Have you ever seen the same stock photos appear in random places? After awhile, marketers can feel like they know certain stock photography models because they’ve seen them in so many different places.

Websites, billboards, or sell sheets can all feature the same pictures. The redundancy of these photos can sometimes take away the impact of your marketing materials. When it’s obvious you’ve purchased your picture, it can take away the sense of authenticity companies seek in their designs.

However, stock photography is a must for many companies who cannot feasibly hire a photographer to take pictures every time a new marketing material is developed. In order to maintain your legitimacy in marketing, follow these basic tips for stock photography:

1) If you do decide to put stock images on your materials, know where to put them.

If you have a staff photos section on your website, don’t insert a picture of five random business professionals that you found on Big Stock. Be true to your customer. They will appreciate it. Give your Business Development Manager a little airtime. She may not like to have her picture taken… but after all, she’s going to be the one selling your product/service. It’s always nice to put a face to a name.

2) Pay attention to licensing and royalties.

Someone else took the picture you are about to use. Purchase the image properly and read the disclaimers about image royalties and distribution. That way, when you get that subpoena accusing you of copyright infringement, you’ll have that iStock receipt at the ready.

3) Find a balance.

At the end of the day, your website and marketing materials have to be a true reflection of your business’ brand image and message. Using stock images won’t be a detriment to your brand, but make sure you strike the right balance and try not to overdo it. Pay attention to what the image is really saying so that it doesn’t look out of place. After a while of seeing the same brunette on everything, people will start to notice.

What other tips about stock photos do you have? Leave a comment below. To read more about website design, click the button below.