Using stock images on your website: the good, the bad and the links.

You may think that you can use any image you want on your website and although you have creative control it’s wise to choose them carefully and ask yourself these three questions beforehand.

Does the image reflect my business and my services?

As an example, imagine you’re a finance company, your main goal is to instil confidence in your potential clients and showcase your professional attitude. Your choice of images will play a huge role in the client’s initial perception of your business, choosing the wrong images, therefore, could have detrimental effects.

Throughout the process keep asking yourself the same question, this will help you narrow down the choice of images and ensure they are in keeping with the business’s values.

Is the image consistent with the rest of the website?

A company that revolves around customer service will naturally have more images of people rather than images of their product or service. By suddenly introducing images that are noticeably different, whether that’s the resolution, orientation or style they become a distraction for the user.

It’s important therefore to choose a style and stick with it, ensuring your images look relevant to your business and most importantly your customers.

Take a look at one of our case studies to see how it’s done!

Have I chosen a high-resolution image?

For a relatively small cost, stock images instantly provide your website with a more professional and bespoke feel. They allow you to narrow down the style and most importantly are available in a range of resolutions. A pixelated image on a website will immediately stand out to your clients and their initial reaction is likely to be negative.

It’s therefore wise to purchase images in a higher resolution and then downscale when necessary. This will ensure your images are crystal clear and your website looks fresh and inviting.

Pexels, Freepik and Unsplash are websites we would suggest for free stock images and 123rf for paid-for images.

If you follow these three simple tips your website will remain professional, fresh and inviting for your potential clients. It will show that you have excellent attention to detail and take your business and website seriously.

If you need to get your website back up and running or give it a simple refresh, get in touch today to see how we can transform it from lacklustre to laudable.