Sites to Get Free Stock Images for Commercial Use
Purchasing images from stock websites like Adobe and Getty can be very expensive.
Especially when you have a large website and you want unique and strong imagery.
High prices often mean that many businesses take images from Google without actually owning the rights to them, which trust me, ends with lawyers, letters and big fines/costs.
So, it’s important to get it right and get it right the first time around, this way you can save your company money and still stand out from the crowd.
Do free images hurt your business?
In all honesty, yes they can, for example, if you are a dentist and you use free stock imagery, and another dentist somewhere does the same, then you are breaking down that trust between you and your potential customer.
It’s important to stand out and these days many companies have adopted creating their own imagery, which cannot be placed anywhere else.
However, not everyone, in the beginning, has the budget or the option to do this. So, circling back round to the question, it only really matters on the industry and the subject of the photo.
Keeping things as general as possible will be better, and free stock sites have thousands of images that are updated daily. And remember, even if you purchase images for your website, it does not stop your competitor from doing the exact same thing.
Where to find free (royalty-free) images?
Good examples of images to use
Examples of businesses who use them:
- ACCL (CCTV Installation Company). View website.
- Meadowhead Caravan & Camping Parks. View website.
- The Human Rights Big Data and Technology Project (HRBDT). View website.
Examples of bad images to use
- Stay away from vector art
- Make sure to include real-life people
- Choose colours that speak to your target audience