![\"brand](\"https:\/\/images.crowdspring.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/09131004\/brand-identity-grader-blog-cta-hero.png\")
<\/div>Answer 5 short questions and we will send a custom report with actionable insights and specific actions you can take to build a stronger brand.<\/div>
\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.crowdspring.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/27130224\/stock_photo_article_graphics-1.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Businesses are pressured to produce more content every day.<\/p>\n
Blogs, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter… the content monsters demand to be fed.<\/p>\n
And, visual content has been shown to be the most popular with buyers<\/a> – so it’s in the greatest demand for marketers. But, it can also be hard to create.<\/p>\n Most small businesses don’t have an on-staff photographer and graphic designer to take care of their visual content creation.<\/p>\n And if you’re starting a new business<\/a>, you’re looking for ways to conserve your money to give yourself a better chance to succeed.<\/p>\n That’s where stock photography sites come in handy.<\/p>\n Stock photography sites can provide the raw images that you can creatively transform into valuable visual content. They can also supplement the written content you’re already creating.<\/p>\n But, not all stock photographs are licensed for commercial use. And some have strict requirements about attributions and restrictions on modifications.<\/p>\n So, how do you safely use stock photos without getting into legal trouble, spending a lot of money for licensing fees, or getting caught in a web of complex licensing rules?<\/p>\n We’ve found that by sticking with reputable stock photography sites, it can actually be pretty simple. To save you the hassle, we’ve assembled a collection of our favorite stock photos sources just for you.<\/p>\n “Whoa, whoa, whoa…” I hear you saying. “But, don’t you advise against<\/em><\/a> using stock?”<\/p>\n And, the answer is – yes.<\/p>\n We wholeheartedly believe that stock art and photography have no place in your core<\/span> visual branding materials<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Stock art is available to everyone. And, for that reason, it can never be unique enough to create a differentiated visual brand. You’d just blend in with all the other businesses using that same stock art.<\/p>\n For the full details on why stock art is bad for your brand, just click that link above.<\/p>\n But, stock photography can<\/em> play a role in creating massive quantities of visual content needed to keep the social media engine running. And, it can be used as supplemental visuals for blog content.<\/p>\n So, for example…<\/p>\n Stock photography and art can’t be used to replace an authentic, consistent visual brand identity<\/a>. But, stock photos can supplement an already established brand identity. Just choose photos that don’t contradict your existing brand.<\/p>\n So, now that we know the ground rules for when it’s okay to use stock photography, let’s take a look at the best sources for acquiring free, high-quality stock photos.<\/p>\nHere are 7 of the most popular stock photography sites:<\/h2>\n
\n
\n
Want a free brand review?<\/div><\/div>Answer 5 short questions and we will send a custom report with actionable insights and specific actions you can take to build a stronger brand.<\/div>\n