People do relate to photos of people, and psychologists have confirmed that images of human faces do attract attention on website landing pages. However, with the proliferation of relatively inexpensive royalty-free images available, there has been wide-spread over-use of the abundant supply of photos. While food marketers can certainly benefit from the use of people images on their websites and in promotional support materials, they need to consider these stock photo use guidelines:
1. Don’t use stock photos just to fill in an empty space. Simply having access to tens of thousands of photo images, does not ensure that any selected image makes sense. Photos, stock or custom, have to serve a marketing purpose and re-enforce the brand and its message. Ask yourself: Is the photo relevant to the message? Will the photo resonate with the target audience? Will the photo support the call-to-action or detract from it? Photos used for marketing purposes have to be much more than eye candy.
2. Don’t use “been there, done that” images. The last thing a food marketer needs is to see the same image they used on their own website or in promotional materials appearing in many other marketing arenas, particularly a competitor’s. So many stock photos are trite, contrived images that have appeared virtually everywhere for decades…the staff at a conference table, picture perfect models sipping a beverage, happy customer service reps in headsets. While the subject of these photos may be relevant for a current particular use, make them real, current, and uniquely yours. It is refreshing that the current trend in people images is natural and real, almost editorial like, and not so picture perfect and contrived.
3. Be consistent when selecting photos. Whether stock or custom, photos used throughout a website or other promotional materials need to be consistent in terms of photographic style. Backgrounds, lighting, attitude of human subjects…consistency in these areas creates a cohesive set of images throughout the website or other promotional materials. Selecting multiple images individually without evaluating them as part of an overall presentation can result in a very disjointed, patchwork looking presentation.
4. Do a reality check. This is simply your reaction when you look at an image. Does it feel real, natural, credible to you? Will the image resonate with the target audience, particularly in a subtle, positive, and persuasive way? If an image does not feel right, it probably isn’t, and the search for an appropriate alternative image should continue on.
Custom photography is the best choice to get images that are exactly what is needed for a particular use. However, there are times when that may simply not be feasible and stock photography is the only option. Food marketers can make stock photography work by following these guidelines to choose images wisely.
Do you need some assistance finding that perfect stock image…or, is it time for custom photography? With access to literally millions of stock images through our stock image accounts/libraries, and our extensive experience and capabilities in custom food and beverage photography , we can help with any of your photographic needs. For more information or an estimate, contact us.
