How to Choose the Right Stock Photos for Your Website

A picture is worth a thousand words; however, if that image is off subject or poorly lit, then those 1000 words will certainly pass across the wrong information. Choosing the right photo for your website is more than just grabbing a cheap option to fill a space on your website. Websites usually rely on good-looking photos to keep their readers engaged. After all, a significant number of readers usually have a short attention span and that’s the main reason why you want to make sure that you break up the text and clarify each point in the article to keep eyes on the website. Here are a few tips to help you choose good stock photos for your site:

Choose a good source

There are many stock photo websites; however, they are not the same. Although you can easily find photos that are free of charge, you will often want to find more specific photos. It is a good idea if you contact the photographer so that you can know their style and how they inquire whether they have specific photos to your needs.

Research licensing agreements

If you want to save money on stock photos, then it is important that you use them legally. You will not be saving money if you end up being sued, and it important that you give credit where it is due. Some licenses give you complete freedom to use images the way you want, but others are only provided under specific conditions, such as on website that are not-for-profit. If you are in doubt, don’t use it or contact the owner. In addition, a good website will state clearly what their photos should be used for.

Use people and/or animals

One thing about photos is that they help individuals to feel connected to the article. Using photos of animals and people helps to create a feeling of connection. Even if you are looking for stock photos with epic backgrounds, it’s not bad to include the suggestion of people such as pets, hands or shadows on leashes. If you have a website dealing with tech materials, coding or finances, animals can still be used for reliability or as humorous devices.

Don’t get too clever

Humor should always be used sparingly and carefully unless you have a humor site. An image that has a nod and a wink as a premise can come off as condescending or smarmy. If you are using an image for purposes of marketing, then you will want to avoid both of those. Moreover, anything that relies on pop culture reference becomes dated fast and some readers may even not understand what refers to.

Choosing the right stock photographs doesn’t have to be difficult. It should however require great consideration than simple downloads. You need to time to think about the message that you want to pass across and the right photos that will suggest it. You also need to choose quality photos from a Stockio website that features animals or people and have been licensed for your end use.