Choosing the right stock libraries for your website involves considering several factors, from your brand's guidelines to the type of visuals you wish to showcase. Here's a structured approach and some recommendations:
Things to keep in mind before picking a stock library:
- Adhere to brand guidelines: It's crucial to ensure that any visuals you choose align with your brand's specific guidelines and overall aesthetic.
- Type of visuals: Decide whether you want to feature photos, illustrations, or product mockups on your website. This choice should reflect your brand and content strategy.
- Authentic team photos: While using natural photos of your team is ideal, we understand that remote work conditions can sometimes make this challenging.
- Brand vibe: In the absence of team photos, be sure to follow or establish brand recommendations regarding the vibe of photos or illustrations. If you don't have such guidelines in place, our team at Dodonut can assist in evaluating and creating them.
What are our stock image library recommendations?
At Dodonut, we offer licenses from Envato Elements and Freepik Premium, but there's a wide range of stock image libraries to suit different needs and preferences. Here are a few widely-used options:
- Shutterstock: Known for its vast library of images, videos, and music, with various subscription plans.
- Adobe Stock: Offers high-quality assets that seamlessly integrate with Adobe's suite of design tools.
- Getty Images: Renowned for its high-quality and exclusive images.
- iStock: Provides a broad selection of affordable images, videos, and audio.
- Unsplash: A valuable free stock image library that offers high-resolution photos.
- Pexels: Features a wide array of free stock photos and videos.
- Pixabay: Offers a diverse collection of free images, videos, and music.
When choosing stock images, grab these additional tips:
- License understanding: It's essential to have a clear understanding of the licensing rules of your chosen platform to avoid any potential legal issues.
- Quality over quantity: Choose high-quality images that are directly relevant to your content to make a more significant impact.
- Diversity and inclusivity: Select images that reflect diversity and inclusivity to appeal to a broader audience and demonstrate your commitment to inclusiveness.
- Consistency: Maintain a consistent visual style throughout your website to create a cohesive and professional look.
In a nutshell, selecting the right stock library and images is paramount in maintaining a consistent and authentic online brand presence. While there are many excellent stock photo libraries available, your choice should align with your brand, content needs, and budget to make the most of your website's visuals.
Co-founder and Head of Design of the Dodonut agency. Lean UX enthusiast, a Certificated Design Thinking moderator, and a workshop facilitator.