Great websites are authentic and beautifully designed. Brands today are known to have amazing websites that easily wins customers daily. One thing that these websites have in common is that they don’t use stock art. Here’s how stock art kills your brand.
1. It steals your brand’s voice.
You probably pride yourself in having a business that stands out. Your brand should also reflect that, in how specific and unique it is. How your business came about is something no one else can copy and makes you one of a kind. Because of that, the visuals used for your brand identity must also reflect the same thing.
Stock art exists to be adaptable & convenient to a wide range of users. By design, stock art is the opposite of specific. Therefore it can’t have a strong point of view.
2. It undermines your brand’s authenticity.
Being honest and transparent about your brand, shows authenticity. Authentic brands are more relatable and trustworthy to the general audience. Statistically speaking, a survey reveals that 83% of consumers says that they are loyal to brands who are trustworthy.
A website filled with stock photography usually gives off an inauthentic feeling. That more or less chase off your visitors.
3. Most logos featuring stock art cannot be trademarked.
If you’re using stock art for your logo, it will definitely undermine your business as it grows. The same stock art is also available for any other businesses out there to use for their logo. If you’re looking to trademark that stock art as your logo, tough luck because stock art is sold with a license that allows for use under certain pre-approved circumstances. (These licenses will, however, frequently dictate that the art may not be used as a logo or trademark.)
4. Your brand might be confused with a competitor's.
If by any weird circumstance, you are using stock art for your logo then there’s a huge possibility that your competitor is using the same logo. Your audience will be easily confused with your business and your competitor. When that happens, it’s not a good time.
Confusing your customers is never a good business tactic. Referrals from existing customers might get lost in translation & identifying which one is the “original donut” shop is too much work.
The outcome is always a loss in potential customers & the revenue that comes with it.
5. Your legitimacy is in question
When a visitor gets on your website, seeing a bunch of stock art over a block of text is never a good sign. It’s usually a red flag for a lot of visitors, especially those who come to research your brand and business.
Visitors would want to experience your brand through original photos and visual presentation. This gives a sense of legitimacy, that your brand and business is what you say it is. Also, scam businesses are usually riddled with stock photos.
Investing in your business is always a good thing, especially when it comes to design. A good design will provide a return on your investment and encourage business growth. Crucial things that stock art will never provide. Remember, consumers are not loyal to product but to brand and smart brands designed beautifully wins loyalty.
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