Get high-quality images with our top 10 stock photography picks
How often do you see awful stock photos being used on social media, blog posts and online advertising? In all likelihood, far too frequently…
Photography is so important in digital marketing and branding. Video and pictures help us to connect with our audience on a more personal level and give us the opportunity to convey our message more succinctly. It’s proven that great photos drive engagement and give content-marketing that extra pop. In fact, content containing visuals (such as images or video) receives up to 94% more views. That's huge!
Social media platforms like Instagram are all about “the image”, so if you can’t use your own photos, then good stock photos are a great alternative. Below, I'll share my top 10 stock photo websites (free and paid), and I’ll also explain why you can’t simply use that nice picture you found on Google in your content marketing.
Don’t use that cute pic you found on Google
Quite a lot of people still seem to be blissfully unaware of Copyright. You can’t simply use a picture that you find on Google, social media or any other form of digital marketing. It’s illegal unless you have the permission of the owner.
The easiest way to avoid copyright issues is to use photos that have a Creative Commons Zero (CCO) licence. Photos from websites with free stock images have a CCO licence, and you can usually use these photos for free (including commercially) and not attribute ownership to them (although it's always a nice gesture to give credit to the photographer). You can find out more information about CCO licencing and the various layers on the Creative Commons website.
Photos downloaded from paid sites like Shutterstock, Haute Stock and Deposit Photos, will all have their own licensing agreements with specified limitations as to how images can be used. Haute Stock for example, only allows you to use their photos in your own work and not in your clients. It’s boring (yet very important) to always read the small print.
Free sites
There are lots of sites that offer free stock photos, but you do have to be careful, as sometimes I notice the same photo being used everywhere. It is free after all! The key is not to pick the first image you find in a search. Spend some time scrolling and you may find something that little bit different that no one else is using.
Different sites stock different types of photography, so after a while, you will be able to favourite those you like and bookmark them. It’s also worth mentioning that many of these sites now stock video footage. My personal favourite go-to sites are those listed below.
Top 5 free image sites:
Unsplash offers a wealth of high-resolution photos and has a useful feature providing alternative suggestions for images.
Pexels has a good selection of photos and videos and gives you the option of five download sizes and alternative search suggestions.
Kaboompics is one of the most popular sources of lifestyle and interior design photos and has a unique “photoshoots” search which finds you a whole gallery of photos taken from different angles and positions based on your search criteria.
Gratisography is a quirky collection of high-resolution free stock images. If you’re looking for something a little bit different this is the site for you.
Styled Stock offer feminine stock photography and beautifully styled images.
For a comprehensive list of even more free stock photo sites check out: The 27+ Best Free Stock Photo Sites in 2020!
Paid-for/membership sites
Free stock photo sites are a fantastic resource, but sometimes you may need a photo that’s a bit different, or that matches the message of your brand more closely. Paid-for sites like the ones listed below offer exclusive photos that take your content marketing to the next level.
Top 5 paid-for/membership sites:
Shutterstock is HUGE with over 270 million royalty-free images, stock footage clips, and even music tracks. It also has an editing function.
Deposit Photos offer high-quality photos at affordable prices and has a great search facility including by colour, size and people. I've been using Deposit Photos for years as I bought a great deal via AppSumo. It's always worth keeping an eye on AppSumo's offers!
Fotolia is owned by Adobe and you get 10 Adobe Stock images when you sign up for a free 30-day trial. Pricing is competitive and they not only provide photos but also video, illustrations, vectors and 3D images.
Haute Stock is a membership site full of beautifully styled feminine stock photos that are simply gorgeous. Their membership is affordable, but if you can't quite stretch to it, then sign-up to their newsletter to receive 21 free stock photos, and you'll also receive a sumptuous selection of free photos every month (the photo in the blog header above is a Haute Stock freebie).
Pixistock offer chic, feminine stock photos and (for their annual members) professionally-designed Canva templates. Their membership is cheaper than Haute Stock, and again, if you sign up to their newsletter they'll send you free stock photos every month (such as the photo on the right).
Each site offers different payment methods. Haute Stock and Pixistock have a monthly/annual membership fee, while others like Shutterstock offer a monthly option, but also a price for 5 downloads, and some sites let you buy individual photos. Just be aware that each site has its own licensing agreement, so again, although very tiresome, please check how you are allowed to use the photos.
The great thing about stock photos is the huge variety available, although that often leads to losing hours browsing for the perfect image! But when you get it right, it's time well spent. When looking for photos always keep in mind your branding and the message you want the photo to convey. If your budget allows, using paid-for stock photos can give your content marketing that little bit of extra pow - a picture really can paint a thousand words, particularly on the internet.
