees your brand exclusivity. You’ll be the sole enterprise with your unique image. Images of your plant, office, staff, personnel, and clients boost your sales. Your unique images drive your business. Real situations, places, and people in images create meaningful, effective word-of-mouth referrals.
Good Enough Images versus Perfect Images
Consider your vision for your business website. Identify your goals/objectives. Contemplate the messages and emotions you’d like to convey and the actions you’d like your visitors to take.
Custom photos are perfect for your business website because they convey your message perfectly. They help you create a more impactful website that delivers better results. A less impactful website automatically means lost opportunities and sales for your business. While stock images deliver good enough solutions and mediocre results, custom images deliver perfect solutions and superlative results.
Summary
Magazines and newspapers prefer to use real photos of your enterprise—not stock photos. Just one image of a real customer speaking of or using your company’s product is more appealing than several stock photos. And with the likelihood of your competitor using the same images that you have used, stock images aren’t a great option.
