It is difficult today to publish articles without images. That doesn't mean you can put just anything!!
You've probably heard many times that visual content attracts more (more traffic and more engagement from web users). As proof, one month after introducing its Timeline for brands, Facebook has seen its visual content (photos and videos) climb to 65% engagement.
Are you sure, however, that the images you choose for your site are relevant enough to attract more traffic?
It's time to rethink the use of images on most sites. What was relevant in the 90s is not relevant today (That was the time when stock photo sites started to be successful). Putting images without added value is no longer relevant.
Why should we choose our photos carefully
- Image SEO and optimization is an effective way to drive traffic to your page. By using well optimized images, you can significantly increase your traffic flow by appearing in image search.
- Images are essential in promoting on social-networks. Bright and interesting images make us want to click the links more, read the articles and share to our friends.
- If you regularly publish original images under the Creative Commons license, you can also benefit from the stream of backlinks from other sites and blogs that will have used your work and linked to it.
- Images are crucial for e-commerce sites that want to showcase the products they sell. The better the images, the higher the conversion rate.
- Images help define the company's brand. Only very high quality images can help the site to have a neat digital image. According to a study conducted by Stanford's Persuasive Technology Lab, 46.1% of Internet users believe that a site's design is the No. 1 criterion for determining a company's credibility.
Let's start looking at the 7 types of stock images to avoid at all costs:
1. Exaggerated pauses expressing false emotions
You want to express how delighted customers are once they experience your services ?
Or how sad they are that they did not call on you?
Now try to remember the last time you made a face like that? No memory? That's because we never make such faces in real life. So why do you want Internet users to feel touched by such a fake image?
If you want to save time and get our selection of "business" photos, just click on this image.
Alternative: contact some of your most loyal customers and ask them for an interview along with some photos taken in a natural environment. It will look much better than these two (bad) examples.
2. Model, happy, well-coiffed employees
A long time ago, some people thought that posting an image in the high-tech offices of a tall tower in an imaginary city, filled with a team of smiling, well-dressed employees could lead one to believe that the company it depicted seemed reliable and serious.
Don't you start your day like that, yourself? Are you really reliable (um..)?
Photos showing employees' body parts in front of a turned-off device also seems to be very fashionable:
(Something exciting is going to happen here for sure...)
Sorry, but those kinds of photos don't work anymore. If you don't want to put up pictures of your offices and the people who work there, move on to something else. Think well, small businesses that are born in squalid basements and start-ups are all the rage right now. The somewhat stark look of your HQ can actually be an asset!
3. 3D figurines and all sorts of abstract symbols
These 3D figurines have been seen and seen again and make you want to leave a page right away
As well as...clouds (?)
the bulbs ...
...and even multiple bulbs
Don't explain why you're creative, smart and competitive, show it off!
These images take up space on your site and do not help get your message across. On the contrary, they interfere with it.
4. People and their laptops in unlikely places
Imagine yourself comfortably seated somewhere under the sun of the French Riviera sipping your favorite cocktail. Your job? Spending an hour of your day working, at €5000 an hour. Is this your daily routine? Probably not!
These kinds of images are usually used to let you know that you too can achieve this goal: just buy my book/video or attend my class! And just for you, 50% off immediately! (Note that the Super Agency eBooks, meanwhile, are free !)
This one takes his work very seriously! It makes you dizzy just looking at it:
This one is great at multi-tasking! He doesn't even have to look at his screen while working and surfing at the same time!
Sitting on a beach with your laptop is not a sign of success or a smart way to telecommute. It's just a weird image of a guy in a suit in an unlikely situation.
5. The (artificial) insertion of one's product in a stock photo
Product placement in a stock image thanks to Photoshop is always a bad idea. Here's what it might look like. Would you buy it?
6. Boards: blue, black, transparent...
It's hard to know what makes people choose the chalkboard photo (mis-set classroom memories perhaps?). In any case, chalkboards are popping up in a bunch of different forms all over the place.
Like this one:
What about this photo with the yellow line drawn on the transparent board?
Why bother with a window? A woman who looks like she's writing something in the air does the trick just fine too (after all)
These images are usually found on the "about us" pages. Now, is an image of a man in a tie looking cool in front of a green board really going to help potential customers see how much of an expert you are in your field?
Not really, no. That stock image doesn't say who you are and why clients may seek your services.
7. Low resolution pictures
No matter what the image is, make sure its resolution is good and don't try to save money by buying an image of a smaller size. The result looks unprofessional and ruins the first impression on your site.
So, are we still allowed to use stock photos?
Many SEOs, bloggers and web marketers don't have time to take unique and original photos to populate their sites. Using stock photos is perfectly legitimate. However, you understand by now there are some mistakes to avoid:
- Use unrealistic or irrelevant photos
- Use photos with no added value
- Use low quality photos
Whenever you want to incorporate a photo for your blog, e-commerce site or marketing campaign, ask yourself the following questions:
- Does this picture look "pro" ?
- Does this picture help to better understand the point?
- Would the page lose coherence if this picture was removed?
If the answer to all of these questions is "yes," you have chosen the right photo.
Tell us in the comments if you use stock photos and for what purpose, we'd love to hear from you!
