Are you really telling your story if you use a photo that has already been cambodia whatsapp number data 5 million used hundreds or even thousands of times? Not really.
When to use stock photos?
Think of stock photos as a placeholder: they're a great way to make sure you have some of those spaces to design an attractive website, they help you create the aesthetic of your website, and they serve as a backup until you have better photos of your own to replace them.
That's the point of stock photos: they do their job. For many small businesses, especially those just getting started online for the first time, they're exactly what they need.
But remember, when it comes to websites, 94% of the factors that help visitors form their first impressions are related to design. Does your website work? Is it easy to navigate? Do your customers have a way to contact you and book services or buy products? So why are you dampening their enthusiasm with stock photos?
When to use custom photos?
An edited photo by Jim Cooke
The short answer, as you might expect, is: whenever you can. Internet-based businesses have been seeing an increase in user engagement by up to 35% when replacing stock photos with employee photos since 2011.
This isn't to say that a good stock photo is a worse option than a bad original photo. If all you have are blurry, pixelated, out-of-focus, or generally unattractive photos, stock photos are probably your best bet until you have better material. But you should definitely consider replacing your stock photos, not considering them a permanent fixture on your website.
