5 Unexpected Uses for Stock Images

Check out some more unexpected uses for stock images that can make your online endeavors twice as striking.

In all honesty, stock images are often regarded with disdain, especially by professional designers in the industry. And, of course, these experts are right for the most part since stock images won’t do the job of positioning and differentiating your brand properly. However, there are some very interesting and maybe even unexpected uses for stock images that can actually boost your online presence and performance. There’s no need to ditch the possibilities of stock images when they may end up being very effective for various purposes other than branding and your business website. To learn more about the efficiency and actual usefulness of stock imagery, keep on reading.

Social media marketing and consistent activity on your social media profiles are essential for any brand to get recognition and engage their target audience. However, social media users are always on the lookout for something striking and exciting, which breaks the monotony of their usual news feed. For that reason, your usual brand graphics may not work their wonders when social media is concerned. On the other hand, stock images are already made with the purpose of having the quality of immediately grabbing people’s attention and showcasing a strong message without words. With that said, stock images that fit well with your company’s profile, social media campaign in question, as well as the social media channel you’re using for that campaign, may prove to be the perfectly effective yet very affordable addition to your marketing strategy. This is especially important for brands that need quick solutions and right visuals without wasting too much time and resources.

Everyone wants to present their work in the best light possible and moodboards and presentations can efficiently help you win the deal you wanted. Of course, for big brands that already have an established budget for these kinds of endeavors, it’s really no problem to organize photo shoots or work with designers in order to create something new. However, if you’re a small brand that can’t afford something like that but you still need your moodboards and presentations to help you reach higher in the business world, stock images are definitely the right answer. When it comes to unexpected uses for stock images, this one can actually play a crucial part in boosting a small brand and allowing it to take a step higher among the competition. After all, the undeniable truth is that stock images are all professionally done, with high resolution, which can be essential for winning the account. You just might want to avoid images that are overly general and already known to many other entrepreneurs.

Once you get the account you’ve prepared moodboards and presentations for, you have to create the prototype of the website/app that the client wants. Basically, this is not the stage where you want to invest in designing completely unique visuals or hiring professional photographs. After all, you never know how many changes to this prototype there will be, and changes and suggestions are inevitable when you’re working with clients with a specific brand idea in mind. Therefore, stock imagery can make the whole design and adaptation process painless in regards to visuals. Don’t waste time and resources for designing visuals when just in the mockup phase. Only when you get a green light on your design, and all the parties find it acceptable, should you proceed with the actual creation of unique, branded visuals.

Just like social media marketing, email marketing is a big part of your branding process as well as successful warm leads engagement. In that respect, regardless of the size of your brand at the moment, it’s never too soon to prepare your email newsletters and make them look absolutely fabulous. When it comes to web design trends for 2018, kinetic emails, i.e. email newsletters that are interactive and engaging almost like a real website, are on the popularity list. After all, with technological advancements and integration of the Internet, one could hardly expect that old-school, plain email newsletters are going to cut it for much longer. However, the fact of the matter is that young brands may not have the luxury of investing in their own unique newsletter design and visuals. Thanks to one of the unexpected uses for stock images, this doesn’t have to be a problem. In the end, the point of an email newsletter, just like your social media and website, is to assert immediacy and instantly grab people’s attention. Stock images can do this bit quite effectively, so don’t hesitate to utilize them until you have the means to design and create something original.

Proper branding is not just about corporate strength and business mindset but a creative aspect that fits the brand image well, too. Even if the niche you operate in doesn’t sound like the most creative industry in the world, a company can’t afford the lack of creativity in the branding process if they want to differentiate themselves effectively. So, what other unexpected uses for stock images are there? Well, when you search for inspiration to actually design something for a branding purpose that will require an original and unique touch, feel free to look around stock libraries. If writers can get inspiration from books by other writers, you better believe that stock image libraries are the perfect place to get your creative juices flowing again. When it comes to stock images used as inspiration, you don’t even need to buy anything. This just goes to show that you can’t put the price on inspiration.

Creativity and originality, as well as consistency, will definitely make your brand strong and memorable. However, don’t neglect to utilize all the tools and help that you can get before you truly make it big(ger).

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